Are the terms “Great Resignation” and the “Big Quit” all familiar to you? It is one of the biggest work trends of 2022, and experts are exploring this idea because it has been shaping the way we work now and in the future.

The Great Resignation or the Big Quit is an ongoing phenomenon wherein a massive number of employees globally have voluntarily left their jobs. The alarming trend rose as the restrictions of the pandemic eased in. The US Labor Department reported an all-time high with 4.5 million workers resigning in November 2021 alone in the US. Though it is understandable given the challenging situations brought by COVID, it is also an opportunity for businesses to reevaluate and formulate retention programs to help and support their employees.  

Hybrid Work: Is it time to make the switch?   

Several reasons drove The Great Resignation. Studies show that job insecurity and reorganization, toxic culture, complex innovations, unrecognized performance, and poor pandemic responses were the main contributors to the Big Quit. These factors have been highlighted as most companies resorted to remote working, and it resulted in many experiencing burnouts from the overwhelming responsibilities of family, work, etc.   

Now that the cases are dropping and many are returning to normalcy, experts are claiming that hybrid work is how companies should do it from this time forward. Hybrid work is a kind of setup where employees blend remote work with office work. It is done by splitting their working hours between their home, flexible office area, or office. It is the best setup for employers and employees because it offers a myriad of benefits such as flexibility, work-life balance, increased social interaction, and better staff well-being. However, be prepared for the transition. Hybrid work should be executed properly, and appropriate technologies should be employed. If not, it can create a divide between those working in the office and those who are not and affect how workflows are carried out.

Microsoft Modern Workplace for Hybrid Work   

Based on studies, 70% of US companies are planning and diving into a hybrid model and major organizations are also claiming that it is here to stay. If you are considering transitioning to a hybrid, Microsoft Modern Workplace may be the best post-pandemic weapon you can rely on.  

Microsoft Modern Workplace is the newest suite of Microsoft 365 cloud solutions. It drives and simplifies business processes such as Microsoft 365, Windows 10 Enterprise, and Enterprise Mobility + Security (EM+S).   

Some of the benefits you can gain from Microsoft Modern Workplace   

Microsoft Modern Workplace promotes automation for Hybrid Work   

Hybrid working may seem like a simple setup, but it is more complex since your employees are working in various places at the same time. Though changes need to be implemented, the remarkable thing about technology is that processes can be simplified. Based on research, at least 33% of the activities conducted in most companies can be automated. That is where Power Automate (previously known as Microsoft Flow) comes in—to relieve users from repetitive tasks. Users, even those without programming skills, can create systems for data collection, file handling, and automated workflows 

Automating tasks frees you with the time of doing unnecessary time-consuming tasks through its built-in AI capabilities. It can also be integrated with more than 100 applications like Dynamics 365, MailChimp, Google Analytics, Twitter, etc.  

Microsoft Modern Workplace delivers an improved employee experience perfect for Hybrid Work   

One of the best realizations that the pandemic has brought is that employees are the company’s greatest assets. With that, Microsoft Modern Workplace is on a mission to empower the organization’s backbone through IT. Microsoft 365 added new tools, apps, and platforms to enrich the entire employee experience in the digital landscape.  

Microsoft Viva is the first employee enrichment platform built for hybrid work to help organization’s improve support and connection by integrating personalized tools for learning, well-being, and well-being into their everyday tasks within Microsoft Teams. It is a nice pairing to a hybrid environment because it tackles the “other” part of working – the training, socializing, and connecting with workmates, all essential to complete the “office” experience.

Microsoft Modern Workplace facilities effective collaboration for Hybrid Work   

The key to a successful hybrid environment is the collaboration between internal and external teams. But it can be challenging for those in a hybrid because people are working in different time zones and multiple locations. Microsoft Modern workplace is all about seamless communication and collaboration, simplifying workflows, and improving productivity. Working together is made possible no matter where you are or what device you prefer through the integration of Microsoft 365 apps and services.  

Microsoft Teams is one of the best weapons built for those opting to switch hybrid. This hub for collaboration is all all-in-one—video and audio meetings, real-time chat, document management, and more. It also fosters asynchronous communication and encourages communication for those working in different time zones. SharePoint and OneDrive are also applications integrated into the Microsoft Modern Workplace. It provides secure, reliable, and robust document management systems necessary in hybrid work. Everyone needs to document their work and access the correct files whenever they need them. SharePoint Online and OneDrive work with the other familiar Microsoft solutions like Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and OneNote. Users can co-edit documents in real-time, share files, create workflows, manage access, and protect data.  

Microsoft Modern Workplace offers a robust security system for Hybrid Work   

Modern workplace solutions heavily rely on cloud technologies. One of the cons is that this setup is more vulnerable to attacks when users connect to unsecured networks.

connect to unsecured networks. It was considered highly in the latest version of Microsoft 365. Tools were developers to provide an indestructible security system from trojans, worms, and other types of malwares for both cloud and on-prem.

The set of security technologies include: 

Azure Advanced Threat Protection
Azure Security Center
Office 365 Threat Intelligence
Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection
Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection

Microsoft Modern Workplace easily adapts to the changes of your hybrid environment 

The hybrid environment comes with a catch—finding the right balance between providing access to your employees and a secure digital workplace. Maximizing the self-service feature of Microsoft 365 can help your employees eliminate the heavily restricted gatekeeping of a completely locked-down system. It empowers them to build the resources and tools they need.  

Both the IT Team and the employees benefit from self-service. As employees are given the capability to decide and move at their own pace, they would not need to bother the IT team with every request or problem they encounter. It is advantageous for both parties because employees can decide and move at their own pace without disturbing IT for every request.   

Implementing Microsoft Modern Workplace 

There is no denying that hybrid work is here to stay. Why? Because it demonstrates a fresh take on employee experience by giving them the freedom to customize their work in a way that adopts their circumstances and expectations. It also improves the different facets important for employees and employers like collaboration, well-being, employee experience, personal growth, efficiency, and productivity.  

ECF Data can help you with the successful adoption of a modern workplace. Aside from its decade-old experience in the industry, ECF takes pride in its hands-on approach to clients. It ensures a higher success rate of adoption because of the needs, requirements, employee knowledge, and targets.