The truth about Microsoft Teams: Part 1

So the  TRUTH and nothing but…! 

If you had asked me about Microsoft Teams back in Jan I don’t think I would have had a clue? Now it seems we are all ‘experts’. 

Despite keeping us all connected it certainly does have its GOOD and BAD points… 

tHE gOOD pOINTS

The Good points are that it does make you feel connected to your colleagues and workplace and I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on what’s being going on although maybe because that’s because I’m a bit nosey! 

The ‘Chat’ feature is excellent as we all start the day by saying ‘Good Morning’ – whoever is first up (so to speak) being able to message each other if something crops up – it’s almost like they are sitting next to you (socially distanced of course) And just like the office there are some who are more vocal/chatty than others!! 

Another great thing is that in ‘normal times’ we would take a lot of phone calls and teleconferences, now I’m having meetings and calls with people ‘virtually’ that I would never normally see – which I personally really like. I find that you have a bit more of a relationship as essentially you are letting them into your home/space; this can often change the dynamic.  I also like to see the ‘backgrounds’ they have – again it appeals to my nosey side! 

The bad points

The Bad points are the usual connectivity and signal which are often a problem and can make meetings run over…problems with mikes and video not being on so you end up waving frantically at them to say ‘we can’t hear you….! I’m actually thinking of making some cue cards to hold up for these very instances. 

It’s difficult during video calls sometimes as maybe you are having an off day and don’t want to have to make that extra effort to have straightened your hair, put your makeup on or a tie, although if this is what you would normally do then it does help in the sense that it makes you feel like you are preparing for a work day. You also have the option of saying it’s an audio only call from you today.   

In view of this its also important to be mindful and understanding that not everyone likes to communicate in this way and may find it difficult. An occasional email to ‘check in’ with them to make sure they are ok may be an alternative option. 

Whatever your thoughts are on ‘Teams’ I think it is certainly here to stay!