How M365 can influence your HR processes

The onboarding and offboarding process plays a vital role in shaping the employee experience within an organisation. It sets the tone for new employees, ensuring a smooth transition into their roles and establishing a positive connection with the company. Similarly, offboarding processes contribute to the overall impression an employee takes away when they leave the organisation.

However, managing the entire HR lifecycle, encompassing everything from attracting and recruiting talent to supporting employees throughout their tenure and facilitating their departure, can be a complex and challenging task for HR departments. This is where Microsoft 365 (M365) comes in, providing a comprehensive suite of cloud-based tools and applications designed to streamline and enhance HR processes.

Microsoft 365, or M365, offers a wide array of applications that cater to different aspects of HR management. M365 is a cloud-based productivity suite that includes a range of applications such as SharePoint, Microsoft Viva and Microsoft Teams. These applications can be used to streamline HR processes, improve communication and collaboration among employees, and enhance the overall employee experience.

Whilst the possibilities are endless with Microsoft 365, let’s take a look at some of the most popular features used in various HR scenarios including SharePoint, Microsoft Viva, and Teams.

SharePoint

SharePoint is a powerful tool that offers various functionalities for creating and managing sites within an organisation. One of its useful features is the ability to create a communication site using the new employee onboarding site template.

This template provides a structured framework for onboarding new employees. It allows HR departments to efficiently manage the onboarding process by providing a centralised location where all relevant information and resources can be stored. By utilising this template, organisations can streamline the onboarding experience and ensure that new employees have a smooth transition into their roles.

SharePoint can also be utilised to create dedicated sites specifically for HR staff. These sites serve as repositories for important documents related to onboarding and offboarding processes. Additionally, they enable effective communication and collaboration among HR personnel and other stakeholders involved in the onboarding and offboarding processes. This ensures that everyone stays informed and engaged throughout the entire employee lifecycle.

One of the great advantages of using SharePoint is that you don’t need to be a developer to create a site. Microsoft has designed SharePoint as a low code/no code platform, which means that even individuals without extensive technical skills can easily create and customise sites. With just a few clicks, you can set up a SharePoint site tailored to your specific needs, whether it’s an onboarding site, an HR document repository or any other type of site you require.

The new employee onboarding site, created using SharePoint, offers several benefits to new employees. It provides them with access to a wealth of resources, including documents, training materials and company policies. It also facilitates communication and collaboration by enabling new employees to connect with their colleagues, mentors and other members of the organisation. The site acts as a hub for conversations, allowing new employees to participate in discussions and seek guidance as they navigate their roles.

The onboarding site also includes a helpful checklist feature. This feature ensures that new employees stay on track during their onboarding journey. The checklist serves as a guide, outlining the essential tasks and milestones that new employees need to complete or achieve. It helps them stay organised, manage their time effectively and ensures they don’t miss any crucial steps in the onboarding process.

SharePoint offers a versatile platform for creating and managing sites, and it’s particularly beneficial for new employee onboarding. Whether you utilise the new employee onboarding site template or create a dedicated HR site, SharePoint provides the tools and features necessary to streamline the onboarding process, facilitate communication and provide new employees with the resources they need to succeed. With SharePoint’s low code/no code approach, anyone can create a site and tailor it to their organisation’s unique requirements.

Microsoft Viva

Viva is a remarkable platform that delivers a seamless employee experience, effortlessly integrating communication, information, learning, resources, and insights into one cohesive hub.

Let’s start with Viva Connections. This feature acts as a centralised repository for all the essential onboarding materials, conveniently gathering them in one place. The brilliance of Viva Connections lies in its ability to tailor these resources to each individual user, ensuring a personalised and targeted onboarding experience.

Moving on, we have Viva Learning. This incredible tool empowers organisations to curate learning materials specifically catered to the needs of individual employees. With Viva Learning, employees can effortlessly explore and grasp various areas related to the organisation, their teams, and even discover valuable learning resources that focus on everyday tools and skills. It’s like having a digital treasure trove of knowledge at your fingertips.

This platform goes above and beyond, offering a multitude of benefits that will enhance the employee experience. From improving communication channels to providing easy access to vital information, Viva is a game-changer for employees across the board. Its comprehensive features foster collaboration, boost productivity, and streamline workflows, ensuring employees can thrive in their roles.

Microsoft Viva truly opens up a world of possibilities for employees, enabling them to stay connected, informed, and continuously learn and grow. It’s a platform that empowers organisations to create an environment where employees can excel, with knowledge and resources right at their fingertips.

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams has gained widespread recognition as the go-to hub for team collaborations. Whilst many perceive Teams as a simple corporate communication platform, it offers much more than meets the eye.

Certainly, Teams excels in facilitating meetings, calls, and chat functionalities with colleagues and external associates. However, its capabilities extend far beyond these fundamental features. Teams can be customised and enhanced to suit your specific needs and preferences.

For instance, rather than manually setting up a meeting every week, Teams allows you to create recurring meetings. This feature proves invaluable when guiding new employees through their onboarding process or managing the offboarding process for departing team members. With recurring meetings, you can establish a structured and consistent approach, ensuring all necessary discussions and tasks are addressed efficiently.

Another remarkable aspect of Teams is its powerful sharing capabilities. You can effortlessly share files, granting access to other users or enabling collaborative and simultaneous editing of the shared file. Finding and accessing shared files is a breeze, thanks to the dedicated “Files” tab within the chat where the file was shared. This streamlined approach to file sharing enhances productivity and ensures seamless collaboration within teams.

Teams Channels and Yammer Communities are additional features that empower teams to foster connections and facilitate knowledge sharing. Through these platforms, new employees can be introduced to their teams and connect with other specialists in their respective fields. This not only nurtures a sense of belonging but also promotes collaboration and learning within the organisation. Furthermore, both Teams Channels and Yammer Communities allow for the sharing of Microsoft Stream content, including pre-recorded training videos. This interactive approach to learning equips new employees with the knowledge and skills they need to successfully navigate their new role.

Microsoft Teams transcends the label of a mere communication platform. It provides a dynamic and flexible space for team collaborations. From recurring meetings to streamlined file sharing and the ability to establish Channels and Communities, Teams offers an array of functionalities that enhance team productivity, communication, and knowledge sharing. So, embrace the full potential of Microsoft Teams and unlock a world of seamless collaboration for your team.