Why Microsoft’s Modern Workplace is good news for anyone who’s ever worried about leaving the iron on.

Some people worry about world peace.

Others worry about having left the iron on when they pop down to the shops.

Different people worry about different things.

But I’ve got some good news about Microsoft that’ll help you sleep better than a kitten in a feather pillow warehouse.

If you work with the Microsoft Modern Workplace, you can stop worrying about five common IT concerns. Five IT headaches can now be consigned to the dustbin of history.

Of course, there are huge – and pretty well documented – benefits that come with moving to the Modern Workplace. You’ll empower users to work the way they want to, from anywhere, on any device and you’ll also breed a more engaged, flexible, productive workforce. You’ll save money too, as well as boost general efficiency levels.

But despite these glittering benefits, some still worry.

Perhaps the most obvious concern is security. People worry about using the cloud, often citing their own – very expensive – in-house servers as far more secure. Well, one glance at the ring of steel around a Microsoft data centre might spark a rethink. And the eye-watering $1bn+ Microsoft are due to spend on data security this year alone dwarfs the entire IT spend of many businesses.

Others spend sleepless nights tossing and turning, their minds racing over the ongoing saga that is GDPR and compliance – restlessness made worse by several high-profile data breaches suffered by some large corporations this year. Does anyone remember the British Airways and Marriot breaches? Well, with the Modern Workplace you can sleep easy – Microsoft operates a fully GDPR compliant environment, and they’ve also created some great features and solutions to help you operate even more securely. Obviously, you might still get a few nervous twitches about data on your system that’s not Microsoft based…but that’s for another day.

Then there’s the thorny issue of productivity tools and the fact that users think they might not be able to use their favourites…understandable really, since once you find a way of working that you like, you tend to stick with it. However, let’s not bury our heads in the sand, with applications like Teams, you can create a ‘single pane of glass’ and bring everything into one application. Of course, that’s hugely convenient, but it also means you’ll need to find less money to invest in third-party apps.

Whilst we’re on the topic of not spending money you don’t need to, it’s worth remembering that using Office 365 means your software is always up to date, so there’s no more fiddling around and throwing money at updates every year. Which can’t be a bad thing.

Finally, the last of the big five worries – flexibility. Now some partners feel a little…nervous about signing up to something like an Enterprise Agreement. Why? Because it means committing to a level of usage and licensing for the next three years. In today’s business market, it’s hard to predict six months ahead, let alone three years, so there’s some real justification for concern. However, if you work with a CSP you’ll get the best possible licensing platform in terms of flexibility. For instance, you can upscale and downscale your capacity as and when you need to, so it always matches your business needs. Not only can you alleviate the stress of over-planning ahead, but you could also cut out wastage since you simply pay for what you need.

So if you’re the worrying type, I hope I’ve been able to settle a few nerves. If you’re not the worrying type, perhaps I’ve managed to answer a few questions you’ve not yet asked yourself.

Either way, it’s fair to say that the Microsoft Modern Workplace will certainly help you to boost productivity, efficiency and save money.

It should save you from a few sleepless nights too.

If you’d like to know more, just get in touch with me and my colleagues at Westcoast Cloud. We’ll be happy to put your mind at ease.