Microsoft Office becomes more hybrid-friendly

As part of Microsoft's commitment to hybrid workforces, the company recently announced changes to Outlook, Teams and PowerPoint in the Microsoft Office programme.
This week, Microsoft announced some major updates to its suite of applications to make its software more suitable for hybrid businesses.

Improvements include the development of new RSVP features in Outlook, a new video extension and a combination of connections and features in PowerPoint. The software giant also announced updates to Whiteboard and Loop tool loops.

These changes were introduced as part of the Microsoft Office Work Trends Index Report, which highlights workers' growing desire for flexible working.
In addition, the survey found that most employers are eager to cultivate relationships with their field staff, making these hybrid attributes more important than ever.

Microsoft's applications are changing

Microsoft is no stranger to hybrid working models, having allowed its employees to switch from home to the office long before the practice was widespread.

As part of its latest promise to make its services even more useful for modern workers, the software provider has developed a new RSVP feature for its Outlook email service.

The feature allows users to choose whether they want to attend a meeting in person or virtually, allowing the other participants to be informed of their status in advance. The RSVP feature will first appear in the web version of Outlook.

Remote workers will also benefit from the new Teams update, which moves the video gallery to the bottom of the screen so that physical assistants can be face-to-face with those who join remotely.

The Business Communication Forum has also introduced a speaker training feature to help workers facilitate remote meetings.

The update uses artificial intelligence technology to inform the speaker of their pace, track audience participation and inform others when they interrupt the speaker.

PowerPoint

The PowerPoint application has also been updated to improve the recording functions.

The Cameo tool, which allows you to integrate a Microsoft Teams camera into your presentation, can now be used in conjunction with the Recording Studio, a handy feature that allows you to add clips of your speech to your slides.

By bringing these aspects together, presentations can be made more accessible to remote participants.

But Microsoft's transformation isn't over yet. The company has also announced the launch of Microsoft Loop and a revamped whiteboard with 50 new templates, new collaboration cursors and more contextual feedback.

Microsoft says most of these changes will take place in the second quarter of this year, with the Loop service expected to go live in late summer this year.

Is Microsoft the best choice for your business?

The market dominance of Microsoft Office applications can lead many business owners to use their solutions without hesitation.

It is undeniable that Microsoft dominates the market when it comes to seamless software integration and ease of use. However, despite their advantages, companies need to be reminded that Microsoft Office applications are not the only options for hybrid or fully decentralised teams.

According to our survey, Microsoft Teams is surpassed by Google Meet when it comes to software for web conferencing. This is mainly due to the affordability of the software and the variety of its practical features. And if you're looking for a free conference call service, Zoom and RingCentral are also good alternatives.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Here is also our YouTube channel if you would like to see more content about our Microsoft Office licences.

Greetings,

your Licendi team.