a man and a woman sitting at a table

5 reasons why you should start using Microsoft Teams today

Shirley Finnerty

Shirley Finnerty

Former M365 Lead

Read Time, 3 min.

Collaboration and teamwork are the defining characteristic of modern organisations.

Since its launch, Microsoft Teams has become the fastest growing app in Microsoft’s history with more than 330,000 companies worldwide using it.

If you’re working in one of those companies, then you’re probably finding new ways to use the app on a daily basis. But if you’re not, here are 5 reasons why you should consider using Teams today.

1. It’s more than just chat

You can use the chat window in Teams to have quick conversations with your colleagues. But there’s so much more to it.

Screenshot of Microsoft Teams

Screenshot of Microsoft Teams

Need to share a file? Just attach it in the chat. Then simply call or video call your colleague to discuss the file straight from the window. Or schedule a meeting without leaving the chat. Chat’s integration with other Microsoft products like OneNote and Office means no more switching between apps throughout your conversation. It’s all right there in chat.

2. Before, during and after in Meetings

Getting everything ready for meetings can be a challenge. The agenda is in one email, agreed actions in another. And where’s the thing you were supposed to review before the call?

Meetings in Teams makes that experience so much easier. As soon as you create the meeting, you can start chatting with the participants about the agenda, share the files that you need them to review, and keep track of the meeting notes and to dos. You can even check who those unknown people are that have been invited.

Then after, the recording of the call is immediately available in the same tab, so if you missed the meeting, you don’t need to hunt for the recording. It’s right there, with the meeting notes and agreed actions.

3. Fewer emails

Drowning in your emails becomes a thing of the past. As conversations are now held in a structural way in your Teams, you no longer have all the email-upon-email response, often sent as a Reply All.

And if somebody needs to send you a file, or ask you a one-liner question? That’s what Chat’s for!

4. Improved collaboration and communication

Thanks to the tight integration with Office 365, you don’t need to switch apps when you need to collaborate on a document. You can create the Word, Excel or PowerPoint document in Teams, immediately share it with your coworkers and then co-author within a blink of an eye.

No more sending out different versions through email and the resulting version confusion. You can add comments and to-dos, and chat with your coworkers to discuss the document right there.

5. Stay connected, anytime, anywhere

While on the move, we need to stay connected, be reachable and have access to all your resources. With the Teams phone app, you have immediate access to all your apps and documents. You can easily respond to chat and conversations, join meetings with one click and continue to collaborate. So even on the move, you are kept completely in the loop.

Free eBook: Breakthrough teamwork tools

Discover 4 tips for better teamwork

Unleash your team’s full potential

Explore new ways to succeed at a Microsoft Discover workshop

Discover more related articles per industry:

Education

  • A guide to GDPR for universities

    A guide to GDPR for universities

    With the EU’s new General Data Protection Regulation coming into effect on May 25, understand how universities like yours can take the right steps towards compliance with this free eBook – and other useful resources. Your university on a journey on a journey Your university is on a journey with lots of ‘data subjects’. They’re […]

Government

  • Image of a large RTE sign at their HQ

    Microsoft Teams has quickly spread across the RTÉ campus

    Microsoft Teams has quickly spread across the RTÉ campus How an untapped resource in RTÉ helped dispersed teams collaborate and improve efficiency We recently worked with RTÉ to drive learning and collaboration. I was struck by how they have embraced Microsoft Teams and how they are now using it as a tool to drive information […]

  • Iceland runs on Trust

    How the cloud helped a small nation realise big ambitions

    In December 2015, the Icelandic government kicked off a digital infrastructure review. With more than 100 different suppliers managed by over 100 IT managers in each public institution, the brief was clear; to simplify operations and streamline IT for over 20,000 users. The solution: Fast forward two and a half years, and a decision was […]

Healthcare

Manufacturing

  • Etex

    Etex uses modern tools to unite its business and better focus on customers

    When it comes to construction, all components must come together in a timely manner in order to produce the optimum product. While Etex, a Belgian building solution manufacturing company, helps make this a reality on a day-to-day basis, it wanted to find a way to enhance productivity and collaboration internally. With locations across more than […]

Retail

Discover more related articles per dossier:

Customer Stories

  • Etex

    Etex uses modern tools to unite its business and better focus on customers

    When it comes to construction, all components must come together in a timely manner in order to produce the optimum product. While Etex, a Belgian building solution manufacturing company, helps make this a reality on a day-to-day basis, it wanted to find a way to enhance productivity and collaboration internally. With locations across more than […]

Digital Transformation

  • Two female nurses having a virtual conversation through Microsoft Teams

    Belfast Trust: Reimagining patient care

    “There have been many heroic actions by our staff but we’re not heroes for what we’ve done – I’m just glad we could do our bit to help.” Paul Duffy, Co-Director of IT and Telecommunications at Belfast Trust, is talking about the monumental impact COVID-19 has had on the healthcare sector and how virtual consultations […]

Press

  • 2 people meeting with two surfaces on the table

    Winning the war for talent – the power of digital culture

    Winning the war for talent – the power of digital culture For the first time in history, we now have four generations in the Irish workplace – some organisations have as many as five generations working together. For business leaders, it means that finding and cultivating the best talent has never been more important – […]

Security & Privacy

  • Peace of mind when it comes to privacy and security

    Peace of mind when it comes to privacy and security

    “Safely stored in the cloud, compliant and protected by best-in-class security: your data, and the tools you use to harness it, can truly empower your business.” The world is inherently more dangerous than it has ever been, and the cyber threats we face are becoming more sophisticated. Today, any device is a potential route into […]

Tips