Modern Work: Proper preparation prevents chaos

In the Modern Work environment, as is often the case, the devil is in the details. Moving to the cloud is a good start. But to realize the many benefits in the hybrid, the tools must also be configured and used correctly.

Public cloud platforms such as Microsoft 365 play a central role in the digital transformation of companies: the workforce demands apps such as Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 for working in the hybrid, and CIOs are tasked with realizing cost-saving potential by replacing expensive on-premises solutions.

But what happens after that?

Once Microsoft Teams has been installed on employees' PCs and mobiles?

The first impression: simple and flexible

The superficially simple usability is followed by various chaos scenarios, because IT, users, management are often unaware of the challenges of the many hidden settings of Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft Teams is a very versatile application. In addition to telephony, conferencing and chats for communication, there are Teams and Channels for collaboration. More and more additional functions are being integrated. The goal is to integrate formerly separate applications into one interface that works for all devices and delivers on the promise of simplicity and flexibility to users.

At length, it can get messy

Yes, the apps are easy to use. But it's the ease of use that is the bane of many companies - namely, where users work uncontrollably with the various Microsoft applications.

Untangling Babylonian Confusion

The multi-layered nature of Microsoft 365 often means that no one can see or keep track of the big picture in order to manage the necessary digital transformation.

At MondayCoffee we focus on a holistic and integrated approach consisting of software, business consulting, engineering and adoption. This way we address different target groups in the organization and meet their needs and goals.

For business departments and individual employees, we improve the user experience and provide them with additional functions for more productivity in work and collaboration.

For IT, we enable efficient management of an orderly and secure Modern Work environment through automation and standards.

We accompany the management on their way to modern and secure work.

Want to know more? We look forward to an exchange with you.

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Simplify your project and portfolio management with CoffeeNet 365

Project leaders and participants must play together, like musicians in an orchestra: They have to listen to each other, pick up themes, continue the melody or the overarching program. And the conductor? He or she must be able to keep track of everything and ensure that the desired results are achieved.

How do you coordinate the various projects or investment portfolios in your department or company? With extra portfolio management software?

We have an alternative for you. The project and portfolio management function integrated in CoffeeNet 365. This means you no longer need additional software, but have the right solution right where project managers or project participants usually do their work.

GET TRANSPARENT INSIGHTS BY CONSOLIDATING COMPANY-WIDE PORTFOLIOS, PROGRAMS, AND PROJECTS INTO ONE OVERALL VIEW

The project and portfolio management feature in CoffeeNet 365 condenses statements about the progress of multiple projects or investment portfolios into a clear overall view. It helps management get a comprehensive picture of the status of major programs, initiatives or asset portfolios, including, for example, real estate, machinery or vehicle fleets.

MAKE it more efficient to capture PROJECT OR ASSET INFORMATION - INTEGRATED INTO THE DAILY WORK ROUTINE

Those involved in a project or investment object need to periodically record the required information. We have made this process as simple as possible and ensured that no additional data silos are created. Instead, existing data repositories are used. The project and portfolio management function is integrated into CoffeeNet 365 virtual workspaces.

THE RIGHT MIX OF STANDARDIZATION AND FLEXIBILITY

The project and portfolio management function in CoffeeNet 365 enables standardization and flexibility at the same time. Depending on your needs, you can choose from a few traffic light displays to granular KPIs for detailed reporting. You decide which data or data types to monitor, and the application does the rest.

So before you purchase any new software, we'd be happy to show you how you can use CoffeeNet 365 for project and portfolio management in a targeted way and implement it easily.

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The Zs

The Generation Z: young people born around the turn of the millennium. As the youngest member of MondayCoffee AG, I am also part of it.

Just in time for the Corona crisis, I finished my studies without a graduation ceremony after endless online lectures. My working life starts in a world that has changed enormously within a few months. During my studies, for example, I learned in internships and also as a working student what topics to talk about at the lunch table in the cafeteria or how to dress in the office.

From one moment to the next, everything changed. Which pants to wear to the home office or in which corner of the Munich apartment to have lunch this time without talking about planned and past vacations suddenly seemed completely irrelevant. The succession of lockdowns, messed-up gap years and postponed trips to Australia left Generation Z with a lot of time to think about what's really important to us in the context of work.

Leonie Bachmaier, Business Consultant & Produkt Management at MondayCoffee about companies that would profit a lot by getting adjusted to the hybrid office.

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1. THE HYBRID WORK MODEL COULD BECOME A SELECTION CRITERION

Since starting my career, I have worked flexibly in terms of location and time. My work-life balance is intact. My motivation at work is high. My performance, as confirmed by my superiors, is satisfactory. It's important to me to have a job in the future where a flexible work model is possible - and that probably applies to some of my generation peers as well. Companies do well to adapt to the hybrid in the long term.

2. LEADERSHIP IS PUT TO THE TEST EVEN MORE IN THE HYBRID

The enthusiasm to enter the workforce was strong in my case. Even with Corona. But it was also coupled with some uncertainty and perhaps a lack of direction. What happens on my first day at work? I turn on my laptop, and then what? What do I do when I'm stuck? Call my boss because of a simple question? I didn't know many of my colleagues yet. The conversations at the coffee counter didn't exist. The fast start to working life had its pitfalls - but the central question is, how do you manage the GenZ in general in the hybrid?

My takeaway since I started: In addition to the manager, who has to find a balance between freedom and structure, mentors play a very important role. You can ask them any questions, reflect on situations with them, and once again mirror your own further development in a different way.

3. SOCIAL MEDIA AS A CENTRAL RECRUITING CHANNEL

How do you reach GenZ talent? Clearly through social media. I, too, found my position as a working student at MondayCoffee via a job alert in LinkedIn. I was able to apply in just a few clicks - from my smartphone. Then a video call followed.

You'll have the most success recruiting Zs if the application can easily happen digitally, right where you usually spend a lot of time. Long questionnaires or cover letters are not for us. We focus on real-time interaction.

SWICA: Implementation of a flexible and efficient modern work environment with CoffeeNet

SWICA is one of the leading health and accident insurance companies in Switzerland. 

In order to provide SWICA employees with a flexible and efficient modern work environment, the outdated SharePoint platform was replaced and SWICAnet was introduced. Today, SWICA employees can communicate and collaborate in a more productive way. 

Download Case Study (German only)

SWICA: Case Study Download

The line between work and private life is blurring. How to find a balance.

Digitalization is changing the way we work. Today, with our laptop or mobile we can work whenever and wherever. Our collaboration solution supports this flexibility by allowing access to all information and documents anytime, anywhere and from any device. Tasks are no longer bound to locations or a specific time, which makes it difficult to set boundaries between work and private life.  

Who is not familiar with this situation? A quick reply to an e-mail before going to bed. A private phone call between meetings. Improving the presentation for the following day during a Netflix series. Before lunch break, a quick visit to the dentist.   

Where work and private life begins, and ends is no longer clear. 

Some use the missing border as an opportunity to plan and organize their lives according to their own wishes and needs. For others, however, the separation between work and private life is becoming a huge challenge. 

Also in our company and in customer projects we see that there are people who suffer from this blurring line. Especially when the flexible working model is new territory for them. 

It is important in that case to offer strategies to organize individual time better and thus to draw borders more easily. Here are some strategies that might help: 

Physical strategies:   

• Use separate devices for work and private life 

• Draw spatial boundaries, for example define areas in the home office that serve exclusively for work tasks 

• Switch off disruptive devices for either work or private life or at least switch off push notifications 

Mental strategies:   

• Be mentally present in the situation and completely detach yourself from the other area 

• Organize time so that priorities are dealt with in the highest concentration phase   

• Schedule time in your calendar for private activities 

Social strategies:   

• Discuss and coordinate availability with colleagues and superiors  

• Limit expectations about availability  

• Reach out to colleagues who are able to deal with the dissolution of boundaries, see them as role models or social support 

• Avoid linking work-related and private social media accounts 

These strategies serve to better control the boundary between work life and private life. Those who manage to implement these strategies may start to see the blurring boundaries of work and private life as an opportunity rather than a challenge.

Millennials want more flexibility at work

Forbes Magazine about flexibility at work: 

A FlexJobs report found that 82 % of millennials said they are more loyal to their employer if they have flexible work options. Even though half of our workforce is able to arrange for flexible work policies, it's taking too long to make this a norm. Part of the reason is simply that change is seen as hard. The initiative "1 Million for Work Flexibility" is advocating for broader adoption of work flexibility. Their goal is to expand awerness around work flexibility policy and proposals nationwide.

Find the full article here