Even if you’re not overseeing homeschoolers or competing for home office space, working from home can still come with a heavy load of distractions. Without the structures, flow, and familiarity of office life, a traditional eight-hour workday can become a continuous blur between work and home. Microsoft’s focus on continual innovation and swift adaptation to work-at-home needs has helped many people survive – and thrive – at work during pandemic shutdowns. In this article, we’re highlighting three Microsoft tools for working from home that can help you work smarter.

1.     Microsoft MyAnalytics

2.     Microsoft Teams

3.     Windows Virtual Desktop

Keep reading to learn more about the features and benefits of these Microsoft tools for working from home.

Microsoft MyAnalytics

Dubbed “the fitness tracker for work,” Microsoft MyAnalytics is a tool that provides personal productivity insights as you work. It helps you explore your work-from-home patterns via your personal dashboard, Outlook Insights add-in, and weekly emails and offers intelligent and actionable hints to work smarter. With embedded privacy features that only grant you access to your data and insights, this Microsoft tool for working from home aims to improve your focus, wellbeing, network, and collaboration.

• Summarizes how you spend your work-at-home time
• Suggests ways to work smarter to avoid burnout
• Keeps your to-do list in check by flagging your commitments made via email

Discover more about Microsoft MyAnalytics actionable insights and personalized suggestions for improving the way you work at home.

Microsoft Teams

Another one of our favorite Microsoft tools for working from home is Teams. This all-in-one platform allows you to meet, chat, call, and collaborate in a single spot, streamlining your at-home work patterns and helping you stay connected to your colleagues from afar.

A few new features released in 2021 that further enhance the usability of this helpful tool include:

• Live reactions for when words won’t do
• Keyboard shortcuts for raising your hand in meetings
• Passing to presenters now allows them to pick up where you left off
• The free version of Teams includes an agenda view of all your meetings
• Schedule and join a Teams meeting from your Google Workplace calendar
• New scenes in Together Mode
• Publish a company-wide task list
• An Approvals app to streamline requests and processes
• Breakout rooms for small group discussions
• Shared channel calendars for scheduling meetings as a team

Get the latest on what’s new in Teams.

Windows Virtual Desktop

Do you ever find yourself searching for a file, only to discover that it’s on your computer at the office? Skip the frustration and check out Windows Virtual Desktop, another one of the helpful Microsoft tools for working from home. Part of the Microsoft Azure cloud computing service, Windows Virtual Desktop allows you to access your work desktop while you’re working remotely, saving time and energy. Administrators love the built-in intelligent security, while work-at-homers appreciate the convenience and flexibility to grab the files they need and move on with their day.

• Remote desktop accessible from anywhere
• Built-in security features to keep data secure
• Allows you to use existing licenses to save costs

Microsoft Tools Adoption

These are just some of the Microsoft tools for working from home that can help you stay organized, productive, and balanced. Browse the entire Microsoft suite online or contact us to discover more. As a Microsoft Adoption and Change Management (ACM) partner, we have what it takes to get your team up to speed, making remote work a whole lot easier.