Microsoft announces new research and technology to empower millions of frontline workers – Stories – Microsoft

New product features come as company sees 400% Microsoft Teams growth per month by frontline workers during the pandemic

REDMOND, Wash. Jan. 12, 2022 On Wednesday, Microsoft Corp. released a Work Trend Index Special Report, Technology Can Help Unlock a New Future for Frontline Workers, and announced new features in Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Viva designed to serve millions of frontline workers.

The 2 billion frontline workers worldwide represent 80% of the global workforce, with 88% of organizations employing people in frontline roles. Increasingly, companies are investing in digital tools for frontline workers to modernize workflows, enhance job performance, and improve workplace culture and communication. Microsoft has seen 400% growth in monthly active usage of its Teams collaboration platform among frontline workers since March 2020.

The Work Trend Index report reveals key insights that impact nearly every segment of the workforce:

Today, the company is introducing new joint offerings with industry partners as well as capabilities specifically designed to support frontline workers in Teams and Viva, Microsofts employee experience platform introduced in early 2021.

Its no secret that the pandemic is reshaping work for all workers, and at a faster pace than we have ever seen, said Emma Williams, corporate vice president, Microsoft. Empowering frontline workers remains essential for digital transformation. Together with our partners, were equipping frontline workers with tools that allow them to stay connected with their team and company leadership while concentrating on the customer or job at hand. If done well, we believe technology can modernize workflows and enhance job performance while also improving workplace culture and communication.

In addition, on Feb. 1, Microsoft Cloud for Retail will be generally available. Microsoft Cloud for Retail accelerates business growth by providing trusted retail industry solutions that integrate with retailers existing systems. It starts by unifying disparate data sources across the end-to-end shopper journey, allowing retailers to maximize the value of their data, resulting in one holistic view of the consumer. Once connected, data and AI help retailers better understand and elevate the consumer shopping experience. In providing more relevant and streamlined experiences throughout the retail value chain, retailers can build a real-time sustainable supply chain. The solution also includes the Teams and Viva capabilities announced today, all working toward empowering store associates.

To learn more, visit the Official Microsoft Blog, Microsoft 365 Blog and the new Work Trend Index report.

Microsoft (Nasdaq MSFT @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

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Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications, (425) 638-7777,[emailprotected]

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Microsoft announces new research and technology to empower millions of frontline workers - Stories - Microsoft