By David Rosenthal
Every business wants to empower its people with the tools they need to get serious work done with a minimum of obstacles. But when the very way we work changes, our tools need to change too. The post-pandemic period has been marked by what looks to be a lasting shift away from primarily in-person work towards a hybrid model where some employees are fully remote, some work in offices, and some divide time between both.
Leaders need to consider what hybrid model will help their team work with a bare minimum of hindrances, communicate securely, and keep sensitive company data just as protected whether it’s being accessed on-site or across the globe. Getting it right is essential to ensuring business continuity during periods of volatility and for fostering a culture of growth and innovativeness — which every business can benefit from.
To that end, Razor Technology deploys cutting-edge solutions from Microsoft specifically designed to support the new normal of hybrid workforces. Microsoft’s line of Surface devices, including laptops, 2-in-1 convertible tablets, and smartboards make maintaining connections and sharing knowledge within an organization safe, reliable, accessible, and simpler than ever before.
The results show up not just in happier, better equipped employees, but directly on balance sheets. Businesses that choose Microsoft Surface and Microsoft 365, enabling their teams to access meetings from anywhere, saw a 77% increase in productivity, according to a Forrester Total Economic Impact study.
- Surface Laptop: classic clamshell design with a full-sized keyboard
- Surface Pro: ultra-fast 2-in-1 with the latest Intel processors and integrated graphics
- Surface Go: small, lightweight, affordable 2-in-1
- Surface Book: looks and works like a clamshell laptop but features a detachable keyboard
- Surface Hub: large format, interactive digital whiteboard
Hardware and Software That Works Together to Enable Smarter and Safer Collaboration
The virtual meetings that marked the start of the pandemic, where half of the attendees could barely be seen or heard due to low quality devices, may have sufficed a few years ago, but today, more is needed to keep teams engaged. The right hardware and software combination can make all the difference, unlocking significant benefits for both individual employees and broad organizational missions:
- Reduce meeting fatigue
- Increase engagement in virtual calls
- Give everyone access to meetings from wherever they are
- Securely record all communications
Surface devices include high-definition cameras, high-quality microphones and speakers, and interactive digital whiteboard features, so that everyone feels like they are sitting front and center and not missing any important details.
The dual array far-field microphones isolate background noise and capture voices with crystal clear audio — which not only makes it easier for others to follow what’s being said but also facilitates better transcription which helps people who couldn’t attend a meeting live follow along after the fact. It’s also very useful for organizations with strict internal or legal compliance requirements that need to keep an auditable record of their communications.
And because Surface devices work seamlessly with Microsoft Teams, hosting engaging and productive meetings is a low-friction process. Teams has a suite of features that customize meetings for every type of audience and purpose:
- Together Mode: An AI segmentation technology that digitally places participants into a shared background so that everyone feels like they are together in the same space.
- Virtual Breakout Rooms: Meeting organizers can split large gatherings into smaller groups for focused brainstorming and domain-specific discussions.
- Side Chats: One-on-one discussions don’t have to monopolize attention in a meeting. The individual participants can take their exchange to a purpose built forum that tracks their conversation.
Nothing important is done alone. Modern business is a team sport where collaboration fuels growth. Giving workforces the tools to collaborate more effectively has the add on effect of reducing time wasted on duplicative or unnecessary tasks. Microsoft reported that organizations that invested in enhancing their teams’ ability to collaborate with tools like cloud-based file sharing, productivity platforms that support real-time joint authoring, and virtual meetings netted two hours of saved time per user every day.
Surface devices can do all that and more because they also include advanced inking and touchscreen technologies, both of which work natively on Microsoft Teams Whiteboard experience, digital canvas for sketching out ideas, commenting on documents, and sharing insights visually.
Even for on-site employees, Surface makes mobile collaboration easier. The Surface Hub 2S is an interactive whiteboard with a 50” high resolution touchscreen that can be used as a shared device when paired with a mobile stand like the Steelcase Roam.
Harness the Tools to Innovate, Compete, and Grow
Razor Technology knows how to help employees get serious work done from anywhere, and powerful, secure, mobile-capable devices like the Surface line from Microsoft help us enable modern, hybrid work. They have hardware and software designed to support all the applications and platforms that power business productivity, including email and web browsers, Microsoft Office and Teams, Power BI for data visualization, and even graphics-intensive, 3D modeling apps.
The Surface line also makes IT oversight and management simpler for systems administrators thanks to a Windows Autopilot zero-touch deployment experience. There’s no need to waste precious IT resources on time-consuming corporate re-imaging. Devices can be securely managed remotely via Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager and Microsoft Intune.
Equip your team with the hardware and software that make hybrid work happen. Choose a solution like Microsoft’s Surface line of mobile devices that let them connect and collaborate from anywhere without sacrificing security.
Reach out today to learn more about Razor Technology’s productivity and security-enhancing business solutions.