7 Microsoft Teams Etiquette Guidelines to Follow

Microsoft Teams is a powerful tool that can help organizations to communicate more easily, especially when working remotely. However, using Teams is not without some challenges. Fortunately, many of these can be overcome by simply practicing a few guidelines for Microsoft Teams etiquette. With the following tips, you will have more productive collaboration through Teams.

1. Test Equipment Before Meetings

There are few video call problems more frustrating than someone whose equipment isn’t working properly. It can hold up the meeting and troubleshooting in the moment may not even be effective. Instead, it is a good idea to test your camera and microphone ahead of time.

This simple step can save a lot of time and frustration during the email. Plus, it is easy to do using the settings menu of Teams.

2. Practice Good Microsoft Teams Etiquette by Using the Mute Button

Another frustrating experience on video calls is when there is too much background noise. Microsoft Teams has a noise suppression feature, but this isn’t always enough. One of the best things you can do is mute yourself whenever you aren’t talking.

When you join a video call on Teams, mute yourself immediately. Then, unmute only when you need to speak. This will prevent others from having to hear the laundry machine or barking dog behind you.

3. Leverage Chat To Share Links and Resources

During a typical meeting, it is normal to have websites and other resources come up in conversation. To make finding those resources easy for everyone, make sure to add them to the meeting chat. You can also send them in the appropriate team channel if you want them to be available outside of the meeting.

This is a great way to make opening resources easier. Plus, it helps to create a record that can be referenced later if someone needs to find a link again.

4. Have an Agenda and Stay on Topic

Video calls and IM chats tend to get off-topic more often than in-person meetings. This is partially driven by the tendency to schedule meetings for topics that could simply be an email or message. One of the best ways to avoid this is to create a clear agenda and to stick to it.

Sometimes people need some casual conversation. Having a little time to check in with each other is a good thing. However, if you have an agenda for a video call or a clear topic of discussion for a chat channel, you can quickly get back on track. Plus, it is easy to know when the conversation has concluded.

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5. Use Likes and Reactions

Teams is more than just a video call platform. It is also important to practice good Microsoft Teams etiquette in chat channels. One of the problems that many groups face is having too many filler messages. Using reactions and likes can help with sharing acknowledgments and sentiments without sending unnecessary messages. This can significantly cut down on less-necessary communications such as “Got it” and “Good idea.”

6. Take Advantage of Search

In a similar vein, every Microsoft Teams user should take advantage of the search function. Searching for answers can help to reduce the number of repeat questions in Teams. Additionally, you may discover that there are existing chats dealing with a relevant topic. This can reduce overall repetition and clutter.

One of the most powerful features of instant messaging is that chats are stored for later reference. Take advantage of that feature using the Teams search.

7. Be Thoughtful About the Audience

Finally, in all business communication, it is a good idea to think about the audience. You should strive both to have all the necessary people in your audience and no unnecessary people. This applies to video meetings and Teams chats. Being pulled into too many meetings is a common complaint in the business world, as is needing to repeat information between multiple groups.

Ideally, in Teams, you should strive to maintain a single source of truth. People should be able to find the information they need consistently. Good documentation can help to overcome many of these issues.

Get More From O365 With Microsoft Teams Etiquette and the Power of the Cloud

The above tips will help you to master Microsoft Teams etiquette. However, you cannot harness the full power of Teams if you are not using the Microsoft Cloud. Cloudficient can help you to migrate your existing data from legacy systems to Office 365. Contact us today to learn more about our services.

With unmatched next generation migration technology, Cloudficient is revolutionizing the way businesses retire legacy systems and transform their organization into the cloud. Our business constantly remains focused on client needs and creating product offerings that match them. We provide affordable services that are scalable, fast and seamless.

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