Microsoft Teams improvements for February

It may have been the shortest month of the year, but that didn’t stop Microsoft Teams from introducing a host of highly requested features.

Microsoft’s proactive approach means that improvements are made consistently throughout the year, rather than waiting for issues to occur before making changes.

A major part of this process is the close relationship Microsoft has built with its community, taking feedback on board and introducing updates that will enhance the user experience.

Some of February’s most significant updates include the new Outlook integrated experience and enhanced compliance controls, providing users with new functionality whilst using the platform.

Read on for a closer inspection of Microsoft Teams’ February updates:

Targeted communication

One of the biggest benefits of Microsoft Teams is the ability to communicate efficiently throughout the business, targeting specific employees where necessary.

However, there are some communications that need to be sent to a group of people, which previously involved @mentioning multiple names in one message.

Now, with targeted communication, team members can message everyone assigned to a specific tag at the same time by using @mention followed by the tag name.

Using tags, team owners can organise users based on a common attribute like role, project or location and control which individuals belong to each specific group.

For businesses who need to urgently share information with a specific department or team, this new feature will allow them to do so efficiently.

New Teams & Outlook integrated experience

Whilst Teams has grown in popularity, it’s no surprise that most work-related communications still take place via Outlook.

For this reason, it may be necessary to move a Teams conversation into Outlook, especially if the participants are more likely to respond quickly to emails.

With this new integration between Outlook and Teams, users can now collaborate with ease, no matter where the conversation has started.

Using the ‘…’ icon, it’s now possible for individuals to move a Teams conversation into Outlook, and later this month, users will have the ability to move an email conversation from Outlook into a Teams chat or channel, with all the necessary attachments included.

Again, this update is another example of how Microsoft prioritises the needs of its userbase, implementing features that allow workers to collaborate with ease.

Communication compliance

Although most businesses would like to think all their internal communications are above board, inappropriate conversations are not uncommon in the workplace.

In some cases, these communications are deemed to be gross misconduct or a serious breach of contract, requiring the business to act against those responsible.

Such communications could cause serious financial or reputational damage, so measures must be in place to detect wrongdoing, allowing businesses to address the situation before it develops.

The new communication compliance features added in February allow administrators to detect, capture and address inappropriate messages as they happen.

It’s another step forward for businesses using Microsoft Teams, giving them greater control over the actions of their workforce and allowing them to address sensitive issues early.

Collaboration is key...

Modern businesses are most effective when their workforce have the tools needed to communicate and collaborate seamlessly throughout all levels of the organisation.

We live in a world where access to information is instant, and the success of an organisation relies on its ability to be proactive and work quickly to deliver results.

Microsoft Teams has become increasingly popular in recent months, as businesses of all sizes begin to recognise its importance as a collaborative platform.

If you’d like to experience the platform’s true potential, then contact our in-house team and find a solution that meets your requirements.