4 tips for working from home with Microsoft Teams

This blog outlines four best practices for working from home and using Teams to make your remote work productive. Tips include details on making the most of your virtual meetings, reminders on being inclusive, advice on using chats to collaborate, and information on customizing your workspace.

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Introducing Microsoft Teams

How do you empower great ideas across a digital workspace so that they evolve in a fluid and organic matter? This is a critical question to answer for any company with a remote workforce—and with teams growing more diverse and intergenerational every year, it's becoming increasingly complex. In this video, you'll learn how Microsoft Teams complements the already-robust applications found in Office 365. You'll also discover how both solutions together are enabling some of the world's leading companies to create frictionless digital workplace experiences for their employees.

Series trailer: Innovating the future

Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. The focus is typically on innovation, imagination, and alternative perspectives—all of which result in groundbreaking ideas and projects. Right now, Microsoft's focus is offering assistance to people and organizations in the midst of the COVID-19 situation. CEO Satya Nadella acknowledges the need for everyone who is able, to step up: "No one company is going to solve a challenge like this alone, and it's going to take the private and public sectors working together to turn the tide on COVID-19," he wrote in an email to employees. He added that the corporation views its responsibilities seriously, and that it will continue to use the tools and digital capabilities to address the widespread challenges. It's inspiring to see how so many organizations and individuals have determined ways in which they can help humankind. They are empowering others to achieve more—and right now, that means helping others operate while their daily lives are drastically altered. Watch this short video. What types of alternative perspectives can help us during this disruption? Are innovation and imagination more valued now than ever before?

Remote work checklist

Remote working, virtual learning, online living—the COVID-19 situation has required a shift from all of us. For many, this includes working from home. While a few space and routine necessities might seem obvious to some people, chances are we haven't thought of everything. Chances are we need reminders. Check out this infographic for nine factors to help you stay healthy while working remotely. Whether you've done it for years, or this is your first time occasionally working in pajamas, we're convinced there is something on this list you haven't thought of. Have a look.

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Seven tips to manage your mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak

We're living in extraordinary times—there's no denying that for most people around the world, life is different since the introduction of the coronavirus. These are increasingly stressful times, yet humans have persevered throughout history. It's what we do, how we're designed. Besides our press-on spirit, never before have we been so well-equipped with tools to help us through this challenge. Clinical psychologist Desiree Dickerson shares her professional insight on best ways we can take care of ourselves in her article, "Seven Tips to Manage Your Mental Health and Well-being During the COVID-19 Outbreak." One of Dickerson's tips is to manage expectations. Routines are changing, and while some people might have more time to increase productivity, many others will experience new challenges: "Difficulty concentrating, low motivation and a state of distraction are to be expected," states Dickerson. She cautions to "not underestimate the cognitive and emotional load" that COVID-19 brings. Adapting to a new rhythm—one that includes remote work and fewer real-time connections—will take patience and effort. Read Dickerson's entire article for suggestions on taking care of your mental well-being during this difficult time. We think this is a topic that every person should discuss--please consider sharing this article with organizations, neighbors, friends—everybody could benefit.

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Responding to COVID-19 together

As the world responds to the outbreaks of COVID-19 in various ways, many people and organizations are doing what they can to help others. Microsoft is working to ensure the safety of its employees, protect the health and well-being of its communities, and provide technology and resources to its customers—many of whom are now working remotely. Have a look at the compilation of resources that address the four areas in which Microsoft has prioritized its assistance: remote working, education, community support, and technical support. If you have extenuating needs right now, be sure to look for support that might be available.

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Promoting Workplace Mental Health in the Age of COVID-19

There's plenty of information—everywhere—on how to safeguard our physical health during this COVID-19 situation. But what about mental and emotional health; how do we make sure we're addressing those needs? Elizabeth Bille and Erin McClintock, in their blog for the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), share solid strategies both for organizations and for ourselves. One important element in alleviating stress with your employees is maintaining flexibility in the workplace. "One of the biggest stressors for many employees is the well-being of those they may care for. Those with children are likely concerned about how to handle school or daycare closures; employees who care for older adults may have increased responsibilities given the CDC's advice that those populations stay home," writes Bille and McClintock. Help employees navigate these concerns by providing flexible work arrangements, such as virtual check-ins, telecommuting, flex-scheduling and other plans that may help relieve them of some of their worry. These are extenuating times—look to offer extenuating flexibility and support to your employees. As with any global health scare, it's natural that people may experience an increase in fear and anxiety. We know from previous epidemics that quarantine has impacted people's mental health, and thus we have a responsibility to address this topic—to make it just as vital and attention-garnering as the physical health component. Read the rest of this article to learn about more ways you can support mental health in the workplace during especially stressful times.

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