Microsoft highlights growing disconnect over hybrid work – ARN (arnnet.com.au)
Microsoft’s second annual Work Trend Index report has highlighted a growing disconnect between employer and employee attitudes to hybrid work, according to a survey of 31,000 people in 31 countries and analysis of user data from Microsoft 365 and LinkedIn.
50 per cent of leaders say their companies are planning a return to full time in-person work in the year ahead as they are finding that relationship building is their greatest challenge as a result of a hybrid or remote environment.
Jared Spataro, corporate vice president for modern work at Microsoft told reporters “The challenge ahead for every business leader is understanding the misalignment and trying to figure out how they can align what employees expect and are going to demand, with the pressure they’re going to have to drive business results in this very difficult environment,”
Five key work trends that have been identified since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. These are:
- Managers often feel wedged between leadership and employee expectations.
- Leaders need to ensure the office is worth commuting to.
- Flexible work doesn’t have to mean being always on.
- Social capital looks different in a hybrid world.
- Employees have a new “worth it” equation which aims to balance work with health and wellbeing.
Microsoft is responding to changing work habits with a range of updates to Microsoft Teams to further support hybrid workers. These updates include:
- Option for virtual or in person RSVP for Teams.
- New meeting layout for Teams Rooms brings the video gallery to eye level at the bottom of the screen.
- Teams Phone provides users with one phone number for their desk and mobile phone.
- An Inspiration Library provides access to best practice content from Harvard Business Review, Thrive & Microsoft.
- Microsoft Teams Connect shared channels.
- Bringing together of cameo and recording studio for in-meeting presentations.
- Live language interpretation.
- The introduction of over 800 3D emojis.
- Microsoft Whiteboard now included in Teams, including collaboration cursors, more than 50 new templates, contextual reactions, and the ability to open existing boards and collaborate with external colleagues in Teams meetings.
These updated features will be available from the second quarter of 2022. Acurus can assist you in navigating and understanding these updates. Contact us today to optimise your Microsoft subscriptions.