REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday,
Microsoft Corp. released a Work Trend Index Special Report,
"Technology Can Help Unlock a New Future for Frontline Workers,"
and announced new features in Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Viva
designed to serve millions of frontline workers.
The 2 billion frontline workers worldwide represent 80% of the
global workforce, with 88% of organizations employing people in
frontline roles. Increasingly, companies are investing in digital
tools for frontline workers to modernize workflows, enhance job
performance, and improve workplace culture and communication.
Microsoft has seen 400% growth in monthly active usage of its Teams
collaboration platform among frontline workers since March 2020.
The Work Trend Index report reveals key insights that impact
nearly every segment of the workforce:
- A culture of caring is the new currency on the
frontline: 76% of workers feel bonded to each other, yet over
60% say their company should better prioritize culture and
communication from the top. In addition, 51% of those in
nonmanagement positions on the frontline don't feel valued as
employees.
- Frontline workers are at an inflection point: Amid the
Great Reshuffle, frontline workers cite better pay and benefits,
work-life balance, and flexibility as reasons for considering a job
change.
- Optimism for tech is high: 63% of frontline workers are
excited about the job opportunities tech creates and tech ranks
third on the list of factors workers say could help reduce
workplace stress.
- There's an opportunity to bridge the tech and training
gap: 46% of frontline workers feel pressure to adapt to new
tech or fear losing their jobs — but 55% say they've had to learn
new tech on the fly, with no formal training or practice.
Today, the company is introducing new joint offerings with
industry partners as well as capabilities specifically designed to
support frontline workers in Teams and Viva, Microsoft's
employee experience platform introduced in early 2021.
- Microsoft is deepening its strategic relationship with Zebra
Technologies Corp., a world leader in innovative digital solutions,
including software and hardware such as rugged Android mobile
computers for the frontline workforce. The two companies are
delivering the Teams Walkie Talkie app on a wide range of Zebra
mobile computers, including a dedicated push-to-talk (PTT)
button to access Teams Walkie Talkie functionality on Zebra
devices. In addition, Teams Walkie Talkie digital PTT is now
available on all iOS mobile devices in addition to Android.
- Microsoft is enhancing Teams' integration with Zebra
Reflexis™, which connects the Reflexis Workforce Management
solutions with the Shifts application in Teams. This new
integration streamlines shift scheduling and time off requests in
Teams, making them easy for managers to approve.
- Scheduled queuing for virtual appointments are
now available in Teams, providing one location for real-time
updates on wait times, missed appointments and staffing delays to
create a transparent and stress-free experience for customers and
patients.
- The Viva Connections app in Microsoft Teams links
frontline workers to company culture, resources and tools, news and
employee resource groups in the flow of work. Integrations
with strategic partners such as Espressive and Workday will
make it easier for users to access important HR resources and
tasks, such as payroll, time off and expense reporting, all in one
location.
- The Viva Learning app enables frontline employees to
discover, share and track learning content right from Microsoft
Teams — making it easier for a company's entire workforce to stay
up to date on required and recommended training. New updates
make it easier to assign learning from partner solutions like
SAP SuccessFactors, Cornerstone OnDemand and Saba Cloud. And
partnerships with learning providers like EdCast and
OpenSesame enable an extensive content library to help
frontline workers upskill and train with relevant learning content
in the flow of work.
- For IT, improved device management helps ensure that
misplaced shared devices can be easily secured and located.
"It's no secret that the pandemic is reshaping work for all
workers, and at a faster pace than we have ever seen," said
Emma Williams, corporate vice
president, Microsoft. "Empowering frontline workers remains
essential for digital transformation. Together with our partners,
we're equipping frontline workers with tools that allow them to
stay connected with their team and company leadership while
concentrating on the customer or job at hand. If done well, we
believe technology can modernize workflows and enhance job
performance while also improving workplace culture and
communication."
In addition, on Feb. 1,
Microsoft Cloud for Retail will be generally available.
Microsoft Cloud for Retail accelerates business growth by providing
trusted retail industry solutions that integrate with retailers'
existing systems. It starts by unifying disparate data sources
across the end-to-end shopper journey, allowing retailers to
maximize the value of their data, resulting in one holistic view of
the consumer. Once connected, data and AI help retailers better
understand and elevate the consumer shopping experience. In
providing more relevant and streamlined experiences throughout the
retail value chain, retailers can build a real-time sustainable
supply chain. The solution also includes the Teams and Viva
capabilities announced today, all working toward empowering store
associates.
To learn more, visit the Official Microsoft Blog, Microsoft 365
Blog and the new Work Trend Index report.
Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) enables digital
transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an
intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every
organization on the planet to achieve more.
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SOURCE Microsoft Corp.