Zellis is the largest provider of payroll and HR software and managed services to companies in the UK and Ireland, trusted by 42% of FTSE 100 companies. 

In this final blog of our four-part series, we’ll take a look at their flagship product, Zellis HCM Cloud. Read on to discover how your organisation can benefit from AI-powered payroll solutions that drive efficiencies right across your business.

Modern experiences that navigate challenges 

Organisations and employees are still navigating challenging times in the wake of Covid and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. These macro events have fuelled ongoing legislative change and increased complexity across the board. In today’s fast-moving and often unpredictable world of work, it’s no longer enough to ensure efficient payroll and HR processes. Organisations need the very best AI-driven HCM technology to ensure compliance with complex regulations, unlock data-driven insights, and provide people with modern, digital experiences.  

Zellis has tackled the challenge by providing the most engaging, empowering, and efficient AI-powered HR and payroll solution in the UK and Republic of Ireland markets. 

Delivering award-winning solutions 

Zellis HCM Cloud can help you achieve a lot more than the smooth running of payroll and HR processes. It’s a data-driven, cloud-based, and open HCM software platform, complete with award-winning solutions for payroll, HR, benefits and recognition. Built on Microsoft Azure, Zellis HCM Cloud also connects into the AI-based Microsoft Power Platform – PowerBI for analytics and Power Automate – to create business-wide efficiencies. 

Let’s start with Zellis’ cloud payroll software. It’s automated, accurate and compliant, affording the flexibility and peace of mind that organisations need. You can either use it as a standalone, best-in-class payroll solution, or together with their HR solution. 

Then there’s the HR management software. This empowers your employees, creating process efficiencies via automated AI-driven workflows that free up time for HR to spend on strategic activities. From hire to retire, it supports productivity, enables intelligent reporting, and supports exceptional experiences. 

In addition, the MyView PayNow app is designed to support financial wellbeing. This self-service app, available as an extension to the MyView portal, helps your employees to better understand their pay and benefits, manage their budgeting, choose when to get paid (also known as flexible pay), access free guidance, and save for a rainy day. 

Building innovations of tomorrow 

Leveraging Microsoft technology has enabled Zellis to establish a dedicated Zellis AI Lab to build expertise in AI, exploiting the potential of the Zellis Intelligence Platform combined with Microsoft Azure and OpenAI.  

One of the first products developed in the Zellis AI Lab is a Generative AI-powered chat user interface for use by customers’ colleagues. This is designed to support their engagement and drive HR efficiencies by helping employees to perform HR tasks and understand payslips and employment conditions without needing to raise a ticket.  

This frees up time for the HR and Payroll teams to concentrate on more strategic areas, such as strategy planning by using Zellis AI-driven predictive analytics, instead of spending hours on purely reactive work such as answering employee queries.  

Early indications show that by using AI in this way, customers could reduce the time it takes to respond to employee queries by around 75%.  

Unlock the value of the cloud 

AI software published on the Microsoft marketplace forms a powerful mix of innovation, reliability, security and convenience. If you’re looking for solutions to fuel your cloud transformation and grow your business, it’s the place to shop.   

To move at the speed of business today, many companies prefer buying to building cloud apps. This allows them to offload the associated costs and management onto SaaS partners.  You’re able to use private offers to get exactly what you need, including customised terms and conditions, negotiated pricing, prototypes for proof of concept, and tailor-made solutions.  

Better still, transact in a single, accessible place, reducing procurement complexity, saving time and simplifying billing. Apply 100% of the value of eligible purchases to your organisation’s Azure cloud commitment and get faster time-to-value with solutions that work with your current technology. 

All while enjoying the peace of mind that comes from buying and running solutions on a trusted cloud with industry-leading security.   

Boost your HR and payroll solutions with AI power 

Ready to deploy transformational employee experiences across your organisation? 

Visit the Microsoft marketplace to buy Zellis HCM Cloud now, or contact our team at ISVUK@Microsoft.com.

Other blogs in this series

Blog 1: Driving your AI transformation with the Microsoft marketplace 

Blog 2: Safeguarding your business with AI-powered security solutions 

Blog 3: Optimising business operations through AI-powered solutions 

About the author

James joined Microsoft 15 years ago and has held leadership positions across the Consumer, Enterprise, and the Partner teams at Microsoft. James is currently the ISV Ecosystem Lead and has a passion for people and technology coming together to drive customer success. James has been at the forefront of Cloud & Digital transformation for the last 10 years launching new business models and driving transformation through the Microsoft Partner ecosystem resulting in and contributing to exciting new revenue streams and significantly accelerated growth for Microsoft and Partners.

The post Deliver transformational employee experiences through AI-empowering solutions   appeared first on Microsoft Industry Blogs - United Kingdom.

Data from our 2022 Work Trend Index Annual Report confirm the shift. We found that 53 percent of employees were more likely to prioritise health and well-being over work than before the pandemic. In addition, nearly half of respondents (47 percent) were more likely to put family and personal life over work than they were pre-pandemic.

Figure 1. Employee work attitudes post- vs. pre-pandemic. (Source: Microsoft, Work Trend Annual Report, 2022.)

At Microsoft, we believe technology can be a powerful ally in the journey towards better employee well-being. As such we wanted to take the opportunity to raise awareness of mental health issues and promote good practice both in and beyond the workplace.

To help you reclaim the right balance we’ve pulled together eight practical Microsoft 365-based tips to help employees and managers reshape today’s fast-paced work experience in the name of better mental health. 

1. Nurture community and connection at work

Research shows that, in a hybrid world, it’s even more important to forge meaningful networks and relationships at work. Employees who have thriving relationships with team members report better well-being than those without (76% vs. 57%).

To help you reconnect and find belonging at work, Microsoft Viva Engage – an add-on in Outlook – enables you to share work and experience with colleagues. Join digital communities and conversations, find answers to questions, and inspire others with your stories. You can also connect via the announcements, to-dos and check-ins on your personalised Viva Connections dashboard.

2. Book focus time each week

If meetings are dominating your days or weeks, it can be stressful to keep on top of incoming emails, messages and resulting actions. It’s also hard to focus on challenging work when you only have small chunks of time between meetings.

Blocking out time every day or week to focus without interruption can help. The Wellbeing tab in Microsoft Viva insights contains a section called “Take action to improve your wellbeing”, in which you can create a daily focus plan.

To help you stay in control and also step away from work, other available well-being features include:

• Make time for messages
• Schedule emails for later
• Take a break or two
• Make time for lunch

To help you concentrate, your status in Microsoft Teams will auto-switch to Focus during booked focus time. You’ll only get notifications for messages that are urgent or from contacts with priority access.

3. Schedule times to manage email

Most office workers check their email regularly throughout the day. But it’s a battle to get work done if you spend most of your time responding to tactical requests from other people.

Try limiting when you check emails to two or three slots per day. Disabling email notifications will help reduce the temptation. This can easily be done in Microsoft Outlook – go to the File tab, select Options, select Mail, and in the Message arrival section, uncheck Play a sound, Show an envelope icon in the taskbar and Display a Desktop Alert:

4. Stay on top of your to-do lists

A helpful way to get something off your mind is to write it down. But how many to-do lists do you have? Perhaps a grocery list on the back of an envelope, a list of things to do in notes or a phone app, maybe some tasks in Outlook?

You might also have flagged emails to get back to, not to mention a task someone has assigned you in Planner.

You can organise this avalanche with an app like Microsoft To Do. It’s free and syncs across Windows 10 and 11, iPhone, Android and the web. It’s also integrated with Outlook.com, making it easier to manage all your tasks in one place.

Planner tasks assigned to you also appear in To Do under the Assigned to you list:

5. Set limits to your working day

Our research has identified a third productivity peak outside the typical pre-pandemic 9am-5pm spikes, with the most common after-hours activity being email (source: Microsoft New Future of Work Report 2022). While working remotely can make this habit more tempting, it’s crucial to set boundaries to your working day and give yourself a break.

To do so, select the Wellbeing tab in Viva Insights and use the “Disconnect with quiet time” card, which allows you to set your quiet time.

As a manager or leader, you can also use Viva insights to help ensure your team properly disconnects after work. View their total weekly after-hours collaboration time and, if needed, recommend changes.

Taking a well-earned holiday? Set your Out of Office and stop syncing Outlook on your phone to remove temptation. You might even want to remove work apps from your phone to avoid peeking at emails.

6. Be aware of your after-hours impact on others

This follows from the previous point. While minimising after-work hours is an ideal, we recognise that work schedules must flex for many reasons. Some people are night-owls; others may choose to work late to prepare for a busy day ahead.

Whatever the case, we need to be aware of the impact our habits may have on others. As reported in a 2022 UK Parliament Post briefing, after-hours working in a hybrid setting can cause remote colleagues to feel under pressure to always be available online.

To help avoid this, Viva Insights can show you the after-hours impact you impose on co-workers. Its coaching tools can also help you build smarter habits.

If you must work late, minimise any unwanted impact by saving emails to your Drafts folder until business hours, or schedule the delivery of your email using Options > Delay Delivery:

7. Work the way that works for you

A key strength of technology is its potential to support inclusiveness, empowering everyone to access tools the way that suits them best. Microsoft 365 apps come with built-in accessibility features for a more comfortable experience at work. For example, Microsoft Teams supports inclusive collaboration in hybrid meetings with captions and live transcripts, which can help people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

To enable a personal and human touch in virtual meetings, Teams also incorporates live React controls (at the top of the meeting view).

8. Pay attention to the present moment

Mindfulness is about being aware of your body, mind and feelings in the moment. Practising it can improve your sense of well-being and how you approach challenges.

In Viva Insights, you’ll find guided meditations and focus music, including content from Headspace. Take a break to support your mental health.

Seizing the opportunity

We hope our commitment to well-being has a positive ripple effect in today’s workplace. However, while technology can help promote a healthier work-life integration, only we ourselves – workers and leaders together – can deliver it.

Find out more

• Work Trend Index Annual Report (2022)
• Microsoft 365
• Microsoft Viva
• Microsoft Teams

About the author

David manages Microsoft UK’s Employee Experience business, overseeing a suite of solutions designed to enhance employee engagement and boost business performance.

The post 8 ways Microsoft 365 solutions can empower employees to prioritise well-being appeared first on Microsoft Industry Blogs - United Kingdom.

Yet for many business decision-makers, the biggest question continues to be: “How do I start the journey?”

To help answer this question, I want to outline some practical applications of AI that can help your team achieve more today. I’ll then end with some high-level implementation tips.

First, a few words about preparing for the road ahead.

Nurturing (and protecting) your new “learning culture”

As your organisation implements AI, you’ll embark on a change-management journey in which departmental and data silos tend to disappear. In fact, you’ll get the best out of AI by nurturing:

• Organisation-wide participation, so all staff can contribute new solutions to business problems
• Two-way communication, right across a diverse and inclusive team
• Experimentation, including opportunities to learn from mistakes

Your new AI-driven “learning culture” will increasingly be powered by data, with richer insights and new analytical tools. To support this major shift, we’ve developed an end-to-end analytics solution, Microsoft Fabric, unveiled at Microsoft Build 2023. Infused with the Azure OpenAI Service at every layer, Fabric integrates the most advanced D&A tools – from Data Factory to Power BI and Synapse – in one place. Enabling you to surface business insights faster than ever.

Responsible AI by design

It will also be important to consider the ethical, cultural and compliance aspects of deploying AI technology. You can rest assured that, in designing AI solutions, Microsoft puts people and principle first. Our team of researchers, engineers and policy experts is guided by our AI principles and  Responsible AI Standard, along with decades of research on AI, grounding and privacy-preserving machine learning.

Our design process ensures Microsoft AI systems are scrutinised for potential harms and mitigations. We also make it clear how a system makes decisions by noting its limitations, linking to sources and prompting users to review and adjust content based on their subject-matter expertise.

5 ways to start implementing AI at work

The following scenarios highlight how Microsoft AI can help you work smarter and faster, using natural language to cut through the drudgery of search and manual compilation. Our solutions put technology, AI, data, cybersecurity and advanced usability through natural language at your disposal.

1. Transform workloads with an AI copilot

Imagine next-generation AI embedded into the Microsoft 365 apps you use at work each day – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams and more. That’s Copilot in Microsoft 365.

Using Copilot in Word, you can now quickly create a first draft to edit and develop using a language prompt. Want more help? Copilot will shorten, rewrite or give feedback on it.

You’re always in control. You can (and should) review, fact-check and fine-tune content yourself.

Creating a presentation? With Copilot in PowerPoint, you can easily bring in slide content from any previous deck. And Copilot in Excel will help you rapidly analyse trends and create data visualisations.

Create reports in seconds

With our Business Chat AI tool, you can use a natural language prompt (such as “Tell the CEO how we’ve updated the campaign strategy”) to instantly create a status update, based on your relevant meetings, documents, emails and chat threads.

2. Detect cybersecurity threats faster 

For security operations and response teams, constant vigilance against threats can drain resources and exhaust individuals.

Microsoft Security Copilot reduces the burden. It uses AI to integrate insights and data from security tools, detecting vulnerabilities earlier and shutting down cyberattacks.

Microsoft Security Copilot provides intelligent guidance informed by 65 trillion daily signals.

It also puts your people first by improving usability. To understand functions, users can simply ask for step-by-step guidance.

As with all our AI solutions, Security Copilot strictly follows our AI principles and Responsible AI Standard. It also runs on Azure’s hyperscale infrastructure for a fully privacy-compliant experience.

3. Reinvent search with an AI copilot for the web  

Our new AI-powered Bing search engine and Edge browser tools are like a copilot for the web. They give you more complete search answers, a new chat experience, and the ability to generate content.

“We’ve launched Bing and Edge powered by AI copilot and chat, to help people get more from search and the web.”

Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, Microsoft

With the chat experience, you can easily fine-tune your search by asking for more details and clarity. You’ll get relevant links to follow up, too.

Merging search, browser and chat opens up exciting possibilities. Need the highlights of a long annual report? Just ask for it using the Edge Sidebar. Want to compare it to a competitor and see them side-by-side in a table? Just use the chat function.

Even as AI transforms search, the privacy policies of Bing and Edge AI ensure your user identity and behaviour are safe and protected.

4. Improve services and solve problems with AI

Rapidly improve your customer service and data insights by tapping into the power of generative AI models, including GPT-4, Codex, and DALL-E 2. All are available through the Azure OpenAI Service, backed by built-in Microsoft Azure security, compliance and data privacy and the Responsible AI Standard.

Solve your business problem in seconds

Looking to speed up clinical communications or automate an accounting process? Any team member can now do it using AI and low-code. We’ve added Copilot to Microsoft Power Platform, so you can create apps, flows and bots in seconds through natural language. And whatever you build, you can easily query the data for instant, actionable insights.

You can develop Power Automate workflows in 50% less time with Copilot.

5. Unite teams, communicate and collaborate in one place

We’ve also improved usability. Instead of having to keep an eye on your chat while presenting in Teams, you can use Copilot to auto-answer any questions – and save time to collaborate.

Copilot finds Teams notifications, messages and information rapidly and helps you manage work with personalised suggestions. Asking Copilot for a summary can help reduce that Monday morning weekly-status stress by putting you one step ahead.

Implementing AI at scale: 4 practical steps

Scaling your AI journey can be confusing with so many technical, business, cultural and ethical considerations. To move smoothly from experimenting to implementing, follow these steps.  

1. Think business transformation

Approach AI as a business change programme, with tech as a key component. AI will transform your culture, so this might help you think big. It will also stop you seeing AI as belonging solely to IT. 

2. Get your people onboard

Take the time to explain to stakeholders the reasons for change. Highlight the benefits they can expect. No-one should feel they’re having AI “done to them”.   

3. Identify a problem to solve

Scope a business problem, then plan how AI can help solve it. That way, your solution can create measurable value. Don’t use a new business problem – start with one you know and understand.

4. Build an organisation-wide strategy

Create a strategy that allows AI to scale organically. Businesses that focus on scale do better than those hoping multiple, smaller projects will automatically lead to scale.

Over to you

Integrating AI into your business shouldn’t be a daunting process. We’ve designed our AI solutions to fit in with the way you work, not the other way round. This includes applying robust ethical AI principles at every step, and it’s why Copilot automatically adopts your organisation’s security, compliance, and privacy policies and processes. It also protects your tenant, group and individual data.

As Microsoft AI creates a new workplace interaction between humans and computers, I hope this blog has inspired you to take the first step. I look forward with excitement to seeing how AI helps you unleash innovation, unlock productivity and expand skills across the team.

Find out more

Visit the Microsoft AI hub

Accelerate competitive advantage with AI

Build an AI strategy with our Digital Transformation Playbook

Microsoft Responsible AI principles

About the author

As National Technology Officer, I lead Microsoft’s technology vision and model its culture of learning, while developing strategies to protect and extend Microsoft Cloud into complex regulated markets. My goal is to inspire leaders of state and enterprise, as well as regulators and customers, on how best to leverage innovation to drive digital transformation.

The post AI starter pack: 5 ways to implement AI into your business appeared first on Microsoft Industry Blogs - United Kingdom.

In the current economic environment, banks and other financial services firms recognise the need to embrace digital transformation to get maximum value from their technology investments and do more with less. Leveraging technology also helps businesses to navigate emerging risks while driving sustainable and responsible business outcomes internally and with their customers. But how are they approaching these challenges? Last week I attended Sibos 2022 in Amsterdam, where business leaders, policy makers and technologists came together for deep dive debates and big picture outlooks on the future of the corporate banking market, including lending, trade and treasury solutions, and the related capital markets instruments. The energy and excitement on the pace of innovation was clear and I saw many themes that resonate with where we aim to lead the market in our Microsoft UK Financial Services business.  

Geopolitical tensions, the economic environment, evolving cyber threats, the race to Net Zero, the competitive landscape and ongoing reimagination of business models, modernising policy and regulation, and the continuous innovation of what is possible with people, process and digital technology are driving rapid change in the industry. When managed correctly, this change can unlock new opportunity. 

The industry is leading in many areas of technology, product and operating-model innovation, but a responsible business purpose and sustainable societal outcomes are now firmly embedded as objectives that banks are expected to deliver. “We should not seek innovation for innovation’s sake,” noted HM Queen Máxima of the Netherlands in the opening plenary. “With each new technology, we must always ask ‘What problems are we trying to solve?’” At the same time, we need to ensure any innovation is done securely and collaboratively while being additive to interoperability of data and platforms. The IMF predicts technological fragmentation can cut a country’s GDP by five percent; the benefit of collaborative industry approaches and ecosystem business models is clear. 

Through all the customer, partner, and colleague conversations at Sibos 2022, and while contributing and learning as much as we could about new ideas and technologies, the Microsoft UK Financial Services team took away four main action points: 

1.      Transform securely  

One of the key things that was highlighted by industry leaders was the importance of getting cyber security basics right to enable secure transformation. “The human firewall is the first line of defence,” said Nicolas Trimbour, Head of Fraud Prevention and Chief Data Officer for Cash Management at BNP Paribas. It’s important to educate employees and customers to recognise phishing, scams and ransomware attempts especially while the attach surface grows with increased digitisation and growing ecosystem business models. 

AI/ML solutions can work at high performance across large amounts of data to spot fraud or suspicious activity in transactions and endpoints. An industry-specific cloud solution that uses a completely private data model, while offering full data portability can help organisations as they shift from on-premise to hybrid or cloud-native architectures. At the same time, organisations can benefit from built-in security and compliance offerings that infuse healthy cyber hygiene. 

Our security experts have pulled together resources, training and more to help your teams empower and educate your employees and customers to be cyber aware. This is the right time to focus on this with October being Cyber Security Month. Check out our Cyber Security Awareness Month resources. 

2.      Build a talent and collaboration model that supports your digital ambitions   

Banks need access to the right engineering and digital skills at scale to drive industry digitisation and innovation. This is not just about attracting the talent, but re-skilling and up-skilling current resources and creating an empathetic, flexible culture. I’ve often heard it said that the number one headwind on many banks’ ability to execute on their digital transformation strategies is access to the right talent and skills. “We need to make sure we invest in our people and support them in their growth,” says Erika Irish Brown, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer and Global Head of Talent at Citi.  

At Microsoft, we’re helping financial services institutions give their employees the digital skills they need. Whether that’s showing how decentralised teams can work collaboratively while working remotely, using tools to securely automate processes and workflows, or empowering pro dev, citizen dev and fusion dev teams to develop new apps, processes and reporting to make their work simpler in their domains. With 53 percent of employees more likely to prioritise health and wellbeing over work, leaders must take an empathetic approach to building a hybrid workplace. A culture that embraces flexibility and prioritises wellbeing will build a thriving organisation and drive long-term sustainable growth. This webinar with my colleague Craig Wellman goes into the importance of planning, leadership and culture in transforming financial services. 

3.      Align your ESG objectives to your business value 

The banking industry has a societal obligation to direct funding, capital, investment and lending to businesses in the real economy that will move the needle positively on ESG measures and on carbon reduction. And not only do customers, stakeholders, investors, regulators and governments expect it, but it’s also good for business. “$97 trillion needs to be invested to get to net zero. That’s a massive opportunity. It’s the most strategic and important thing we can do as an industry,” says Marisa Drew, CSO at Standard Chartered. 

The best way to start building effective ESG strategies is to tie it into your business value. Some institutions are already including their sustainability results in their financial statements. However, the industry faces challenges. A lack of global standard around climate reporting, mixed with slow manual processes and siloed data can affect how quickly you can build an effective strategy. “We don’t have perfect data, but we have actionable data,” says Gill Lofts, Global Financial Services Sustainable Finance Leader at EY. 

A unified and resilient cloud infrastructure like Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability can help you gain visibility across your data, drive efficiency, track and minimise your environmental impact and create sustainable value chains. We also need to drive more cross-industry collaboration.

“This is a planet-scale problem that needs planet-scale innovation and collaboration,” says Bill Borden, Corporate Vice President of Worldwide Financial Services at Microsoft.

When we made our sustainability commitment in 2020, we also decided to share our learnings, results and practices, and increase our focus on supporting our customers drive their own ESG agendas. 

4.      Lead on innovation that can open new sources of value  

Recent innovations are increasingly moving from POC to production adoption across digital assets such as Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). 

While AI has been leveraged in organisations for a long time to reduce risk and streamline operations, organisations need to take a novel approach to AI to create new avenues of growth. “People don’t think of AI as a way to get to a new digital business,” says Sameena Shah Managing Director, AI Research Executive, and Chief Transformation Officer for Client Onboarding at JP Morgan Chase. “You need to bring people with a business mindset together with people with AI knowledge.” These groups, known as fusion teams, can help organisations deploy solutions up to two and a half times faster than siloed teams. 

“Cash as a form of payment has been declining, but cash in circulation is growing. We have also seen over the past 10 years the rise of digital assets, including cryptocurrencies and CBDCs,” says Marion Laboure, Senior Economist at Deutsche Bank. 

One thing digitisation can do is help with financial inclusion. The 1.7 billion people who don’t have access to financial services can potentially use CBDC to start using financial services without a bank account. 

NFTs are currently used to tie ownership to a digital asset. However, as they evolve, it could allow the construction of the end asset to be more sophisticated. “That’s when it becomes more interesting to us in Finance. We can look at a new type of securitised asset, a new type of yield profile that may or may not be totally uncorrelated with traditional markets and assets,” said John Egan, CEO of L’Atelier at BNP Paribas. In fact, the US Securities and Exchange Commission are already looking into NFTs as a security. With no intermediaries, Decentralised Finance (DeFi) is less complex and more agile than the traditional central counterparty model. However, it is probably riskier. Experts suggest a hybrid model for DeFi, with the right regulatory guiderails to manage AML, fraud, conduct risk, and cybercrime. 

“Web3 and blockchain technologies are unique because they create a different, efficient way of executing processes. They can be best served to decrease complexity, increase security and transparency,” says Willayna Banner, Microsoft’s Head of Web3/Blockchain in Financial Services. Learn how organisations are using blockchain to transform functions such as trade finance and commercial specialty insurance. 

Collaborating for industry growth and responsible innovation 

As we shared these thoughts and ideas on the future of banking at Sibos 2022, a recurring theme was industry collaboration across the widest perimeter of stakeholders. To drive growth while being resilient, secure and compliant in our changing industry, our key priorities must be removing friction, increasing interoperability and improving the service experience for our customers, empowering our teams, and driving inclusive, sustainable innovation. 

Find out more 

Microsoft Cloud for Financial Services 

Microsoft Dynamics Customer Service Webinar for Financial Services: The changing role of the Digital Contact Centre

Rethinking the Customer Experience | Microsoft

About the author 

Niall is responsible for defining and leading Microsoft’s strategy for Financial Services in the UK. His focus is on helping Microsoft’s customers’ address industry-wide challenges, adapt to new regulatory frameworks and achieve business transformation through the adoption of Microsoft technology and partner solutions. He works to deliver on the cost, growth, risk and regulatory agenda front-to-back through the enterprise. 

Niall has experience in consulting, partner ecosystems, and large programme delivery in Financial Services. Niall has focused on operating model transformation and technology solutions for business challenges in Banking and Capital Markets, often in the regulatory change context. He has worked mostly with international banking groups and has lived in Hong Kong and London. 

The post The future of banking: How to stay innovative, collaborative and secure appeared first on Microsoft Industry Blogs - United Kingdom.

A culture of togetherness

When imagining the structure of Microsoft and attitudes between employees, I presumed it would be hierarchical with a really strict corporate structure. I thought every employee would have their place within the pecking order. But I could not have been more wrong.

The relationships I saw were that of a team, or even a family. Microsoft has adopted a culture which places employee’s comfort centrally. Employees are told to “come as they are and do what they love”. There’s no dress code. Instead, employees have the chance to visualise individualism and are given the freedom to truly be themselves.

I pictured the whole building to be siloed into different departments with each team being very separate. I imagined the HR team to be in an isolated, closed off space due to the sensitivity of the work involved. However, what I saw when arriving on my first day was an open and inviting space. This embodies the message that a space can be both confidential, but without the need for barriers.

As an external visitor, I felt the physicality of the building was reflective of Microsoft’s attitudes and also creates an atmosphere of approachability, enabling me to chat to a range of employees without having to knock on doors.

Having a range of spaces that mix cooperative environments with private spaces for meetings or focus work means that it’s easy to find a place where you feel comfortable to get your work done, while keeping it open enough to help unlock creativity and encourage collaboration.

A diverse and inclusive workforce

I had two beliefs about the requirements needed to secure a job in Microsoft. The first being that to work here you needed a degree to even get you in the door. The second was that that degree would have to be in an area specific to Microsoft or technology.

This couldn’t be further from the reality. During my work experience I spoke to a range of people from across the business and there was a real mix of backgrounds and experiences to get them to their current role.

For instance, I spoke to one apprentice who did not finish her A-Levels prior to joining Microsoft. She knew what her career aspirations were from an early stage  and Microsoft saw that potential in her. I also spoke to an employee, who was once an intern, then came back here to work as a graduate, then has been employed by the company in one department for several years and is now doing an apprenticeship in HR.

The whole experience really opened my eyes to Microsoft’s culture and how they empower their workforce. There’s an open-minded attitude towards talent, where potential is of a higher consideration than credentials. This also means that the workforce is filled with people of diverse backgrounds, of all abilities and experiences. A workforce who are diverse are more likely to be collaborative, innovative, and happier. For Microsoft, this means better business outcomes and an increased retention of their top talent.

Finally, I learned never to volunteer yourself during an all-team meeting as this is what has led to me writing this blog! Or perhaps, I should say volunteering yourself leads you to new experiences and challenges!

Creating opportunities

From my experience, I cannot think of a more amazing place to grow a career. The open ‘come as you are’ culture at Microsoft is reflected not just in the people who work there, but in the spaces as well.

On reflection, my advice to anybody wondering what the Microsoft world is like, would be to check out the Apprentice or Graduate Programmes. Personally, I will certainly be looking into these programmes myself.

At Microsoft, people are given the ability to be their true selves. Together, with spaces that inspire collaboration, ideas and devices that let them work the way they feel best makes for welcoming employees who are more creative and productive.

I really think you will find that behind the preconceptions we may hold about corporations, Microsoft is a company with a nurturing culture and the upmost care about realising potential.

Find out more

Surface your creativity

Discover internships at Microsoft

About the author

I was born and raised in Cornwall, just outside of the small town of Penzance. I spent a year travelling through Europe and North Africa with my family when I was younger which instilled in me a love of travel and enabled me to appreciate other cultures and experiences from a young age.

I enjoyed school but was particularly passionate about English, Media and Dance. Having been immersed in dance from a young age and becoming a member of several youth dance companies, I had always envisaged myself going to a dance conservatoire post A-levels. However, whilst studying for my A-levels, I came to realise that dance was a love of mine but not something I wanted as a profession.

I greatly enjoyed the English and Media but having focussed on Dance for so long could not imagine myself specialising in either of these, which lead me to decide not to go to university and instead focus on finding something that I would inspire me whilst utilising my skillset.

Having worked in the leisure and tourism industry since my first Saturday job, I discovered the enjoyment I found from interacting with the general public. I would consider myself an organised, sociable and intuitive person, which has led me to my current role as an Administrative Supervisor for The Cornish Way – a holiday-letting agency based in West Cornwall, with an eye for detail and focus on the ultimate Cornish escape experience.

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The worlds of study and work have changed

I’m in the final year of my degree, an overwhelming time of assignments and group projects, with a 10,000 word dissertation looming over me. But if I ever dare mention my student life stresses to my dad, he can’t help but remind me how different things were during his Computer Science degree in the 80s. It’s almost impossible to imagine how different student life was back then – no PowerPoint, no recorded lectures to watch back. And if you were writing an essay, you had to go to the library and actually read the books.

I’ll need a different set of skills than previous generations

When I (hopefully!) graduate, I’m going to be greeted by a very different workplace than my dad was. My closest colleagues may be based across the Atlantic, almost everything I do will be a collaborative effort rather than an individual essay. I’ll be on a constant learning journey where knowledge can become outdated in a matter of months.

With this in mind, it got me thinking about the extent that my university is equipping me with the digital skills I need to thrive in this ever-changing world of work.

University study mimics workplace reality

Visit any undergraduate lecture and you’ll be greeted by rows of laptops. Pen and paper are in the minority, with students preferring to take notes digitally. I recently bought a Surface Go for this purpose – small enough to carry around campus and perfect for taking notes. They’re organised in OneNote, with hyperlinks to videos, articles or books that my lecturer mentions. My Surface travels with me from lectures and seminars, to the library and to my desk at home.

Work-wise, some students prefer to set up station in the library from 9am-5pm, others prefer to work into the evening from home, or fit their studies around a part-time job.

University is strong on collaboration – not simply how to work in a team, but how to collaborate on a project effectively when meeting in person is a challenge. Students may have group calls via Skype, set up a Teams page or work on a shared document together.

Combined, our use of technology, flexible working and collaboration mimics the workplace that I witnessed on my placement year. In that sense, I think university gives students both the digital and work-related skills needed to transition effectively.

What could be done better?

There are some ways I feel universities could further develop the digital skills of their students. To me, these skills aren’t simply about learning how best to use the available tools, but about empowering students to think creatively around the future of the technology which will shape our lives.

We are undoubtedly experiencing the fourth industrial revolution, with predictions that 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 aren’t invented yet. So to what extent are graduates ready for this world?

I would argue that this is where universities could do more:

• Teaching people of all abilities to code

Coding is now taught at primary school, using simple devices like the BBC Micro:bit. My generation has missed out on that provision, so could find themselves being at a disadvantage. Everyone should have the opportunity to learn to code, with free courses offered to every student regardless of degree.

• Bringing technology into career discussions

All universities have a careers service. But to what extent is the fourth industrial revolution and digital skills embedded into the advice they are giving? Students should leave university with an awareness of how AI is going to change the world of work and ensure that the path they are taking is future-proofed.

• Nurturing soft skills like creativity

Students are assessed at every stage of our academic journey, from Year Six SATs, to GCSEs and A levels. University is a continuation of that, so we’re really, really good at passing exams. The real world isn’t like that. It values innovation, creativity and individuality. Universities need to ensure that despite the need for assessments, they are producing a generation of people who aren’t afraid to think differently. My generation is going to be responsible for trying to solve a range of the world’s most complex issues where there is no correct answer – we’ll need to be creative.

In my experience, universities are creating students equipped with the digital skills they need to thrive in the modern workplace. However, I think universities need to go beyond that and empower their students with creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills so they have the best chance possible of thriving amongst the fourth industrial revolution and beyond.

Find out more

5 steps to embed digital skills development into schools, colleges, and universities

About the author

Katie is, a 22 year old student at the University of Bath. She spent my placement year at Microsoft as a Technical Account Manager. Since then, she’s now returned to University, armed with new digital skills to help her navigate student life more effectively. Katie is fascinated by the future of higher education and how universities can prepare students for an ever-changing world of work. She is passionate about promoting women in STEM and empowering young women to consider a future in technology.

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Hiring the right talent is critical to success and businesses mustn’t forget about those who are early in their career. Apprentices, interns and graduates can bring a wealth of value to a business, offering fresh perspectives and creativity.

Our Microsoft Aspire Experience gives graduates a pathway into the working world to shape them into the digital leaders of tomorrow. And you can be part of that experience too.

Discover what it means to be a Microsoft UK graduate as we go behind the scenes with our Microsoft Aspire Experience grads to find out their highlights, the skills they’ve learnt along their journey, and advice on how you can excel as a graduate at Microsoft.

Meet…

Chester Broad, Marketing and Communications Manager

Hi! My name’s Chester – I’m 22 and from Brighton. After graduating from the University of Bath, studying Management with Marketing, I joined Microsoft’s Experiential Marketing team, delivering events and brand experiences. Even in the small amount of time I’ve been here, finding my feet, I’ve already got one highlight: at Future Decoded, I got the opportunity to host two live-streamed interviews, discussing creativity in AI with WPP and chatting to OceanMind about how they use AI to combat unsustainable fishing around the world.

Chester’s tips to success as a Microsoft graduate:

• Make sure you really understand Microsoft’s culture and values and weave them into the work you do on a daily basis.
• Look for opportunities to learn new things in the business – and be vocal about your eagerness to learn.
• Always say yes to a good opportunity – even if it makes you nervous. Going outside of your comfort zone is key to development.

Meet…

Freddie Saunders, Technical Specialist

Since joining Microsoft last year, I’ve been continuously challenged to get out of my comfort zone. I began working as Surface Technical Specialist, joining a team of Surface sellers to increase our hardware and device footprint. I was even responsible for proving the technology, and guiding our customers with their technical decision-making.

This experience has led to learning new skills, as well as being valued for the opinions and ideas I have when tackling the role and serving my customers best. However, my biggest highlight has been visiting Seattle and Las Vegas for training. This included my first solo presentation and workshop with a customer, and talking at a partner event about how the industry could best make use of Surface.

Since then, I’ve been given the exciting opportunity to move into our new Power Platform team as a Technical Specialist.

Freddie’s top tip:

• Be yourself. At Microsoft we value people based on who they are, their passions and their potential. You don’t need to have all the answers, you just need to have the hunger to always learn and never stop.

Meet…

Holly Boothroyd, Software Engineer on Cortana for Windows

My journey started back in Seattle, the home of Microsoft’s HQ, before I moved to England five years ago to study Computer and Information Technology. I previously worked on Microsoft Paint 3D and Xbox – in fact, my code is currently on over 900 million devices world-wide! In my role as a software engineer on Cortana for Windows, I develop features on the client side that enhance the user’s productivity and interactions with Windows.

Collaboration is a key skill here: I work closely with designers to make sure designs are feasible from an engineering perspective. For me, it’s all about creating the best user experience.

My top highlight at Microsoft has been attending the Grace Hopper Celebration conference in Orlando. For years, I’d dreamt of going, so it was a real wish come true to join other STEM-ettes at the event.

Holly’s 3-step guide to make the most of your experience: 

1. Seek out new communities – don’t get locked into communities strictly focused on your ‘day job’; go beyond that to broaden your skills and network.
2. Find a mentor – when you’re early in your career, it’s important to find someone with experience who can not only teach you new skills, but provide inspiration and drive.
3. Lock into your USP – Find a gap in your team’s skillset and fill it. Identify a cross-section between the technologies you love and the skills your team needs. Make it your unique selling point, as it’ll push you to learn new things, make you an invaluable asset, and give you expertise, which leads to personal development and career growth.

Meet…

Lucy Bloodworth, Enterprise Channel Manager – Health

I joined Microsoft last September. Now, I’m an Enterprise Channel Manager in the One Commercial Partner program. Prior to this, I studied Business and Management at the University of Reading, where I also completed a one-year internship at General Electric.

My first year at Microsoft has been an invaluable experience. You’re given real responsibility from day one, and encouraged to take on a ‘fail fast’ mentality. However, you’re fully supported at the same time and people are always happy to help. For me, just being at Microsoft is a highlight. I love working here because every day is different and you get a real sense of accomplishment.

Learnings from Lucy’s journey:

• Always ask questions – there’s always support and resources available
• Never stop learning
• Be proactive and jump at any opportunity that comes your way

To find out more about what it’s like to receive training alongside Microsoft UK professionals and the amazing opportunities you can get involved in as a Microsoft graduate, visit the Microsoft Aspire Experience site and our Student and Graduates career page.

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A recent study of 1,400 information workers commissioned by Microsoft found that 40% of people work outside of regular hours in a way that interferes with family time. The report also found 70 percent of professionals don’t fully unplug from work.

With our world becoming increasingly connected and the lines blurring between our work and personal lives. The very technology that introduced the benefits of being always on and always connected, has impacted our ability focus and disconnect, reducing our productivity and disrupting our family time.

Earlier this year, as part of Mental Health Awareness Week, Casandra Marrero and I collated a series of our favourite tips on how technology has allowed us to take back control and manage a healthier mental wellbeing at work. Here are the top 7 tips that I use personally:

1. Turn off notifications

According to Forbes, 98% of the population don’t multitask very well – we are only shifting back from one task to another.

Research also shows it can take up to 23 minutes to refocus after checking just one email or chat. Not to mention, the impact that other distractions like social media can have on your attention. I sat down one day and laid out all the mobile communications apps I use on my phone onto one screen.

One day I sat down and moved all the iPhone applications that I use to communicate personally and professionally onto one screen and came up with 20 of them. It was no wonder I had trouble focusing. I found the constant notifications so disruptive to my productivity that I made a conscious effort at the beginning of the year to turn them off completely. I haven’t looked back.

Turn off your notifications and regain your focus. On an iPhone, this can easily be done by going to Settings, tap on Notifications, and for each application toggle Allow Notifications to Off. On an Android device, go to Settings, tap Sound & Notification, then scroll until you see the App notifications. For each application, toggle Block All to Off.

2. Schedule time for email

The average person checks their email about 15 times per day. It’s hard to get important work done if you’re spending most of your day responding to tactical requests from other people.

Try limiting when you check your email to 2 or 3 key times of the day. Remove the temptation by disabling new email notifications. This can easily be done in Outlook 2013 or 2016 by going to the File tab, select Options, select Mail, and in the ‘Message arrival’ section, un-check ‘Display a Desktop Alert’ and ‘Show an envelope icon on the taskbar’.

3. Book focus time each week

There used to be weeks where my days were so jam packed full of meetings that I’d get home and spend the evening catching up on actions and emails. I also found it hard to get deeply involved in challenging work when I only had small chunks of time to focus in between meetings.

I started blocking out time every day or week to focus without interruptions to help me improve my concentration and effectiveness. MyAnalytics in Outlook can help suggest and book focus time on your behalf, particularly if it looks like your calendar is filling up. Go to MyAnalytics to open your personal dashboard.

We recently announced some exciting new focus features coming to MyAnalytics. When these features roll out, your status in Microsoft Teams will automatically switch to Focus during booked focus time to help you concentrate. You will only get notifications for messages that are urgent or from contacts with priority access.

4. Stay on top of your tasks

A great way to get something off your mind is to note it down. But how many to-do lists do you currently have? Perhaps a grocery list on the back of an envelope, possibly a list of things to–do in notes or an app on your phone and maybe some tasks in Outlook?

But what about those emails that you’ve flagged to get back to? And what if someone has assigned you a task in Planner?

One way to stay on top of all these tasks is to use an application like Microsoft To Do which is available for free, and syncs across iPhone, Android, Windows 10, and the web. To Do is integrated with Outlook Tasks, making it easier to manage all your tasks in one place.

Planner tasks assigned to you will also now appear in To-Do under a new Assigned to Me list.

5. Try using a digital assistant to save time

One of my biggest stresses at work used to be trying to find a mutually agreeable time to meet for a call, particularly when the attendees were external to my organisation and calendar free-busy information wasn’t available. I used to have to go back–and–forth with options and found it incredibly time consuming.

Not everyone can afford to have their own personal assistant, but how about a digital assistant? Now when I need to schedule some time to meet I used Calendar.help (calendar.help). I simply cc: Cortana in an email with other people and ask her to schedule a meeting. Cortana handles all the back-and-forth emails to find a time when everyone can meet and then sends out an invite on my behalf. I can even predefine what number to call, which meeting room to book or whether to add online meeting details by default.

Cortana.help is currently in exclusive preview. Other great tools that can help relieve the burden of booking meetings include Outlook plugins like Findtime and intelligent assistants like Zoom.ai that integrate with your chat apps and email.

6. Be mindful of after-hours impact on others

I love working for an organisation that fully supports flexible working. This means that I’m able balance personal commitments like school sporting events or parent-teacher conferences with my work commitments; allowing me the flexibility to take time out during the day and catch up in the evening. While some of us may be night owls or choose to work after hours to catch up or prepare for a busy day ahead, we need to be mindful of the impact that this work habit may have on others.

This is particularly important for people managers in setting expectations around availability where a study states that “employees do not need to spend actual time on work in their off-hours to experience the harmful effects. The mere expectations of availability increase strain for employees and their significant others –even when employees do not engage in actual work during non-work time.”

MyAnalytics in Outlook can show you the after-hours impact you impose on co-workers and coaches you towards building better work habits. If you must work late, trying saving emails to draft or delaying email delivery until business hours.

MyAnalytics in Outlook can show you the after-hours impact you impose on co-workers and coaches you towards building better work habits. If you must work late, trying saving emails to draft or delaying email delivery until business hours. 

7. Set yourself boundaries

A study of 1,400 information workers commissioned by Microsoft found that 40% of people work outside of regular hours in a way that interferes with family time. The report also found 70 percent of professionals don’t fully unplug from work.

“You need to regenerate your energy. Unplugging is an emotional recharge that we all need”

Set yourself boundaries to give yourself a break and a chance to recharge. Monitor your progress through the number of Quiet Days, days where you have spent less than two hours actively collaborating outside your set work schedule, in MyAnalytics in Outlook.

Whilst we may be tempted to work long hours at times, it is important to remember that sleep is as important as eating, drinking and breathing as described by the Mental Health Foundation. Turn on the night light on your screen or use dark mode to reduce the strain on your eyes and lessen sleep disruption.

And when you’re on holiday, set your Out of Office and stop syncing Outlook on your phone to remove temptation. Additionally, consider leaving your laptop at home and feel empowered to remove work apps off your phone to avoid sneaking a peek at your emails.

About the author

Angela Bos is Microsoft UK’s Marketing Communications Manager for Executive Engagement. Prior to that, she spent 4 years at a Technology Specialist in Microsoft’s Modern Workplace team, helping public sector customers deliver better citizen services using cloud technologies. Angela is a passionate communicator, regularly speaking at Microsoft and industry events. She loves sharing ways that we can use technology to simplify how we collaborate, be more productive, and have more time for the things we enjoy. An advocate for diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, Angela currently sit on the Women@Microsoft UK Board as the Women in Technology lead, supporting activities and initiatives to attract, inspire, develop, and retain women in technology careers. 

The post 7 tips on managing mental well-being in the modern workplace appeared first on Microsoft Industry Blogs - United Kingdom.

However, while organisations are beginning to turbo-charge their AI efforts, not everyone is taking advantage of the technology. As a result, they’re handing success to their rivals.

This is one of the many significant findings revealed in Microsoft’s AI research report, ‘Accelerating Competitive Advantage with AI’, launched today at our flagship event Future Decoded. The report takes an in-depth look at AI’s potential to be a catalyst for business growth in the UK and provides practical steps to help organisations accelerate their AI journey.

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Consideration vs. action

Our 2018 report ‘Maximising the AI Opportunity’, which collated the views of business leaders policymakers, and industry experts across every sector, revealed two fascinating insights. On the one hand, businesses understood the power of AI; on the other, many were locked in a constant cycle of assessment over implementation.

This year, we’re beginning to see that gap between consideration and action dramatically close. Executives realise the value and benefits of an AI-led digital transformation – improving experiences for both employees and customers, driving productivity, and, perhaps most important in these tumultuous times, giving them the competitive advantage.

As such, we’ve seen an incredible performance jump for businesses already engaged with scaling their AI. Last year, AI-driven businesses performed on average 5% better than their rivals. Today, that figure sits at 11.5%.

Last year, AI-driven businesses performed on average 5% better than their rivals. Today, that figure sits at 11.5%.

Despite this, many organisations remain locked in the exploration stage or aren’t doing anything at all. Our research shows that 48% of companies are still experimenting with AI; 34% aren’t using the technology at all. Just 8% of companies can be classed as ‘Advanced AI users’.

This puts companies at a huge disadvantage. Evidence shows that organisations already on the path to AI enablement are better equipped to adopt the technology more efficiently elsewhere in the business. In comparison, organisations that are new to AI are not experiencing the same speed of progress as those that are already on the journey.

Outpacing the competition

In many ways, the lack of action in introducing AI mirrors the start of the internet revolution of the 1990s, which saw countless businesses suffer because they didn’t have an online presence. Today, it’s unthinkable that a company wouldn’t have a website. In the coming years, we shall think the same about AI. It’s fast becoming essential for every organisation in every industry and sector.

At the same time, we’re witnessing a serious desire for innovation. Our report shows 38% of those surveyed want to pioneer AI technologies and applications in new ways. After all, if they don’t take the lead now, other organisations will. Robbie Stamp, Chief Executive Officer of BIOSS, explains:

“There is an element of organisations looking over their shoulders and fearing they are missing out on something that will provide a massive competitive advantage – that if they are not engaged in AI, they are going to lose.”

More work to do

The global AI market is rapidly expanding. By 2030, it’s set to be worth $15.7 trillion, according to PWC’s study ‘Exploiting the AI Revolution’. Little wonder, then, that the UK government has committed to investing £115 million in graduate-level AI training.

Despite this breakthrough, there is still more work to be done in AI implementation. For those not yet riding the wave, it’s imperative to introduce the right technologies and applications or risk being overtaken by their more progressive counterparts. Our research, however, shows this goes beyond technology, and into the realms of company culture. In the companies we surveyed, we uncovered three core areas where implementation is focused:

• Scaling AI across the entire organisation, rather than single departments
• Re-skilling all staff, if necessary, so they may contribute to the success of AI
• The ethical development, deployment and operation of AI, promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace

This, then, is ‘AI for everyone’. A journey that begins with the ultimate goal of becoming an organisation that is truly powered by AI at all levels. For those that are prepared to make that journey, unprecedented opportunity awaits.

Find out more

Watch the keynote session from Future Decoded: Accelerating competitive advantage with AI

About the author

Clare was appointed Chief Operating Officer for Microsoft UK in February 2017. Her remit covers leading the direction and success of sales, marketing, and services in each of the business groups, strategy and planning, as well as running marketing for the company’s products and services in the UK. She leads the transformation and cultural change for Microsoft UK and is very passionate about extending this work to help customers drive digital transformation in their organisations. With over 25 years in the technology industry, of which 20 have been spent in diverse roles across Microsoft, Clare was previously General Manager of the Small, Medium Enterprise and Partner Group. In this role, she led a team driving sales and marketing efforts, providing comprehensive solutions for small, medium, and corporate customers across both commercial and public sector organisations. Before joining Microsoft, Clare held many business development and marketing-related roles within the technology field, specialise in how to build partnerships and new routes to market. She lives in London with her husband, who is an author, and their two young sons.

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