Check out Part I and Part II of this series to catch up on more Teams tips and tricks.
In the final installment, we share New Signature Modern Workplace expert Kat Memenza’s thoughts on how to leverage Teams if you’re new or a novice with the tool. One of the largest and most valuable aspects of Teams, particularly when working remotely, is the ability to chat. Chatting allows for quick responses and informal or social connections without the time-delay or disparate email threads. However, there are some tips and etiquette suggestions to help elevate your experience while respecting coworkers and creating engagement communication.
- Etiquette Suggestions
- Take time to look at people’s statuses. If someone’s status icon in the upper right corner is red or a red and white symbol, they are likely focusing on deep work or are actively presenting during a meeting.
- Having access to chat does not mean that users will always get immediate answers. They could be chatting with someone else, answering emails, or have notifications turned off while they work, so it’s good to keep reasonable expectations for responses.
- Don’t be afraid to use chat socially. Chat functions well in social engagements because it doesn’t hold the same formality as an email, and allows for at-convenience responses. Teams is a toolset that allows for both professional and social connections to cultivate a connected team.
- Ping before calling. Even if someone’s status is green, they may be busy or not prepared to chat with no notice. It’s always polite to send a quick “hello” before video-bombing (as we call it at New Signature).
- Chat Menus and Settings
In the upper right corner, click on your Teams profile picture will open a menu to help you access the Teams user menu, as well as settings to help customize your experience.
- Set status message – To deepen your status beyond the color-coded settings, you can leave a detailed message that lets people see where you are and what you may be doing. If you’re traveling, engaged in deep work or away from your desk for a certain time frame, your team members will have a better idea as to when they can expect a response from you.
- Saved – When you save or archive a chat, you can view them by clicking this menu.
- Settings – This will lead you to all your settings that you are able to customize per your own preferences. You can change to a dark or high-contrast theme, adjust notifications settings and manage privacy.
At New Signature, it’s not just our job to provide customers with the tooling and solutions to their problem, but to also focus on people and processes. We work to keep you updated with new features, product education and tips to get the most from your investment.
