Supporting Employees on the Go with Office 365

When Microsoft launched Office 365 in 2011, the firm hailed its cloud-based productivity platform as the future of the Modern Office. At the time, while some business leaders embraced the concept, many were uncertain — and uncomfortable with the idea of abandoning desktop versions of Microsoft Office.

Nearly a decade later, those concerns have been erased, with numerous surveys touting its payback. One, from Forrester Research, found the ROI in transitioning from desktop Office to Office 365 was 150+ percent.

Given that 62 percent of employees now perform some level of work outside the office, I am confident that remote workforce capabilities played a big role in that acceptance. With Office 365, provided workers have an Internet connection (from any source), they are equipped to work. Its cloud-based model means they can access not only emails and data files but also Office programs.

Whether outside salespeople need office productivity on their laptops, field personnel must interact with work orders on mobile devices, or teleworking employees move between workstations in their homes and their company office (at any frequency), Office 365 equips them with unparalleled functionality on the go.

In this article, I’ll highlight four of the most valuable remote-working attributes for Office 365.

Platform Security

Despite historically high levels of cloud adoption, some executives remain worried about Office 365 security for remote workers. Let me reassure you. All cloud environments, when properly deployed and configured, are as secure, if not more so, than on-premise storage.

Companies deploying Office 365 gain an even greater level of protection. Microsoft built and maintains a robust architecture cloud architecture so secure that it is a leader in all five Gartner Magic Quadrants. It protects its cloud infrastructure against cyberthreats with built-in automation and intelligence.

Novatech can further enhance Office 365 security with professional configuration and maintenance by our IT experts, as well as managed IT services for desktop apps if desired.

Mobile Device Management

Office 365 incorporates mobile device management (MDM), extending the reach of its inherent productivity and security.

• It enables firms to secure and manage mobile devices like iPhones, iPads, Androids and Windows Phones used by licensed Office 365 users in the organization.
• It supports creation and management of custom mobile device management policies and settings that can extend to your firm’s Office 365 email and documents
• If a device is lost or stolen, you can remotely wipe the device to remove sensitive organizational information.

Novatech’s experts proactively work with firms to ensure they are getting the most from their MDM features.

Real-Time Co-Authoring

With Office 365 in the cloud, everyone who needs to edit or comment on a particular document, presentation, spreadsheet or other file can do so from anywhere — and at the same time other team members are working in the document. (Real-time collaboration with desktop versions is more problematic. Our experts can help ensure your teams recognize the difference.)

Versioning ensures everyone knows which document is the latest one, as well. In companies were dozens of workers need to author and edit the same documents, this one feature alone can significantly boost productivity and eliminate file mishaps.

Powerful Data Protection

Microsoft’s Data Loss Prevention enables companies to identify, monitor and protect sensitive information from leaving their organization, including when it is generated, edited or accessed remotely. Novatech’s configuration and management services help business leaders ensure they are leveraging it correctly.

In short, Office 365 is truly one of the most powerful collaboration and productivity solutions on the planet. It has many more features than I have room to discuss here, especially in the realm of platform and data security. If there is a specific feature you are seeking to increase your office productivity, give us a call. In 15 minutes one of our experts can map Office365’s features specifically to your most pressing needs.  Contact our team of specialists today: Novatech.net