What is the Connection Between Change Management and Project Success?

Change management and project management go hand-in-hand. As a project manager, you are responsible for delivering something new, strategic, exciting, challenging, or complex to change an organization’s current status.

Resistance to Change

People often resist change for many reasons. They prefer the status quo, fear losing their job, or worry about being unable to learn something new.

Managing change has become even trickier as organizations and teams deal with the uncertainty and instability created by global events, such as the pandemic.

Short-Term and Long-Term Strategies

We’ll explore change management and project management from two perspectives: short-term and long-term.

Focusing on short-term strategies helps organizations to implement changes quickly while ensuring employees are comfortable with those changes.

This approach should be balanced with a long-term, broader view that prepares organizations for future, rapid changes.

Strategies for Short-Term Change Management

If we’ve learned anything over the past few years, rapid change is here to stay.

Stay-at-home directives, travel restrictions, returning to the office for short periods, and business closures have all become part of our reality.

Dealing with these changes and many other disruptions requires a quick, focused response.

Adapting Quickly in Times of Crisis

The first step is recognizing how quickly individuals and teams can adapt during a crisis. An urgent need for change has created new ways of working while removing the layers of bureaucracy that typically slow teams down.

Introducing the Prosci ADKAR Model

In this section, we’ll take a look at the Prosci ADKAR Model, which refers to:

Awareness of the need for change

Recognizing the driving forces behind the necessary change is vital. It involves effectively communicating the reasons for change to ensure team understanding and buy-in.

Desire to participate and support the change

A positive attitude towards change is essential. It’s about motivating and engaging team members to participate proactively in the change management process.

Knowledge on how to change

Providing the information and training needed to make the change successful. It includes step-by-step guidance and resources to navigate new processes or tools.

Ability to implement required skills and behaviors

Ensuring team members can adopt new skills and behaviors. It might involve hands-on training, mentoring, or coaching to facilitate the transition.

Reinforcement to sustain the change

Maintaining momentum after the change has been implemented is vital. It includes ongoing support, recognizing achievements, and embedding new practices into the organizational culture.

ADKAR focuses on action and how individuals respond to change. The model is based on the best information available to determine the best step to take next.

Implementing ADKAR

Working through this model takes around 30 minutes and generates practical actions to help your team. These free quick-start guides for remote working and returning to the office will put you on the right track.

Prioritizing Additional Areas for Effective Change Management

While the ADKAR model provides a solid framework, several other factors contribute to the success of any change management initiative.

These areas help ensure that changes are implemented, embraced, and sustained over time.

Purpose

Every project should start with a clear goal, typically defined in the project charter. Similarly, every organization should operate with a clear vision in mind.

It’s vital to regularly revisit and reinforce these objectives with your team to help them understand how their efforts contribute to the organization’s larger goals.

When team members find meaning and direction in their work, their engagement and productivity increase, minimizing time spent on tasks that don’t align with the core objectives.

Communication

For remote project teams, clear and consistent communication becomes even more critical. Understanding different communication styles can significantly impact the success of the project.

It’s essential to document everything of significance, such as new processes or decisions, and share this documentation on a collaborative platform accessible to all team members.

For teams across various time zones, utilizing video content for updates and training can be highly effective. Tools within Microsoft 365, like MS Teams and Stream, provide secure options for video communication and improve collaboration and efficiency in your remote workforce.

Feedback

Traditional methods of collecting stakeholder feedback may need to be revised in a remote working environment. It’s necessary to find straightforward and quick ways for individuals to provide input and express their concerns.

Tools like Microsoft Forms or polling apps in Microsoft Teams can facilitate this process, ensuring that the impact of change on individuals is understood and addressed.

Incremental Changes

Deliver small changes quickly to help people adapt and build confidence. As teams work remotely, challenges like running video meetings or collaborating across time zones will arise. Rather than fixing everything at once, pick one issue to work on.

At BrightWork, we use REP for change management:

• Research the problem or opportunity to figure out what you need to do.
• Execute the suggested approaches for a defined period.
• Afterward, perform a post-mortem evaluation on these approaches to identify what did not work.

 

REPs may be delivered over a week, month, or year – depending on the situation! Organizations need to manage short-term changes while preparing for long-term opportunities and future disruptions.

What is the Difference Between Project Management and Change Management?

It’s important to understand how project management and change management differ while recognizing how they complement each other. While they overlap, each has its unique focus and purpose in driving organizational success.

Project Management

Project Management involves planning, initiation, execution, monitoring, and closure of tasks using technical skills and strategic management. It focuses on a structured approach to turning ideas into reality within a project timeline.
It’s about managing the entire project lifecycle to meet project objectives.

Defined Duration and Scope

Projects are temporary, with specific start and end dates, designed to deliver unique outcomes. Their limited duration requires a focused and efficient approach to achieve the desired results within the project baselines and schedules.

Delivering Unique Value

Each project creates distinct deliverables that align with an organization’s strategic goals. Project management teams must adeptly manage constraints like scope, time, and budget to deliver these successful project outcomes.

Leadership and Adaptation

Effective project leadership involves changing teams and ensuring strategic alignment with the business’s evolving needs. Balancing technical precision with team dynamics is key to a successful project.

Change Management

Change management is a structured approach to handling organizational changes resulting from projects or external factors. It focuses on managing the people, processes, and tools that influence project scope and outcomes.

Change management is the bridge that moves people from their current state to a desired future state without rigid structures or fixed timelines. Instead, it emphasizes flexibility and human-centered transitions.

Goals and Integration with Project Management

The ultimate goal of change management is to enable organizations to realize their strategic vision efficiently. It is not a standalone process – instead, it should be integrated into the overall project management process.

This integration ensures that both project and change managers work in tandem to achieve a positive outcome for all stakeholders involved in the project, including project sponsors.

Roles and Responsibilities

The change manager is pivotal in identifying the individuals and teams affected by the changes. They develop a strategic plan to secure buy-in and facilitate introducing new initiatives while considering potential risks and additional costs.

This process involves ensuring stakeholders and leaders support the change and set a positive example for others, contributing to organizational success.

For more in-depth guidance, check out these change management tips to help manage your project management challenges.

Impact of Change Management

Effective change management can be the determining factor in the success or failure of a project. As a project manager, being well-versed in various change management models and the key factors contributing to their success is essential.

Depending on the project’s scope and the resources at your disposal, you may also lead change management efforts, highlighting the importance of this knowledge.

What are Change Management Models?

Change management provides structured approaches for organizations to manage and implement change.

Each model offers a different perspective on approaching the complexities of change, whether incremental or radical. Here’s an overview of the popular change management models:

The Strategic Change model

The Strategic Change Model divides organizational change into four types based on pace and impact. These classifications help organizations understand the scale and urgency of the differences they are facing:

• Evolution – This gradual change involves small steps to improve and evolve the organization without causing significant disruptions.
• Adaption – Incremental adaptation consists of a series of changes implemented over time, allowing the organization to adjust and refine its strategies as it progresses.
• Revolution – When fundamental shifts are necessary, revolution change is invoked. This often involves a comprehensive overhaul of strategy, structures, and cultures to align with new, pressing realities.
• Reconstruction – Reconstruction is about rapid transformation, where multiple changes are implemented simultaneously, necessitating a swift and decisive action plan to reconfigure organizational processes and frameworks.

 

Kotter’s 8-step process

Kotter’s 8-step process emphasizes the importance of employee buy-in and support for successful change implementation.

 

 

The steps are designed to create a smooth transition with a high level of engagement from the workforce:

1. Create urgency – Build a sense of urgency around the need for change to motivate the team to move forward.
2. Form a powerful coalition – Assemble a group with enough power to lead the change effort and encourage them to work as a team.
3. Create a vision for change – Develop a clear vision to help everyone understand why you ask them to take action.
4. Communicate the vision – Ensure that as many people as possible understand and accept the vision and the strategy.
5. Remove obstacles – Identify and remove barriers to change and empower people to execute the vision.
6. Create short-term wins – Plan for and create short-term “wins” that people can see and celebrate, helping to build momentum.
7. Build on the change – Analyze what went right and what needs improving, and set goals to continue building on the momentum of change.
8. Anchor the changes in organizational culture – Reinforce the changes by highlighting performance and success, ensuring they stick in the long term.

 

The Change Curve

The Change Curve model anticipates the emotional journey individuals undergo during organizational change.

It is a predictive tool for understanding the natural progression of employee reactions. It is instrumental in managing and supporting people through the transition. The model consists of four stages:

• Stage 1 – People react to the required change with shock or denial, resisting challenges to the status quo.
• Stage 2 – Once the change is accepted as inevitable, individuals may become harmful, angry, disruptive, and even fearful for their future with the organization.
• Stage 3 – Gradually, individuals begin to accept the changes, learning what they mean to them and how they must adapt to change.
• Stage 4 – The difference is embraced as individuals develop new working habits and processes. The organization will benefit from the change.

 

Lewin’s Change Management Model

Lewin’s Change Management Model characterizes change as ‘Unfreeze, Change, Freeze.’

1. Unfreeze

Firstly, the organization must accept that a change is inevitable and communicate the need for change effectively.

This ‘unfreezes’ individuals, making them open to change. Naturally, this phase can lead to extensive uncertainty and anxiety for individuals and teams.

2. Change

Next, change occurs as individuals seek to resolve uncertainty and look to a new, improved future state. Time and communication are critical to this phase.

3. Refreeze

Finally, ‘refreeze’ becomes possible as changes are accepted within the organization.

Choosing the Right Model

Other approaches include the Switch Framework, William Bridge’s Transition Model, and the Kubler-Ross Change Curve.

Spend time assessing the required change, available resources, and company culture before selecting a model to guide the change process. In this assessment, consider how Brightwork 365 integrations can facilitate the adoption of new tools and techniques across your teams.

Regardless of the chosen approach, these tips will help to make change management successful.

4 Success Factors for Change Management

Effective change management is critical for ensuring that organizational changes are accepted and adopted.

Several success factors can significantly influence the outcome of change initiatives. Here’s an expanded look at four of these critical factors:

1. Identify Impacted Individuals

Before announcing any changes, identify the individuals and teams who will be affected. Spend time with these individuals to understand how the change affects their daily routines.

This will also reveal potential conflicts and points of resistance, which will help you develop effective issue management practices and assess any training materials or additional support needed.

Try tools such as interviews, focus groups, brainstorming sessions, and facilitation to collect this information.

2. Clear Case for Change

It is essential not to fall victim to the ‘curse of false knowledge’ by assuming everyone will understand why the change is being made as much as you and your team do.

Prepare a written statement outlining why the change is being made, the benefits of the change, and the roadmap to your new destination.

Encourage feedback where possible, for example, through workshops or an online tool.

3. Strong Leadership

The case of change begins at the top! Leaders must understand and agree with the change, visibly support the case for change, and repeat the benefits at every opportunity.

Many organizations are now turning to social networks and online communities to identify hidden influencers – people who are respected by their colleagues and, therefore, could play a role in the change program.

Tap into the ‘ripple effect’ by appointing organizational change ambassadors.

4. Communication Strategies

The case for change should be shared regularly, consistently, and across different channels.

Use face-to-face communication such as meetings, individual sessions, online sessions, and workshops where possible. Keep email to a minimum, as this tends to impersonalize the message.

Other communication channels include internal social platforms, training sessions, video messages and voicemails from senior leaders, online polls, case studies, and town hall meetings.

Building Stronger Change Management Strategies

As you gear up for your upcoming projects, increasing user adoption of change management in your project planning is not just beneficial – it’s imperative.

Here’s a streamlined checklist to help guide you:

• Evaluate existing strategies – Review your current change management strategies. Are they up-to-date and capable of handling today’s complexities?
• Collaborate and develop – If you find gaps or outdated practices, collaborate with your project team or engage with key stakeholders to develop responsive and flexible strategies considering project requirements and resource allocation.
• Embed change management – Make change management an integral part of your project planning. This foresight can be the difference between a project that stumbles and soars, steering the project to success.
• Prepare for the human element – Anticipate the human response to change. Plan for it, communicate effectively, and create a project management culture that not only expects change but is empowered by it, thus enhancing project performance.
• Stay agile and informed – Change management is not static. Keep abreast of new trends, tools, and methodologies. Use project management tools to stay in control and adapt to challenges.
• Continuous improvement – Treat each project as an opportunity to refine your change management approach. Post-project reviews can be gold mines for insights and lessons learned, essential for improving project management practice.

Managing documents in BrightWork 365

BrightWork 365 uses the right Microsoft 365 app for the right project management process, all wrapped up in project management templates.

It integrates seamlessly with SharePoint Online for efficient project document management. SharePoint serves as the central storage for project files within your Microsoft 365 environment.

In the screenshot below, you can see a document library in BrightWork 365 where you can upload, create, and manage documents from the project site. Supported types include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

If you select any document in the library, you’ll see options to Edit, Check In/Check Out, or edit the SharePoint properties.

It has all the usual SharePoint functionality you need to manage project documents.

What is Project Documentation?

Depending on the nature of your project and local guidance, there are many types of project documentation to consider. Below is a suggested list of essential document types to consider for your project:

1. Business case

This document is part of the initiation phase and is used to secure approval for the project.

2. Project charter

The project charter is the most important document for any project manager. It formalizes project approval and supports your authority as project manager. Simply put, the project cannot exist without it!

3. Project statement

Created during the planning phase, the project statement, or statement of work, explains how your team will deliver the requirements outlined in the project charter.

It clearly defines what is included and excluded in the project, ensuring proper scope management.

4. Project communications plan

The project communication plan explains who needs to receive what information, when, and in what format, for example, a weekly meeting with the project sponsor.

5. Risk register

This document specifies project issues and task owners.

6. Lessons learned

During the project closure, document lessons learned to help improve internal processes and future projects.

How to improve team collaboration using SharePoint project documentation

The project manager is the main communication channel in a project, especially when working remotely. Stakeholders, team members, vendors – everyone wants to talk to you!

Organizing project documents is critical for handling these interactions seamlessly. With document automation, it’s even easier to manage and streamline your team’s workflow.

Benefits of project documentation

Some of the primary benefits of well-managed project documentation include:

• A single, accurate record of project work and deliverables.
• Centralized access for seamless reporting
• Clear descriptions of individual roles and responsibilities to prevent conflict or misunderstandings
• Easy retrieval of documents for team collaboration
• Better communication with stakeholders.
• A unified source of knowledge is essential for remote teams

 

How can SharePoint manage project documentation for remote teams?

Remote project teams rely heavily on documentation. The outlined list above provides a solid foundation to organize your project. To support collaboration, include additional documents such as:

• Meeting minutes
• Decisions
• Feedback
• Processes
• Suggestions for improvements, and so on.

Once you have decided on the types of documents you need, you’ll need to find an easy way to store and manage the files.

A SharePoint document library brings all project documents into a single repository, making it easier to find information when needed.

What is a SharePoint Document Library?

SharePoint simplifies collaboration by making it easy to centralize all project documents in one place. Finding relevant information also becomes much faster!

SharePoint Server

A SharePoint project site includes a document library—a specialized list for storing, managing, and retrieving documents.

In SharePoint Server, the default site includes a document library, and additional libraries can be added to your project site as needed.

SharePoint Online

SharePoint team sites in Microsoft 365 act as a central hub for project collaboration, where team members can share deliverables and access project documents.

Benefits of using a SharePoint document library

Using a SharePoint document management system, you can:

• Add, edit, delete, and download documents
• Co-edit documents in real time
• Use version control to restore older versions of a file
• Manage access to a library, a folder within a library, or an individual file within a library
• Track the activity on a file, including the last modification
• Set up alerts to track changes to a document
• Create a custom view of a document library
• Share files or folders with others using links instead of email attachments
• Build different libraries for different content types

 

How to organize documents in SharePoint

Before adding documents to your SharePoint project site, it’s important to agree on a standardized approach with your team.

1.       Agree on a naming convention

Firstly, you should decide on a naming convention. This simplifies file searches and keeps your project organized.

For example, in a website redesign project, file names can reflect the area of work. Planning documents will include ‘plan’ in the title; the same applies to ‘content,’ ‘design,’ and so on.

• Plan_Project Charter
• Content_New Homepage Copy
• Design_Brief for Forms.

 

If our designer wants to find a document, all they need to do is search ‘design’ in the document library.

2.     Maintain a single-file version

Next, to prevent confusion from multiple versions of the same file, maintain a single, updated copy on the project site.

Ask your team to download and work on the relevant file stored on the site instead of creating multiple versions of the same document with different dates or notes added to the title.

Incorrect:

• Content_New Homepage Copy_211118
• Content_New Homepage Copy_Final
• Content_New Homepage Copy_Final Final

 

Correct:

• Content_New Homepage Copy.

 

When editing documents, use Microsoft Edge to download files and sync changes directly to the library. Avoid downloading files that create ‘read-only’ copies, as these require manual saving and re-uploading to the library.

3.     Avoid using folders

Finally, it’s best to avoid adding folders to your document library. Everyone has their own way of managing their files and folders on their local machine. Imagine how confusing your document library would be if the team re-created their own approach on the project site!

The search and metadata capabilities in SharePoint eliminate the need for folders. Once your project documentation is standardized, you can create a well-structured SharePoint document library.

How SharePoint secures project documents

If you are a project manager who wants to use SharePoint to manage documents and project deliverables, you may wonder about its security features.

SharePoint provides a number of features to protect project documents from unauthorized access and ensure they are securely managed.

1. Permissions

SharePoint allows you to set unique permissions for each site, list or library, folder, and document.

This lets you control access to each item in your project for both individuals and groups, simplifying management for larger projects.

2. Encryption

SharePoint allows you to encrypt your project documents to prevent unauthorized users.

3. Access logs

SharePoint also provides auditing and logging features that allow you to track who has accessed your project documents and when.

4. Approval workflows

SharePoint allows you to set up workflows that require approval before documents can be published.

5. Version control

SharePoint’s version control features allow you to track changes to your project documents over time.

​How to manage project documentation with BrightWork for SharePoint Server

1. Add Documents to the SharePoint Library

Once you have downloaded and installed the Free Template, launch your project site.

Using the third tile highlighted below, add new documents to the document library.

 

 

Simply click ‘new document’ to upload the relevant file.

 

Continue to add documents as needed throughout the project.  Simply click ‘Documents’ under ‘Initiate and Plan’ in the quick launch menu.

 

 

2. Searching Project Documents

To search for a document, click the search box in the top right-hand corner of your site or document library.

3. Tracking Project Documents in SharePoint

You can add an email alert to any file in your SharePoint document library to track documents.  For example, if the homepage content of your new website is finalized and approved, you can ensure no one modifies it. First, select the relevant document and click ‘files’ from the editing menu at the top of the project site.

Next, choose ‘Alert Me’ and click ‘Set Alert on This Document’.

 

Fill in the form and your preferred notification settings, then click ‘Save.’

 

Note: You must be a site collection administrator to implement these steps. The Free Template allows you to create and manage individual project sites, but it doesn’t support cross-project reporting. Learn more about the full BrightWork PPM Solution for SharePoint On-Premises.

How to Use Video Meetings in Microsoft Teams

In my previous article on Microsoft Teams for project management, I shared tips to help you get organized and connect with your remote project team.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at using video meetings in Teams to connect and collaborate on projects.

There are a few ways to use video meetings in Microsoft Teams:

• Schedule meetings for up to 300 people.
• View 49 meeting participants in a gallery view, with breakout rooms for smaller groups and discussions.
• Create a recurring meeting series.
• Use ‘meet now’ to quickly start a video meeting in Microsoft Teams.
• Meet one-on-one with individual team members.
• Host a live event for up to 20,000 people. A ‘view-only’ mode is activated once 1,000 participants join the call.

 

Teams meetings use audio and video with options to switch your camera and microphone off as needed.

Dynamic View, which provides a gallery view of large meetings, also adjusts the size and layout of your meeting for optimal screen use. This is very useful when presenting content to your team.

How to Schedule a Teams Meeting

There are different ways to schedule a Teams meeting:

• Navigate to ‘Calendar’ in the left-hand menu of the app. There are two meeting options in the right-hand corner: Meet Now and New Meeting.
• You can also start a call using the video icon in a chat or within the ‘Call’ tab on the left-hand menu, and within Channels.
• You can also start a call using the video icon in a chat, in a channel, or within the ‘Call’ tab on the left-hand menu.
• Teams now includes an option to share a link to a meeting without starting the meeting. Simply click ‘Meet Now,’ copy the link, and share via email or chat. In this instance, I’ll select ‘New Meeting’ in my calendar.

 

 

Next, complete the meeting invitation, which is similar to Outlook. You can also create a recurring series using the invitation.

 

Use the Scheduling Assistant to Check Team Availability

To find the best time, use the ‘Scheduling Assistant’ to check the availability of team members before finalizing the meeting. That’s it! Your meeting is scheduled.

Add Context to Your Meeting with an Agenda

To add more context, such as an agenda, click on the session in your Teams calendar. As you can see from the below image, each meeting has options for chat, files, meeting notes, and a whiteboard.

This information is accessible before, during, and after a meeting.

 

 

Invite External Guests with a Valid Email Address

Need to invite someone who is outside of your organization? Invite them to the Microsoft teams meeting via email. You can schedule a meeting with anyone who has a valid email address.

The individual will receive a link via email and can attend the meeting using the web app.

For additional functionality, like screen sharing, your guest will need to download and install the desktop client. To maintain privacy, you can decide if external guests need to wait in a virtual lobby before the meeting starts.

Schedule Teams Meeting from Outlook Using Teams Add-On

If you have installed the Teams desktop client, you can schedule a Teams meeting in Outlook using the Teams add-on. When scheduling a new meeting, select ‘Join Teams Meeting’ in the ribbon. A link will be inserted into the meeting request.

 

Wondering how to start a video meeting in Microsoft Teams? There are three ways to start or join a meeting:

• If using Outlook, click the link in the meeting request.
• If using Teams, open your calendar and find the relevant meeting. The ‘join’ button will appear on the meeting block about five minutes before the start time.
• A notification will also flash on your screen when another attendee starts the meeting. Click ‘join’ to attend the meeting.

 

The Multi-Window Meetings Feature

A new feature, ‘Multi-Window Meetings,’ was launched in July 2020. Meetings now launch in a separate window, making it easier to find files or chats in Teams during the call.

When joining a meeting, you can opt to:

• Switch your camera on or off.
• Blur your background.
• Turn your microphone on or off.

 

 

 

Meeting Options

Let’s review the in-meeting menu, accessible at the top of the meeting window.

 

1. Name of the meeting.
2. Duration of the meeting.
3. Meeting participants.
4. Meeting chat, which opens to the right-hand side.
5. ‘Raise your hand’ to ask a question. A yellow box is added around the relevant person’s tile on the call, letting others know they wish to speak.
6. Breakout rooms.
7. Toggle your camera on or off.
8. Turn your microphone on or off.
9. Share your screen. You can share your desktop, the contents of an app, or a document by selecting the relevant screen in the panel below the menu. Users can also request control to share content as needed.
10. Leave the meeting. If you have scheduled the meeting, you can choose to end the meeting for all attendees.
11. Access ‘more actions’ such as recording the meeting, background settings, and ‘Together Mode’.

 

Try these four features to make your meetings easier to manage!

1. Record and Recap Meetings

Meeting Recordings are stored in OneDrive and SharePoint, and can be shared with your project team meeting after the session to ensure all members (those who were invited to or attended the meeting) are updated.

Anyone can start a recording at any stage during the meeting. Depending on organizational settings, transcriptions may also be available on recordings.

Microsoft recently launched a meeting recap feature, allowing users to access the recording, transcript, chat messages, and notes from either the meeting chat tab or the details tab after each meeting.

This update makes it easier for anyone who missed the meeting to catch up and removes the need to take notes during the meeting!

2. Boost Collaboration with Together Mode

Together Mode in Microsoft team meetings aims to increase collaboration by creating an avatar of each participant and placing these avatars in a shared background, such as an auditorium.

This helps individuals to interact with more social cues and makes it easier to see who is talking in the meeting.

3. Breakout Rooms for Smaller Discussions

Breakout rooms are ideal for brainstorms and collaboration within a larger meeting, for example, a training session with your team.

Meeting hosts can create up to 50 rooms, choosing to automatically or randomly assign participants to each group. Each breakout room has the same functionality as a regular MS meeting.

This capability is available on desktop only; users can join the breakout room from the desktop, web, or mobile app.

It’s also worth noting that only the meeting organizer can start breakout rooms.

4. Presentations Made Easy with PowerPoint Live

PowerPoint Live in Microsoft Teams is a new remote presenting experience. Instead of sharing your screen, you can present your deck from within Teams itself.  Select the sharing option and look for PowerPoint Live.

As a presenter, you’ll have access to your notes and chats on a single screen, which also allows you to see your audience. Attendees will only see the active slide and can interact with your content with emoji reactions.

PowerPoint Live will make online presentations a little more fun and engaging!

Privacy and Control for Meeting Hosts

Just like an in-person meeting, meeting hosts need to facilitate virtual meetings to create an enjoyable environment for attendees. Virtual sessions also require additional privacy and control settings.

When using Microsoft Teams video meeting, you can:

• Mute all attendees.
• Invite external users and use a virtual waiting lobby to check who wants to join your meeting.
• Remove participants during a meeting.
• Designate presenters and attendees to control who can and cannot share content.

 

Meeting Recordings and Notes for Secure Access

Meeting recordings are available only to those who were invited to or attended the meeting. Likewise, meeting notes are only available to internal users.

Now you know how to schedule and run a meeting in Teams, let’s take a closer look at using video meetings for your projects.

Using Microsoft Teams for Effective Project Meetings

Before you start scheduling video meetings, consider if you need to update your project communication plan.

This is particularly important if your company recently switched to remote working due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Considerations for Video Meetings in Remote Work

Make sure your team and stakeholders are aware of:

• The switch to video meetings for face-to-face sessions.
• Software and hardware requirements, for example, Microsoft Teams and headphones.
• Where to find training videos and support if needed, including free Microsoft resources.
• The back-up plan in case of technical difficulties.

 

Once these details are in place, It’s time to start running virtual meetings for your remote projects.

Preparing for Project Meetings in Microsoft Teams

With a little tweaking, you can replace any face-to-face meeting with a video call in Teams. The key is preparation.

This includes:

• Creating and sharing an agenda in advance using Meeting Notes as explained above. You can also use a Microsoft team meeting agenda template for this. 
• Assigning times to agenda items – and sticking to those times!
• Sharing required reading, such as presentations or reports, beforehand.
• Asking members of your team to prepare contributions or updates.
• Starting and ending meetings on time.
• Circulating action items afterward. The BrightWork Marketing Team adds tasks to our project site during meetings, so nothing falls between the cracks.

 

If you are not sure how to create an agenda, use project meeting templates for team meetings, project sponsor meetings, and brainstorm sessions.

Video Call Etiquette for Effective Project Meetings

Meeting etiquette is also important. Try these ideas for adapting in-person meetings to virtual video calls.

• If possible, use cameras during the meeting. Just like a face-to-face meeting, the ability to see your team and gauge their reactions is key. With restricted movement in many communities, these interactions are even more important.
• That said, video requires significant bandwidth and can lead to reduced call quality on occasion. If an individual is unable to use video, request they say their name before speaking so everyone knows who is talking.
• Some microphones can pick up background noise. Place yourself on mute when you are not talking.
• Make time for ‘small talk’ at the start of the meeting. Give people a chance to catch-up and share what’s happening.
• At the start of a meeting, ask if anyone needs to leave early so they can share their updates before leaving.
• As the meeting host, ask questions during the session to ensure everyone has a chance to speak up and is paying attention!
• Stay focused on the meeting – that means no emails or browsing online.
• Turn off other applications and notifications.
• Try to keep meetings to 30 minutes where possible. Video calls are more draining than in-person meetings as we need to concentrate more fully on non-verbal cues such as facial expressions.
• Share a summary of actions and follow-ups with owners and due dates after the meeting. Not only will this keep your project on track – it increases accountability within the team.

 

How to Engage Remote and In-Office Teams in Virtual Meetings

In normal circumstances, your project team may include remote workers and individuals working in an office.

To create an engaging experience for everyone, take a ‘remote-first’ approach to meetings. A simple but effective change is to ask everyone to log into a video call from their desk instead of using a meeting room.

3 Examples of Project Meetings with Microsoft Teams Video

Weekly review meetings, one-to-one sessions, stakeholder meetings, employee onboarding –  any face-to-face project meeting can be hosted virtually in Teams.

Below are three examples – gathering requirements, project kickoff, and daily stand-ups –  to help you get started with Microsoft video meetings.

1. Gather Project Requirements with Interactive Tools

Project requirements, interviews, brainstorming sessions, and facilitated workshops can be delivered online with small groups of stakeholders.

If working with a larger group of stakeholders, you may need to re-prioritize your list or run multiple sessions to collect feedback.

As mentioned above, preparation is key to successful meetings – even more so for busy stakeholders.

Use Microsoft Teams to Share Meeting Agendas

Circulate an agenda in advance and ensure attendees know what they need to do during the session.

Ask another team member to facilitate the meeting by recording notes and keeping items within the allocated time.

Facilitate Stakeholder Workshops with Whiteboard Tools

Make use of apps such as the whiteboard and Forms to showcase prototypes, develop mindmaps, get user feedback, and so on.

It’s also good practice to record and share the meeting, especially for anyone who could not attend. Recorded meetings are stored securely in Stream.

2. Run a Virtual Kick-Off Meeting with Your Team

A video meeting is a great way to bring your remote team together to discuss the project before starting work.

If the team has never worked together before or is used to working together in an office, set aside some time at the start for introductions and virtual ice-breakers!

Building trust is trickier when working remotely, so start early – even with experienced team members.

Define Project Objectives and Goals

Here are some key project-related areas to cover afterward:

• The objectives and goals of the project.
• Roles and responsibilities.
• Timelines, deliverables, and project milestones.
• Ways of working, including reporting and collaboration.
• Risk management.
• Project management software and tools.

Make sure to keep and share notes after the meeting and update the project site as needed.

3. Daily stand-ups for Quick Progress Updates

A daily stand-up should take around 15 minutes with the team answering three questions:

• What did I work on yesterday?
• What am I working on today?
• What issues are blocking me?

A common problem with running a daily stand-up remotely is location. Picking a time that works for everyone may not be possible.

Instead, create a channel for posting daily updates and schedule weekly team video calls to catch up.

Tips for Setting Up Video Meetings

To conclude this article, I’ll share practical tips for setting up your home office or workspace to optimize video meetings.

Optimize Lighting and Position Your Camera

Think about the lighting. Try to place lighting – whether natural or artificial – in front of you so your face is easier to see.

Ideally, you should be at eye level with other people on the call. Try raising your laptop slightly or placing a separate camera at eye level.

Maintain Proper Distance and Camera Framing

In terms of position, don’t sit too close or too far away from the camera. Best practice suggests you should be seen from shoulders to head, or from the waist to the head. It’s also a good idea to invest in a comfortable chair – too much movement is distracting.

Use Background Features and Prepare Your Screen for Sharing Content

As mentioned above, it’s easy to blur or change your background in a Teams video meeting – a handy feature if your office is untidy!

If you know you need to share your screen, turn off applications and close tabs beforehand.

Finally, test your audio equipment and software regularly, especially before important meetings. Log in a few minutes early to make sure everything is working.

Effective communication is the essence of team collaboration and project management, particularly when working remotely or as part of a hybrid team.

No matter when or where your project team works, a well-structured communication plan keeps everyone on track.

This article outlines five steps for creating an effective communication plan, including tips on remote communication.

What is a Project Communication Plan?

A project communication plan is a blueprint for communication processes throughout the project lifecycle. It ensures that the right information reaches the right person at the right time in a format that works for them. 

Addressing the lack of communication in project management is essential for the success of every project. Having an effective communication management plan will:

• Engage and inform remote team members.
• Document what tools are used and when.
• Clarify expectations around response times, especially across time zones.
• Define roles and responsibilities, for example, who needs to attend weekly project team meetings.
• Keep the team up-to-date with the project schedule.
• Make it easier to secure stakeholder buy-in and support.
• Establish clear expectations with project stakeholders, the project team, and external vendors.
• Improve decision-making processes.
• Outline how to deal with risks and issues.
• Gather feedback at key milestones.

 

Communication Tips for Remote and Hybrid Teams

Remote and hybrid teams encounter several communication challenges. They rely more on written communication than office-based teams.

This reliance increases the risk of misunderstandings when separated from body language and other non-verbal cues, making it easy to misinterpret emails or chat messages.

Addressing Isolation in Distributed Teams

Without the spontaneous interactions that characterize an office, distributed workers often feel disconnected from their colleagues.

Working across various time zones is hard to balance. If this is not planned correctly, some team members may need to be online at awkward times or miss important decisions in real-time chats.

There are a few ways to combat these issues.

Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication

Firstly, boundaries should be set around synchronous and asynchronous communication.

Synchronous Communication

Synchronous communication refers to real-time interactions, like in-person or video meetings.

This type of communication is very common in an office but harder to replicate remotely. It is used for video meetings, planning, and brainstorming sessions.

Creating a SharePoint communication site project can centralize information, making it easier for everyone to stay updated and aligned.

However, it’s important to remember video calls are more tiring than in-person meetings, so try to keep these sessions to an hour or less.

Asynchronous Communication

Asynchronous communication describes non-real-time communication or communication that happens intermittently, such as email.

Asynchronous works well for remote and hybrid teams as it:

• Removes the need to reply instantly, ensuring everyone can get involved in the conversation in their own time.
• Allows individuals to consider their responses more thoroughly.
• Reduces distractions.
• Creates a transparent record of communication and decisions within the team.

 

Balancing Communication in Different Time Zones

A simple way to manage synchronous and asynchronous communication is to work around time zones.

Use a spreadsheet or a list to document the time zone for each person, along with periods of overlap between team members. Where possible, ask your team to use these periods when seeking feedback or help.

Enhancing Clarity in Digital Communication

Some groups use acronyms like ‘Four Hour Response’ (4HR) or ‘No Need to Respond’ (NNTR) to add clarity to digital communication.

For remote workers, effective collaboration requires individuals to allow for delays when communicating across time zones.

It’s also important that individuals allow for delays when communicating remotely. If something is urgent, use a video call!

Setting Up Effective Communication Practices

Next, you’ll need to set expectations around communication channels and timing to ensure alignment within your team.

There is no shortage of collaborative tools. As such, you’ll need to pick the right tools for the task and ensure everyone is using the same platforms.

Choosing the Right Communication Tools

There are numerous collaboration tools available. A complete solution like Microsoft Teams works well for video calls, chats, tasks, and document storage. Use the following as a guide:

• Emails for announcements and important decisions rather than back-and-forth conversations.
• Video meetings for one-to-one, team, and company sessions.
• Instant chat for one-to-one and team discussions.
• A project management tool to plan, manage, and track tasks, risks, and deliverables.
• Team calendars when scheduling team meetings.
• A central location for document storage.
• Pre-recorded videos for training sessions, company updates, quick feedback, and so on.
• Polls, surveys, and forms to collect feedback.

 

Establishing Communication Frequency

Aim for clarity in written communications. In some cases, this means writing a longer email or message with more detail than usual.

Ideally, your toolkit will have IT approval. If not, ask your IT team for guidance around permissions, security, governance, and so on.

It’s also important to establish how often communication will take place. Make sure your team knows:

• How often do you need to hear from them?
• What tools should be used and when?
• How responsive do they need to be to the team?

5 Steps for Preparing a Project Communication Plan

Creating a communication plan in project management takes place during the planning phase of your project. 

If you’re looking for ideas on how to improve communication in project management, consider the needs of your audience and tailor your communication strategies accordingly.

To save time, check if any communication plan templates or guidelines exist within your organization that you can use. There are five key steps to follow when preparing this document:

1. Outline the objectives

The first step is to decide your project objectives and what you want to achieve through effective communication.

This can include:

• Supporting remote team members.
• Building support for the project.
• Improving stakeholder engagement.
• Gathering inputs from the project team.

 

It’s important to link your objectives with the project goals and deliverables to increase alignment.

Also, the size and complexity of the project should be considered. A small project will require a lighter touch than a long-term, multi-department effort.

2. Define the audience

Next,  create a list of those who need to receive project information.

Typically, you should involve:

• The project sponsor
• Key stakeholders
• The project team, including remote members
• External vendors
• Relevant internal departments

 

3. Decide what information is needed

Different team members need different information to contribute to the project. Tailoring information also saves time for the recipient.

Think about what your audience needs to know, individual communication styles, and what has or has not worked on past projects.

Here are some ideas to get started with:

• Stakeholders: Project plan, status, budget, change requests, and risk management.
• Project team: Assignments, status, project progress, issues and risk tracking, and lessons learned.
• External Vendors: Schedule and deadlines, status, and any delays.
• Relevant internal departments: Project updates, including any changes to deliverable deadlines.

 

Two-Way Communication for Project Success

Successful communication is a two-way street! During this phase, clarify what is expected from the project team to move work forward.

Depending on your project, you’ll need the following inputs from the team:

• Stakeholders: Feedback on deliverables and advice on project risks or blockers.
• Project team: Regular updates on tasks and risks.
• External Vendors: Status reports, including any delays.
• Relevant internal departments: Updates such as budget changes, new requests, or resource availability that could impact your project.

 

Remotely gathering stakeholder feedback is challenging. Try forms, polls, and surveys as needed.

4. Agree on communication methods and frequency

We’ve covered channels and timings for remote team communication in a previous section.

Once you have agreed on these elements, you’ll need to agree on who is responsible for each channel. As the project manager, you’ll own the majority of communication activities.

However, the team also has a responsibility to share timely updates, such as weekly project status updates in Teams.

5. Measure success and improve

Given how vital communication is to your project, it’s important to track and analyze your plan at regular intervals.

Schedule time to see what’s working, what isn’t, and what adjustments are needed.

Also, stakeholders and the team should be asked for their input. Document your findings to improve future plans.

Project Communication Matrix

Project team members and different stakeholders are busy individuals with lots of competing demands! If possible, create a quick reference graphic that summarizes key takeaways from your plan.

Here is a sample to help you get started.

Store your project management communication plan on the project site so everyone has easy access to the document.

Managing Communication with BrightWork 365

Once your communication strategy is ready, consider creating an action plan to track all activity. It is very easy to do this using Excel or BrightWork 365.

Here are key elements to include:

• Audience: Who will receive the message?
• Message: What is the topic?
• Owner: Who is delivering the message?
• Schedule: When and how often will this take place?
• Method: How will the message be delivered?
• Status: Updates on communications to date.

 

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in May 2017 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

In this three-part series on using Microsoft Teams for remote project management, we’ve covered files, notifications, video meetings, and more.

The final piece of the puzzle is Chat, a core Teams capability.

In this article, you’ll see how to use chat for easy collaboration with your project team. You’ll learn more about one-to-one and group conversations and how to get the most from this feature.

What Are the 3 Different Types of Chat in Teams?

Chat is the lynchpin of collaboration within Teams. The chat is persistent, that is, messages are always available, making it a powerful tool for using Microsoft Teams for collaboration.

For the Marketing team at BrightWork, chat has almost replaced emails within the team. The ability to connect and collaborate in real-time has streamlined our communication and is proving indispensable as we work from home.

Think of chat as an informal communication tool for the team with email serving as a formal channel for  project stakeholders, vendors, and so on.

There are three main types of chat within teams: small groups and one-to-one, a post in a channel, and a conversation about a file.

Each type of chat has particular capabilities and use-cases.

 

1. Small-Group and One-to-One Chats

Chat is located on the left-hand menu of the Teams application.  Use chat to discuss any aspect of your project, daily tasks, ask a question, or to check-in with an individual – especially when integrating Microsoft Teams for project management into your workflow.

To start a chat with a group or individual:

1. Click the New Chat icon.
2. Assign a name to the group. This is optional. However, I recommend doing so to track multiple conversations about projects and tasks.
3.  Add the relevant team members by entering a name, email address, or group tag. We’ll cover tags later on.

 

 

Start typing!

Chats are grouped as Pinned or Recent in your chat pane.

Microsoft Teams Chat Settings – 8 Customizable Features To Remember

A chat is very similar to a channel. Here’s how you can optimize your chat experience:

1. Add documents to the file tab. Note – this action adds the file to OneDrive rather than SharePoint. To ensure your team has access to files, add the document to the relevant channel, and share the link in the chat instead.
2. Add tabs for files, website links, apps, and so on.
3. Start a video or audio call with the participants.
4. Add or remove people.
5. Leave the chat. A chat doesn’t need an owner so you can leave chats you no longer need to be in.
6. Pin a chat to the top of your chats for quick access.
7. Mute a chat. You’ll still be part of the group; you just won’t receive any notifications.
8. Temporarily pause incoming notifications by setting your status to ‘Do Not Disturb’.

 

When adding a new individual to the chat, you’ll need to decide if they should have access to the history of a chat.

Group and one-to-one chats are not threaded, that is,  you cannot reply directly to a specific message.

For this reason, it’s a good idea to create smaller groups to discuss details about the project with relevant individuals. If the chat is moving too quickly, schedule a call instead.

 

2. Channel Posts for Teamwide Communication

A post is a chat within a channel. Unlike a group or one-to-one chat, the message is accessible to all members of the channel.

Organizing Teams Chats for Maximum Visibility

 

 

There are two main types of posts within a channel:

• New Conversation – Standard chat posts where discussions begin.
• Announcements – Posts with enhanced visibility features like large headings, background colors, and images to emphasize important updates.

Both types allow for rich formatting and media integration, making it easy to tailor your communication to the needs of your team.

However, with the option to add a large heading, background color, and an image, announcements are more prominent in the channel feed.

Managing Threaded Conversations

Posts are threaded. Replies to a conversation are grouped together and individuals can reply to any message at any time. Maintaining a thread only works if participants use the reply button when posting a message; otherwise, a new conversation will start.

Using @Mentions in Microsoft Teams Messaging

Channels can get busy quickly. To draw attention to your post, use @mention to tag the channel or team members. This tactic is especially useful for key project updates or urgent announcements that require immediate attention.

Streamlining Communication in Group Chats

Posts are a useful way to share and discuss emails with the team. Every channel has an email address, accessed by clicking the three-dot menu beside the name of the channel. Forward any email to the channel as a post for discussion – much easier than forwarding the email for feedback!

 

3. Conversations Around Specific Files

Use conversations to discuss a file. Navigate to the required document and open in Teams. Select ‘Conversation’ and start chatting.

 

The conversation also appears as a post in the relevant channel.

 

 

Chat is a powerful tool, but like email, it can get out-of-control quickly. In the next section, we’ll cover practical ways to improve chat in Teams.

6 Ways to Improve Chat in Teams

To enhance your communication and collaboration, mastering Microsoft Teams chat is essential. 

Here are six practical tips on how to organize teams chats, improve group messaging, and leverage Microsoft Teams chat settings for efficient conversations.

1. Formatting – How to Use Teams Chat for Clear Communication

Make any chat, post, or conversation engaging and easier to read with formatting.

Click the ‘A’ icon, beneath the message, to access a range of formatting options:

• Bold, italicize, underline, or strikethrough text.
• Add highlighting or change the color of the font.
• Format heading sizes, useful for long messages.
• Create bullet or number lists.
• Add quotes, tables, and links.

 

 

Attach a file using the paperclip icon. Microsoft is aligning the experience of sharing files within Teams with OneDrive, Outlook, and Office, allowing users to share files with anyone or with specific people:

Don’t forget to add a gif or emoji if you can!

Spotted a typo or forgot to include a point in your message? Click the three dots in the top right-hand corner of your message and select ‘Edit’ to amend your content.

For more advanced functionality, explore Teams apps for project management that seamlessly integrate into your chats and boost productivity.

 

2. Using Delivery Options for Microsoft Teams Messages

When sending a chat to an individual or small group, you can avail of three delivery options by clicking the ‘!’ icon underneath the message. The options are as follows:

• Standard: The message will be sent as usual.
• Important: The message will contain ‘Important’ as the headline, along with an exclamation icon.
• Urgent: In addition to adding ‘Urgent’ as the headline, the recipient will be notified every 2 minutes for 20 minutes.

 

‘Important’ is a handy way to elicit a quick response from the right individuals. Use sparingly; otherwise, your team may start to ignore these messages.

For ‘urgent’ messages, a video meeting could be a faster route to resolution.

Delivery options for posts in a channel are limited to ‘Important’ with the same formatting as per chats. This functionality can be especially useful when managing  group chats in Teams where immediate attention is needed.

 

3. Posting in Multiple Channels to Organize Teams Chats

Need to share important news with several project teams? Save time by posting the same message in multiple channels.

Simply click ‘post in multiple channels’, select your channels, and go!

 

This option is only available in channel posts. This option is only available in channel posts and doesn’t apply to chats. If you need to move a Teams post to another channel, this feature can help streamline the process.

 

4. Creating Group Tags for Better Teams Groups Chats

A recently introduced feature allows team owners to create custom tags within a team to use in chats.

Imagine you are working on a project to launch a new website for your company. There are three copywriters within the project team who need to work closely with your designer.

Create a custom tag for this group in the settings of the relevant team.

Once a tag is added, just @mention it in a channel or in chats. Everyone who has been assigned to that tag will receive a notification just as they would if they were @mentioned individually.

 

5. Manage Chat and Post Notifications

Just like a channel, you can pin, hide, or mute a chat.

If you don’t have time to reply to a message immediately, mark the item as unread.

Posts are slightly different. You can mark the message as unread, turn off notifications, or save a message.

Saved messages are stored in your profile (accessed via your picture in the top right-hand corner).

 

6. Search Techniques to Quickly Find Teams Chats and Posts

There are a few ways to search through chats for important content.

Firstly, search for the relevant team member into the search bar to view one-to-one messages.

Next, search within the chat using ‘CTRL+F’. Note – this option also applies within Channels.

Finally, use the filter options in the Chat pane to search by:

• Keywords used in the message.
• Unread messages.
• Meeting chats.
• Muted chats and posts.

 

 

Manage your projects with BrightWork 365 and Microsoft Teams

This is the final post in my series on using Microsoft Teams for remote project management. I hope the series helps you to connect and collaborate more easily with your project team!

The previous articles are linked below:

• How to use Microsoft Teams for Remote Project Management: See how the BrightWork Marketing Team combines Teams with a project site in BrightWork. The article also includes tips on managing notifications, files, bots, and more.
• How to Run Project Meetings with Microsoft Teams: An overview of running virtual project meetings, such as gathering requirements, in Teams.

 

Explore Microsoft Teams Project Management Tools

If you would like to do more with Microsoft Teams for project management, be sure to check out our PPM product, BrightWork 365, which integrates directly with Microsoft Teams. This integration is designed to help you streamline your project management processes and boost team productivity.

In BrightWork 365, every program has a dedicated Microsoft Team. Every project within the program has a channel within that Team, added during project setup. No need to add external links or switch between multiple apps during the day. 

Collaborative Project Management Features

Project teams have full access to Microsoft Teams chat, video calls, and other collaborative features. These tools integrate seamlessly with the project management processes in BrightWork 365, enabling your team to focus on high-value activities and deliver results efficiently.

 

Unparalleled Integration

Together, BrightWork 365 and Microsoft Teams bring context to your project, helping your team to focus on high-value activities and drive innovation. The combined solution offers a single platform for communication, task management, and reporting, all within the familiar Microsoft Teams environment.

Watch the BrightWork 365 Demo

Watch this video demo of BrightWork 365 and see how your teams can plan, manage, and deliver projects on time with Microsoft 365.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in September 2020 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

Image credit

For over a year, many teams and organizations worked remotely due to public health restrictions. Now, we’re moving towards something different: a choice in how and where we work.

 

Simplify project and portfolio management with BrightWork 365 in your Microsoft 365 Cloud [Read more]

 

Gartner estimates that “by 2022, 25% of the global knowledge workforce will choose their home as the primary workplace, and 45% of the workforce will be working from home two to three days per week.” It’s another big shift, bringing new opportunities and challenges. Teams and organizations have to decide what work looks like and how to become more agile, productive, and flexible.

Hybrid work, an approach that allows people to choose how they work, is becoming a popular choice in the ‘back to the office’ conversation. Organizations that opt for this route need to support teams with clear policies, defined outcomes, and the right collaboration software.

In this article, you’ll learn more about implementing a hybrid workplace with BrightWork 365, a complete project and portfolio management solution, deployed in your Microsoft 365 cloud environment.

Jump to:

What is hybrid work?

How to get started with hybrid work

Help teams make the switch

Managing projects with BrightWork 365 and Microsoft 365 apps 

What is hybrid work?

Hybrid work is a model that allows people to choose how, when, and where they work. Hybrid teams tend to focus on processes and outcomes rather than place and outputs, which are more commonly associated with office-based teams.

Hybrid workplaces can take many forms as teams work in the office or remotely to varying extents. Without the constraints of time and place, teams can choose to work in the office every day, get together on a weekly or monthly basis, or work remotely.

There are advantages and drawbacks to this approach.

Individuals and teams can rethink how they work and strive towards something better.  Organizations can give teams more flexibility and autonomy. This leads to better retention rates and new hiring opportunities.

However, hybrid teams can feel isolated and disconnected from their peers. Without the right processes and tools in place, team members lose track of work and struggle to collaborate effectively.

How to get started with hybrid work

We need to let go of the idea that we can expect people to work together during certain hours and all in one place.

Hybrid Work: A Guide for Business Leaders (Microsoft)

 

Ideally, organizations allow individuals and teams to pick what works best for them, and look for ways to facilitate that model.

This starts with a clear understanding of what drives and hinders productivity, and how these elements are impacted by time and place.

It’s important to gather and listen to feedback from teams using surveys, workshops, and interviews.

The Microsoft guide to hybrid working also recommends asking:

• What can be done remotely?
• How do we maintain a safe workplace?
• How do we support people regardless of where they work?
• What processes should be digitized?

 

With this information, start to explore two key areas: people and processes.

You’ll also need to think about physical office space.  Examples from Microsoft and Fujitsu are good starting points when considering changes to office layouts and technology.

 

Help teams make the switch

As teams transition to hybrid work, create clear policies around work practices. Let people know how, when, and where they can work, for example, everyone needs to be online during set hours,  Monday to Thursday.

Next, build a remote-first workplace with a focus on practices and outcomes. This ensures everyone is included in key conversations whether they are based in a different country or just need to work from home on a given day.

Try simple tweaks like:

• Add a video link to every meeting.
• Ask everyone to join a meeting from their computer, even if they are in the same room.
• Use the same tools throughout the organization to manage projects and store key information.
• Document everything, including decisions, ideas, and feedback.
• Opt for asynchronous (non-real-time) communication as much as possible. This allows everyone to work on problems in their own time.
• Ask managers to give feedback more regularly, for example, monthly one-to-one sessions with their teams.
• Encourage teams to take regular breaks and avoid back-to-back virtual meetings.

 

Hybrid work relies on the right digital tools and processes. In the next section, we’ll take a closer look at how to use BrightWork 365 and Microsoft 365 apps to collaborate, report, and manage documents.

In addition to facilitating the hybrid workplace, Microsoft 365 apps are secure and compliant. This article outlines how key features such as Microsoft Defender, Azure Active Directory, and Sensitivity Labels protect hybrid workers.

Managing projects with BrightWork 365 and Microsoft 365

1. Collaborate with Microsoft Teams and BrightWork 365

Microsoft Teams is your hub for collaboration with everything from real-time chat to video meetings, whiteboards, and document management.  Microsoft Teams supports both real-time communication, like a daily standup, and asynchronous communication, which allows individuals to read and reply to messages in their own time (and time zone).

Microsoft has also developed a range of hardware devices for Microsoft Teams, designed to work in any space.

Our free guide to Microsoft Teams will help you to get the most from this platform for hybrid working. As a quick recap, use Teams to:

• Run project meetings (ideally with video).
• Engage in group and one-to-one chats.
• Track work with Tasks in Teams and Lists.
• Store and collaborate on documents.
• Use whiteboards for brainstorms.
• Allow users to translate into the language specified in their language settings.
• Keep the team up-to-date with meeting recaps and transcripts.
• Collect feedback and suggestions with the Employee Ideas app.

 

BrightWork 365 integrates directly with Microsoft Teams. In BrightWork 365, every program has a dedicated Microsoft Team. Every project within the program has a channel within the Team. This allows your team to use the collaborative features of Microsoft Teams with project management processes and templates.

 

2. Manage documents with SharePoint Online and BrightWork 365

Hybrid teams rely on strong document management processes for two key reasons:

• People need easy access to the right files at the right time. No one should have to wait for a team member to come online to find information.
• Documenting ideas allows everyone to review, reflect, and contribute their input on their own time.

 

BrightWork 365 uses SharePoint Online for document management. Users can upload or create a new Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file, or add a new OneNote Notebook to the project to the project site.

To access more editing options, simply open the relevant SharePoint Online library from the project site and:

• Co-edit documents in real-time.
• Protect data with version control.
• Share files using links.
• Add workflows for review processes.
• Manage access with permissions.

 

All changes are synced instantly in BrightWork 365.

 

3. Save time with Power Automate and BrightWork 365

Getting work done is more complex in a hybrid team as people are no longer working in the same place at the same time. You’ll need to rethink how work is delivered. Look for paper-based processes that can be digitized and opportunities to automate repetitive tasks.

Having gathered these details, use a tool like Microsoft Power Automate to streamline workflows and processes. Power Automate is is a no-code/low-code drag-and-drop solution that allows users to create workflows to automate repetitive tasks and business processes.

The app is available on desktop, mobile, and Microsoft Teams, and as a browser app.

Power Automate works across Microsoft 365 and third-party apps, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Twitter, and more. This allows your team to work with their preferred tools without losing a consolidated view of data and progress.

BrightWork 365 uses Microsoft Power Automate flows for essential project tasks, business processes, and reports. BrightWork 365 includes pre-built flows for project request management, task management, status reports, and Power BI dashboards.

 

4. Track progress with Power BI and BrightWork 365

Without real-time visibility into project data, your team can easily get stuck on last week’s problem. Getting actionable insight into the project is even trickier if the team is using different tools to manage their work.

That’s where Microsoft Power BI, a business intelligence tool, comes in.

Power BI allows anyone to collect and analyze data from multiple sources with no coding or statistical skills required.

Collaboration is simple with Power BI with options to add comments, share reports, use an app in Microsoft Teams, and create Workspaces for projects.

In BrightWork 365, Power BI delivers rich reports projects, programs, and portfolios, including timelines, resource allocation, milestones, and tasks.

 

 

Next Steps

Hybrid working will look different in every organization. At BrightWork, we like to use REP to manage big changes.

 

REP refers to Research, Execute, and Post-Mortem. When applied to hybrid working, it could work like this.

• Research: Spend some time researching best practices and learning from other companies. Collect feedback from your teams using Microsoft Forms and Employee Ideas, a Power App for Microsoft Teams. Create a prioritized backlog of ideas and initiatives.
• Execute: Implement the selected ideas and track how things work out.
• Post-Mortem: Make time to collect feedback and reflect on the outcomes. What worked? What didn’t work?

 

When you’re ready, start the cycle again!

To book your custom demo of BrightWork 365, please contact our team.

 

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2021 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

Image credit