Research shows that on average people work 2.5 days from home, where they are not only emailing, they are also chatting with colleagues. Workspace chat spaces, provided by platforms like Microsoft Teams, are fulfilling the function of an office environment online, while supporting employees wherever they are working.
Some companies are still exploring how to maintain company culture online, however. These six Microsoft Teams tips could help.
6 Effective Tips for Workspace Chat
Microsoft Teams brings people together in a powerful way. Employees can stay in touch with colleagues by chatting in various discussion channels, joining video calls and sharing files in a centralized place. The following suggestions can help teams maximize Teams’ workspace chat:
1. Customize the Notifications
A mere 1.2 second delay can make people feel underappreciated and ignored in online workspaces, but custom notifications can help them feel more engaged. Custom notifications let end users specify how they want to receive updates, including:
- All new posts: alert about a new conversation in the channel
- Include all replies: alert about a new response to a conversation
- Channel mentions: alert about a @mention the channel
End users can also direct where notifications are sent. They can select “banner and feed” to receive notifications on a device and in their “activity” feed. They can focus notifications in “activity” by selecting “only show in feed” and turn them “off” as desired.
Customizing notifications makes it easier for people to find information, like company updates or answers to questions, and they also help leaders share information efficiently. Employees can control notifications in “settings.” When they need to focus, they can select “do not disturb” and reverse course when they are available.
2. Make the Most of Mobile Apps
This is a simple trick for helping employees overcome distraction: strategic use of mobile apps.
It’s easy to get distracted with a lot of activity occurring on a desktop computer. But downloading the Microsoft Teams app to a mobile phone gives employees more room to focus on their computer, while being able to quickly catch up on conversation and message from a separate device. It’s a divide and conquer approach end users can control, enabling focused work and needed updates concurrently.
3. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Platforms like Microsoft Teams improve communication among employees — especially when they are dispersed. Now that remote work is prevalent, leaders have the perfect opportunity to use Teams to discuss and share online community guidelines, reinforce processes, provide feedback and highlight deadlines.
Open communication from leadership invites friendly connection across the organization. Leaders might want to circulate employee surveys to get suggested improvements or gather ideas for team-building events, like virtual conferences or quiz nights.
4. Include All Languages
As remote working allows people flexibility in where they work, companies may also benefit from a global talent pool, best served with some form of translation service. Microsoft Teams offers a language feature that translates messages, supporting global communication. This allows everyone to be included in new announcements and planned meetings
5. Use GIFs
GIFs have become a popular way to promote new products, engage with consumers and build excitement around brands. They can also be a useful tool when chatting in Microsoft Teams as a way to inject humor, illustrate a point or motivate co-workers. Share team spirit with GIFs and emojis for a little fun and team bonding!
6. Remember to Share and Have Fun
In the office, employees might get to know each other during a coffee break. The same connection is possible using Microsoft Teams, where teams can chat, call and message and otherwise foster encouragement online.
And if a technical glitch occurs, it’s just as easy to engage the IT service desk from Microsoft Teams. Tikit, an IT service desk solution built for Microsoft Teams, helps employees submit request tickets conversationally, while giving IT analysts an efficient backend to manage and resolve tickets.
Build the Best Team with Microsoft Teams
The best workplaces have a strong, unified team of employees that solve problems and develop innovative ideas. Using a workspace chat on Microsoft Teams is a great way to support interaction and culture!
Check out a demo of Tikit to see how it works. Or better yet, explore Tikit in a free 14-day fully-functional trial with no credit card needed!
