5 Steps for Adopting Microsoft Teams Into Your Business

Microsoft Teams, when implemented correctly, has greatly increased productivity and collaboration while streamlining company communication. We have witnessed it transform a company, and also completely fail and go unutilized. We want to help you avoid being the latter. Like any tool – with Teams, you get out what you put in, but how do you know what to “put in”? We are here to help. We have compiled our five key steps to a successful Teams Integration. If you are interested in getting more information, you can schedule an introductory call with us.

What Is Microsoft Teams?
Considered one of the core apps of Microsoft 365, Teams is a chat-based workspace that integrates people, content, and tools into a single platform. With Teams, users can go far beyond chatting. They can hold video calls, create documents in apps like Word or PowerPoint, collaborate instantly, create meeting chatrooms before the call to share necessary items like agendas or relevant files, re-watch meeting recordings, and stay connected to its app while on the go.

5 Steps for a Successful Adoption of Teams

Microsoft Teams is relatively easy to set up. However, successfully utilizing Microsoft Teams isn’t as simple as “turning it on.” To make Teams worth your while, you need to think about your people and processes, pinpointing places where Teams can streamline communication and collaboration. Full integration of Teams into your business processes won’t happen overnight; you need a clear roadmap robust enough to guide you through the process, so we have put together an overview of one here:

  1. Determine if Teams fits your organization’s needs

Evaluating solutions can be overwhelming. If you don’t know where to begin, start with articulating your needs. Ask yourself and your colleagues:

  • Do we lack streamlined internal communication?
  • Do we need better collaboration on documents?
  • Would our departments or teams benefit from their communication channels?
  • Are we overwhelming our email inboxes with short requests?
  • What budget do we have for a new communication tool?
  • Would Teams offer the security needed for us to share sensitive information or documents?

2. Ask for help

If you find that Teams could be a possible solution, but you aren’t sure if it’s perfect, you don’t have the knowledge to put together an implementation plan, or don’t have the time to dedicate towards it, ask an IT professional.
When done right, Teams can become a powerhouse for your organization.

3. Create an organizational structure

Named for its function, Teams allows your organization’s departments (or teams) to open up communication and collaboration lines. The way you group your employees should be very intentional and well planned. Think about your pain points and identify how teams could alleviate them. Put together an organizational chart dictating which employees will be in which groups and how they can utilize Teams in their existing workflows or processes. This is also important for managing permissions and mitigating security risks.

4. Start slow

Decide on one group to pilot the implementation of Teams. Clearly illustrate how they should integrate teams into their workflows, educate them on how to use Teams, and continuously collect feedback and make adjustments accordingly. This will be a period of trial and error as you work to find the perfect fit. Once you have, use that pilot group to champion Teams to your other employees and create excitement around Teams!

5. Full organizational adaptation

Now that your pilot group is entirely on Teams slowly introduce it to the rest of your organization. It is important to stagger training sessions to allow for feedback and continued support as your employees get used to the new tool. Before you know it, you won’t be able to remember how you got through the workday without Teams!

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