We’re in the middle of a massive uncontrolled experiment. Microsoft where I work (disclosure), is uniquely positioned to understand its impact on the future of work. That is because its technologies and the services it provides customers to support them are so intrinsic to the workplace. That has been the case for 30+ years building up a body of first hand insights that is unparalleled, not to speak of the research being done in this space.
This post is a snapshot of the latest activities by Microsoft on this topic. Because of my role, interest and involvement working with customers, I am aware of and sharing these public resources. I use these insights plus much other internal work with my customers, most of which I cannot share. However these public resources can be and so they may be of interest and value.
Most of the links below are to hub sites with lots of additional content aggregated so that you can explore onward at leisure. In many cases, the findings presented are based on internal and external research (with 3rd parties), covering employees, customers, partners, developers), etc.
In terms of internal learning, with well over 100 000 employees, and a successful transformation behind its belt, you shouldnt be surprised that Microsoft has a good story to tell. A lot of transformation has been around how Microsoft changed how work gets done and so a lot of learning is based on this. I often connect our different departments with those of customers precisely to share this kind of learning in specific functions.
Hit the big coloured buttons below to get to the good stuff in each category 💥
Hybrid World
Read some past posts in my Future of Work category and more broadly and you will see that Microsoft has supported a shift to remote work heavily. But the view at Microsoft is not that the pendulum will swing completely over to remote work once the pandemic is over. Hybrid is the way to go and this is borne out by research Microsoft commisioned from BCG (Boston Consulting Group) and KRC Research.
The Work Trend Index
Measuring how work is evolving as the world changes around us in such fundamental ways is a natural thing to do. So you can imagine that Microsoft would create and share an index tracking the change, with related research.
Learning and Skills Development
Especially because of the pandemic, Microsoft has commited to helping 25 million people acquire new digital skills needed for the Covid-19 economy. Its approach and commitments are encompassed in this diagram.
Microsoft Workplace Insights (Productivity and Wellbeing)
The changes wrought by the pandemic effect not just how we work but also touch our personal lives, none so more than our personal productivity and wellbeing. So you can imagine again how Microsoft is emphasising this. Not just for its employees but for those of its customers and through understanding the impacts being felt as well as how its tools can be used to alleviate this.