Late last year, Meta and Microsoft announced the introduction of corresponding integrations in the Teams and Workplace applications. In both platforms, relevant tools will be available for online working without having to switch applications. What exactly does this mean from a user perspective?

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PFirstly, the platforms have been integrated with each other, allowing you to work seamlessly between them. Workplace has been integrated with Microsoft Teams via an app that can be pinned to the navigation bar if the user so wishes. When selected, a Workplace 'window' is visible on the side of the interface, which can be easily hidden or reopened.

By integrating both tools, you will not only improve internal communication, but also increase the efficiency of your business operations.

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How can Workplace and MS Teams support you? 

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For whom?

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From a management perspective

‍Workplace provides executive transparency, where leadership is critical to how leaders make decisions and how they are perceived within the organisation. Workplace allows for a reduction in managerial distance and further builds a connected culture by leveraging and bringing it into the workplace. And with Microsoft Teams, directors can access secure data and dashboards and promote team collaboration - all from a single app that can be accessed from any device.

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From an HR perspective

Workplace can be used to streamline the induction of new employees. Those who are new to the organisation can meet with each other, comprehensively receive onboarding and training materials, and post to HR groups so that new joiners immediately feel a sense of community and belonging. With MS Teams, HR professionals can take advantage of the option to track and update policies and procedures, provide information and documentation to a select audience or the entire organisation, and stay up-to-date with employee and staff performance management.

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From a communication perspective

With Workplace, you can tailor communications and assess how people interact with each other, including what time of day makes the most sense to measure reach and impact, the best way to reach people and how people want to be informed. Teams, on the other hand, enable collaboration over and management of formal communications.

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From the frontline employee perspective

Trying to get feedback from frontline employees generally involves quite labour-intensive activities like surveys. With Workplace, your employees have the tools to provide immediate feedback to leaders or the wider team to make faster and better decisions. Workplace gives a voice to employees without a desk. Teams, on the other hand, has a mobile-friendly, device-independent Microsoft Teams app that provides easy access to company documents and allows for free business communication between employees.

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So what do the two tools have in common?

Workplace is primarily a tool to support and introduce frontline employees to communication in the organisation. Both tools support group collaboration, chats, video calls and file sharing, with a range of integrations available. With the 'Frontline Add-On' and the integration of MS Teams with Workplace, your organisation can customise the way all employees collaborate and flow information.

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Each tool has its uses in quite different areas, but their complementarity allows them to be used effectively to increase employee productivity levels (MS Teams) and stay connected and build engagement (Workplace).

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Try comparing the use of both applications in this simple analogy:
If you work as a chef or hairdresser, you need more than just a slicing or cutting tool in your business. :) 

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Both technologies can be used together and better for better use and return on investment. 

If you're not using Workplace, but would like to learn more about its capabilities, contact us or schedule a meeting.

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