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In part one of a two-part exclusive roundtable,
Carolyn Byer, head of HR at Microsoft Canada, sat
down for a virtual chat with Canadian HR Reporter
to discuss the crucial role collaborative tools such as
Microsoft Teams are playing in the new world of work
COLLABORATING
THROUGH TECH
WHILE
not wanting to undercut the
experience that so many
people are going through with working
from home — especially when it comes to
people with young children or vulnerable
family members — Carolyn Byer, head of
HR at Microsoft Canada, says the
pandemic has provided an excellent case
study on remote working.
"It's the first time that so many
Canadians are actually experiencing a
flex environment," she says.
"What we're going through now is
really going to shape the future of the
work because what we're seeing is some
organizations have completely elected to
go remote — which we're referring to as
a digital-first organization — [and] are
introducing new cultural norms."
Whether it's education, health care,
government, retail or finance sector, the
COVID-19 pandemic has really forced
businesses to reimagine their operations
by undergoing an immediate shift to
remote working, says Byer, in sitting
down with Canadian HR Reporter for a
virtual chat.
"It has been challenging to some;
others have made this shift rather easily."
The future of work is being shaped right
now and there is no doubt that COVID-19
has marked a turning point for Canadians
in how they perceive the need to really go
back to a centralized office, she says.
"When I think about, ultimately, what's
going to lead to a successful hybrid
work culture, it's going to be one that
empowers employees with the right
support, tools and technology to really
get work done, when and where they feel
makes them most productive."
Tools for the future
With the dramatic rise of remote work
brought on by the pandemic, collaboration
platforms such as Microsoft Teams have
soared in popularity, allowing for
workplace chat, video meetings, file
storage and application integration.
Indispensable as a tool for getting
the job done, the technology can
also support employers in areas such
as workplace culture and employee
recognition, says Byer.
"When you think of Microsoft Teams,
what it's really allowing so many to do is
it's enabling them to stay productive, still
stay engaged at work while still managing
the demands at home," she says.
"[It's'] a hub for teamwork because
what it really does is it enables chat, it
enables file sharing, it enables video
H R L E A D E R S R O U N D T A B L E
2 0 2 0 T E C H N O L O G Y R O U N D TA B L E
Carolyn Byer, head of HR at Microsoft Canada
