Recently, I led a webinar on a day in the life of a frontline worker, where we talked about the many capabilities and benefits contained within Microsoft 365 (M365) for these workers and their organizations. M365 addresses many challenges organizations face around communication, schedule management, training and onboarding, engagement, and manual processes. For those who would prefer to read over watch, I have compiled the top ways Microsoft 365 helps companies engage with frontline workers and improve the employee experience.
- Microsoft 365 enables frontline workers to improve their daily tasks:
- Streamlined communication and collaboration: With tools like Microsoft Teams, frontline workers can easily communicate with each other, share updates and files and collaborate on projects in real-time. This helps to reduce miscommunications, errors, and delays in completing tasks.
- Enhanced productivity: M365 offers a range of productivity tools, such as Planner and To-Do, that can help frontline workers organize their tasks and work more efficiently. They can also access and edit documents on the go using the mobile versions of apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Improved safety and compliance: Frontline workers can use M365 to complete safety checklists, report incidents, and ensure compliance with regulations. For example, they can use Power Apps to create customized forms for data collection and analysis.
- Organizations can leverage the Microsoft 365 platform to provide a more agile and responsive approach to serving their customers:
- Respond to customer needs in real-time: With Microsoft 365, frontline workers can access customer information, service records, and other data on the go, which enables them to provide faster and more personalized service.
- Coordinate teams and resources: Using tools like Teams and SharePoint, organizations can easily manage teams across multiple locations and coordinate resources, such as inventory and equipment, to ensure they are available when and where needed.
- Analyze data to make better decisions: With Power BI, organizations can analyze data from multiple sources, such as sales, customer feedback, and inventory, to make informed decisions and quickly adapt to changing customer needs.
- Microsoft empowers frontline workers to tackle the challenges of today's rapidly changing world:
- Providing access to training and resources: Microsoft offers a range of training and resources, such as the Microsoft Learn platform and the Teams Adoption Hub, to help frontline workers and organizations make the most of M365.
- Supporting remote work and collaboration: The new way of working has become more important than ever. Microsoft has responded by adding new features and capabilities to Teams and other apps to make remote work easier and more effective.
- Investing in new technologies: Microsoft is continually investing in new technologies, such as AI and IoT, to help frontline workers and organizations improve their operations and better serve their customers.
- Organizations can increase communications effectiveness with and amongst their field staff:
- Provide clear guidelines and expectations: Organizations should establish clear guidelines and expectations for communication, such as when and how to use certain tools, to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
- Encourage feedback and collaboration: Frontline workers should be encouraged to share feedback and collaborate with each other to identify opportunities for improvement and develop solutions.
- Offer training and support: Organizations should provide training and support to help frontline workers use communication tools effectively and address any issues that arise.
- Companies are increasing employee retention with the creation of an inclusive environment for frontline staff:
- Fostering a culture of inclusivity and diversity: Organizations should prioritize creating an inclusive and diverse workplace where all employees feel valued and respected.
- Providing opportunities for career growth and development: Frontline workers should be given opportunities to develop new skills and advance their careers, which can increase their job satisfaction and reduce turnover.
- Recognizing and rewarding good performance: Organizations should recognize and reward frontline workers who perform well, which can boost morale and increase retention.
If you are interested in these benefits and features, we would like to offer you a day in the life workshop, where you can experience firsthand the ways in which Microsoft 365 can streamline workflows, increase productivity, improve employee experience, and even empower your frontline workers! Drop us a line below and start your journey on your schedule.
Contact Us
Interested in scheduling a workshop? Reach out to Withum’s Digital and Technology Transformation Team. We are happy to answer any questions and run through different scenarios that can help your company and employees thrive!
