Today’s workplace technology must meet the demands of a wide range of workflows, schedules and tasks – while meeting the challenges of a diverse and varied view of modern work. This includes:
- Firstline workers dealing with customers face-to-face
- Field sales representatives juggling customer meetings
- Back office staff balancing the demands of their teams
- The C-suite making decisions and driving the business forward
A modern desktop is at the heart of driving productivity. Organisations need to empower employees by providing technology that helps them achieve their goals, wherever and however they work. This involves an approach that focuses as much on software as it does on hardware, as much on security as on productivity.
In this blog, we look at why organisations hoping to boost productivity should move to a modern desktop with Microsoft 365 and Surface.
Productivity today
As the pace of technological change accelerates, what does work mean for an employee in the 21st century? It no longer means sitting behind a desk from 9 to 5 at a particular workstation every single day. It no longer means field sales reps being cut off from colleagues out on the road. It no longer means being separated from the tools and information that can help firstline workers deliver better results.
There is now more freedom to work in a way that suits the goals of every worker. The cloud has enabled a level of connectivity and mobility that simply wasn’t possible before. Workers now carry powerful apps wherever they are and access company information anytime. And they can communicate and collaborate with colleagues in the field at the click of the button.
This opens up potential for new outcomes and increased productivity. But only if workers have the right tools and solutions.
What is a modern desktop?
To drive productivity to the next level, organisations need the best technology for their employees. This means hardware – such as a portable and powerful Surface device. It also means software such as Microsoft 365, a package which contains the best of Microsoft, including the productivity apps in Office 365, Microsoft’s most secure and intelligent operating system, Windows 10, and enterprise-grade security in Enterprise Mobility and Security (EMS).
Surface devices
Surface devices add a touch of finesse as well as reliability to the working day. With accessories like the Surface Pen, employees can add an extra dimension to note-taking, meetings and customer interactions. With a robust build and long-lasting battery life, these devices never let your team down. What’s more, they’re connected to all the apps they need.
Microsoft 365
We will leave security and device management (EMS) to one side, as that warrants its own section below. Microsoft 365 provides an employee with all the apps they need to be more productive in the cloud. With Office 365, employees can connect to company/client info on the go with SharePoint Online, they can check emails during their commute in Outlook, they can connect and collaborate with colleagues in Teams, and can access all their favourite Office apps (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, Excel) in the cloud.
With Windows 10, employees have the most secure and intelligent operating system Microsoft has ever produced. Developed for the modern day, Windows 10 features such as intelligent assistant Cortana, make work-life so much easier.
Security without compromise
Enterprise Mobility and Security
As part of Microsoft 365, organisations can benefit from Microsoft’s enterprise-grade security package. EMS offers end-to-end security for users in the cloud. It is designed to help modern employees work securely in the cloud without sacrificing productivity.
EMS gives organisations central control over identity and access, making sure that only the right people have access to the company’s apps, documents and information – all the while making sure people who have the right permissions can get on with work as productively as possible.
Built to be secure
Not only do Surface devices integrate seamlessly with every security feature in Office 365, Windows 10 and EMS, but they are also fundamentally built to be a secure piece of equipment in themselves. The physical design ensures safety from DMA attacks by being a sealed unit. Enterprise management and lock down ensures organisation-wide control and protection.
Two-factor authentication through biometric sensors (facial, iris and fingerprint recognition) and pin codes ensure only the right people can access the device. Cryptographic processing helps users manage and protect sensitive data through secure keys and integrity validation. Secure boot closes off pathways that allow malware to hide on a device. UEFI Secure Boot and Trusted Boot makes sure that only apps that can be trusted run when your device starts up.
Security without compromise
As the date for Windows 7 End of Support draws near (January 14th, 2020), now is the time for businesses to make the shift to the modern desktop. Microsoft 365 in combination with Surface devices allows organisations to boost the productivity of their employees without compromising on security.
To find out how the modern desktop is empowering employees whatever their job entails, download the eBook here.
Written by Sabrina Gosney (Microsoft Alliance Manager)
