In a world with unexpected challenges, remote work became the new normal out of necessity. As we adapted to this shift, Microsoft Teams emerged as a go-to platform for seamless collaboration. Many of us probably already had it within our Microsoft Office subscription without giving it a second glance. Now you might use it every working day – I do! With the competition of Zoom (which has some equally fantastic features that may convince you to part with that separate subscription fee), Microsoft continues to improve the program. Our favourite so far has to be the recent addition of Microsoft Loop. Originally released in 2021, Microsoft Loop only actually became widely available this year. Let’s explore how Loop is transforming remote collaboration and why it’s worth exploring.
More effective meetings:
This year’s Work Trend Index found we are spending three times the amount of time spent in Microsoft Teams meetings since February 2020. That’s a lot of extra time. Loop can cut down that time across multiple individuals by providing opportunities for effortless collaboration. My favourite feature of Microsoft Teams Loop is Collaborative notes. This feature allows all participants to contribute to the agenda and note taking which means the time is shared, there’s no consolidating and there is less room for error. There is also a space to mark actions and have them automatically be placed in your team’s action tab. Again, this removes the need to replicate information in multiple areas. Magic!
Cross application integration:
Loop has been designed to not just provide space for collaboration between its users but its platforms too. Depending on your subscription, you may also have access to Loop components.
You can create various elements including lists and tables which can be used simultaneously in multiple platforms such as Outlook and Notes. If I email a to-do list to a colleague, I can copy this component into notes and keep track. When my colleague updates the list in their email, or I update from my notes it will automatically update in all places including the Loop workspace.
Look out for Microsoft Copilot:
Microsoft has not stopped there. They have recently announced the release of an AI-infused note-taking feature called ‘Copilot Collaborate Notes’ previewing next year. This feature will allow you to engage with your team and let Microsoft take notes for you and suggest actions. If used in a meeting series, this feature will also prepopulate the next meeting agenda with relevant information. No more looking back to regain context. We can’t wait to give this a go.
Copilot loop will come with the ability to create pages that pull all that collaborative information to one place, using AI technology to support content creation, summarisation and more.
We think Loop is going to become an essential and widely used Microsoft feature in 2024/2025.
Now is the time to get ahead and explore the power of Microsoft Teams including the incredible capabilities of Loop. Empower your remote team with the tools they need to collaborate effectively and take productivity higher than ever.
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