A new modern workplace can do great things for a business. How do Microsoft 365 solutions support the creation of a modern workplace?
A business is only as successful as its workplaces – and this is a concept most businesses have come face-to-face with in the last few years (due to the that businesses had to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic). Businesses can benefit from integrating a range of different digital tools and systems to support their workflows; a good example of this is the productivity suite, Microsoft 365. As a cloud-based ecosystem of products and services, Microsoft 365 can provide businesses with all of the functions they need for daily operations, as well as the means to streamline different areas of their organisation. We spoke with TechQuarters, a London-based Microsoft Solutions Partner who, alongside providing IT support for Construction, and many other sectors, have been providing clients with M365 licensing for over a decade. According to them, M365 can benefit businesses in the following ways…
- Protecting Businesses
Microsoft 365 is built and hosted in the Microsoft Cloud, which benefits from industry-leading cloud security – Microsoft maintain an annual security investment worth several billion dollars. The security and compliance capabilities of M365 can be seen in apps like SharePoint Online, and Microsoft Teams. Furthermore, certain licenses – such as E3 and E5 – also include Enterprise Mobility + Security. This is an additional product that unifies a number of security tools to make it easier for IT admins to manage security in M365.
- Cross-platform Productivity
The great thing about Microsoft 365 being cloud-based is that users are not tied down to using it on a single platform, how it used to be with locally-hosted software. Instead, users’ data is hosted in the cloud, and they can access it via client apps on their desktop, or on their mobile device(s), and there are also web apps for the same purpose. This means that users can easily transition from working at a desktop or laptop, to working on their mobile. It also means that users can securely access their apps and data from any device, via the web apps.
- Teamwork and Streamlined Workflows
Microsoft 365 also facilitates better teamwork and more streamline processes. This is due both to Teams, and to the way that apps and data in M365 are linked together through OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online. According to most Microsoft 365 consulting experts, Microsoft Teams, as a unified communications platform that supports document co-authoring, among other capabilities, is an ideal platform for employees to host their daily work. Having a centralised platform for work and collaboration makes teamwork easier to manage.
- Endpoint Management
With Microsoft 365 enabling businesses to employ a mix of static and mobile endpoints for their employee’s work, there is a need for efficient end-to-end management for all devices in the organisation’s digital ecosystem. Luckily, Microsoft 365 also supports unified endpoint management through Enterprise Mobility and Security. This allows businesses to protect identities, applications and data on devices, no matter where they are. This also opens business up to allowing bring your own device (BYOD) policies whilst maintaining company security and privacy.
- Simplify IT Support
Microsoft 365 can help businesses simplify their IT support requirements. This is something that TechQuarters has demonstrated while providing small business IT support London companies rely on. The fact that Microsoft 365 is cloud-based already negates the need for a number of IT practices – such as patching and update management (all of this is managed by Microsoft as vendors). Through the Microsoft 365 Admin Centre, IT admins can streamline other areas of software and identity management in the business.
