Project Description
Avoid these 5 pitfalls when implementing Microsoft 365
Is your business or managed service provider recommending Microsoft 365 (M365) to solve hybrid / remote work’s issues? Common concerns like low; productivity, engagement and collaboration can certainly be addressed. However, beware of common traps and pitfalls you can encounter on this adoption journey. Read on to ensure you’ll avoid them.
1 – Not having a clear plan
Having a clear plan or strategy in place before implementing M365 is paramount. Not knowing the why of the solution you are implementing, will result in a lack of adoption and usage amongst your employees – as well as difficulty in realising the full potential of the platform.
Scott Riddell – Solutions Architect
2 – Not providing adequate training to your staff
Providing adequate training and support to employees is crucial to using the various tools and features of M365 effectively. Ensure your employees are well educated on the new technologies and processes, and make sure they understand when to use them.
3 – Overlooking security
Security is a top priority in today’s hybrid workplace. Make sure that your modern workplace solution has the necessary security protocols in place, to protect your organisation’s data. Consider using multi-factor authentication and encryption to ensure that your data stays secure.
4 – Not integrating all your apps
If M365 is not seamlessly integrated with your organisation’s existing systems and processes, it may cause disruption and hinder productivity. A well implemented M365 integration means your staff only use one set of credentials (username, password and two factor authentication) as their login to all systems.
5 – Not being ready to change
As your organisation’s needs and priorities change over time, it is important to regularly review and update your M365 implementation. This ensures that it continues to meet those needs and support your goals.
Bonus Point – think about the data (SharePoint Online)
When planning where and how to store your data, there are a lot more considerations with SharePoint Online than there are for a traditional fileserver. The worst experience you can deliver to your staff is a “lift & shift” move of a fileserver to SharePoint Online, without doing any planning or architecture before you get there.
So, what should you consider? (This is not an exhaustive list, just enough to get you started).
- Do your documents need to be in folders, or in document sets? Or do you need folders at all?
- Do your files need to have metadata tags so that they can be searched for more easily?
- Are your staff going to be syncing documents down to their computers, or using SharePoint entirely online?
Keep in mind that the best time to streamline and change the way your staff work, is when your business is already planning for digital transformation. If your business needs assistance or guidance through this process, please contact CodeBlue.