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Employee collaboration is an integral part of any organization. But the outbreak of the COVID-19 and its variants have forced many businesses across the world to shut down or look for alternative ways to operate. People have been forced to remain isolated, leading to stress and loss of confidence, ultimately leading to a rapid decline in employee productivity.

The corporate work culture that existed before the pandemic is no longer viable. Today, remote and hybrid workplaces are the new normal, and employees are adjusting to this disruptive development from the past three years. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain a sense of smooth collaboration at remote and hybrid work. Employee collaboration contributes to creating an environment in which employees feel supported and appreciated. Thus, a new challenge confronted organizations around the world: i.e., how to make remote working more feasible and, most importantly, how to keep it as collaborative as an office environment?

The interactions between employees within a team can be challenging at times, which is why collaborative platforms have been developed. It is equally important to ensure that you collaborate effectively with colleagues, whether you continue to work remotely or resume in-person collaboration. Whether it is team communication or project management, these platforms feature too many options. Though various collaboration platforms emerge each year, existing ones continue to improve their capabilities and features. Many collaboration platforms such as MS Teams, Zoom, Slack, Google Meet and GoToMeeting have gained popularity more than ever in this pandemic time.

But why were collaborative platforms so important during COVID-19? What the pandemic did to employee collaboration and productivity? How does MS Teams stand out as the best collaboration tool to manage employee productivity in this pandemic era?

Let's talk about them one by one.

Employee Productivity Concerns in Today's Virtual World  

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This modern workplace can be challenging for both employers and employees because it is hard to stay focused and productive. Employees are hindered by continuous chat conversations and incoming notifications, interfering with their productivity. Moreover, this can delay or prevent projects from getting completed. Those interruptions can hinder employees from moving through projects sequentially and focusing deeply on one task at a time. Businesses and organizations evaluate ways to minimize productivity barriers, and their solutions must facilitate real-time collaboration. The benefit is that employees can communicate seamlessly with each other and their customers. Happy and engaged employees are more productive and remain loyal to the organization.

In a recent report by Gartner, it was revealed that virtual overload could result in fatigue that can reduce performance by up to 33%. It's surprising to learn how many tools intended to facilitate remote communication and collaboration lead to decreased productivity. Tools like Microsoft Teams can be an excellent asset for companies seeking to drive productivity, minimize distractions, and maximize efficiency.

Tips and Tricks to keep your employees engaged via MS Teams, check here.

What Makes Microsoft Teams the Best Collaboration Platform for Businesses?  

Microsoft Teams is a collaboration platform that facilitates team collaboration and provides space for collaborating, holding meetings, and sharing notes and files. Microsoft Teams makes it easy for organizations to create an open working environment so that they can determine if it is a good fit for them. It can help organize your team's efforts and increase work productivity when used correctly. Getting to grips with all of the capabilities of an application can take some time, like any other platform. Microsoft Teams gives employees the ability to collaborate, in a comprehensive way, remotely, from multiple devices and avoid communication breakdowns.

MS Teams aims to elevate employee productivity and employee experience by improving team collaboration and engagement levels.

Here are the top reasons why Microsoft Teams is the best collaboration tool to enhance employee productivity: 

1. An easy-to-use platform
   
   One of the main goals of MS Teams is to provide simple channels for group chats to streamline teamwork. One-click can create several channels, conversations are in threads, easy to follow, and notifications can be set up onscreen. Employees will be able to work faster, smarter, and better together with MS Teams. It features an easy and in-built user interface, making it simple to learn and use, and thus employees are better able to concentrate on their jobs.
   
   
2. Anytime, anywhere
   
   This cloud-based platform can be accessed wherever, whenever, and using whatever device is preferred by users. Access to the system is provided to employees regardless of their device, including mobile devices and tablets. A reliable internet connection is all you need to take advantage of this collaboration software's high functionality and convenience.
   
   
3. Provide smooth collaboration
   
   Conversations in MS Teams can be multi-threaded, which is one of their fundamental functions. Through various channels and constant communication, users can engage in group or private messages. Employees can communicate on-topic and view only what they need to see through channels, preventing other employees from becoming distracted.
   
   
4. You can meet, chat, call, and collaborate with just one app.
   
   Microsoft Teams is far more than a simple chat application. The platform is integrated with Office 365, allowing users to access Office productivity apps such as Excel and Word and cloud-based storage and synchronization solutions like SharePoint, Power BI, and Delve. Integrating multiple tools into omnichannel collaboration hubs will allow employees to seamlessly switch between video chat, instant messaging, email, and document collaboration.
   
   
5. More features are being added.
   
   Microsoft Teams is a constantly-evolving technology, adding new apps, improving integration, and continuously improving. These features include Office 365 apps like Excel as well as apps from other partners. Employees can discover new apps in the Teams app store.
   
   

Conclusion

Employee productivity should remain a priority for every business, regardless of whether it operates remotely or hybrid. With Microsoft Teams' features, apps, and integrations, employers can overcome common productivity challenges such as managing document versions and having constant chat conversations. As an added benefit, MS Teams allows organizations to integrate modern service desk, boosting employee productivity even further. AI-driven service desks enable companies to provide automated, personalized support.

Your employees can obtain seamless support on the same platform they use for work when you integrate an AI service desk with Microsoft Teams. In addition, employers will reduce employee distractions, foster effective collaboration, and maintain employee engagement.