Microsoft is launching new capabilities in its Teams and Viva platforms, while also introducing joint offerings with industry partners in a combined initiative to support frontline workers, following new research from the company showing that many frontline workers are at an inflection point in considering a change in their jobs.

Microsoft said it is deepening its strategic relationship with Zebra Technologies Corp., the Illinois-based maker of computer printing technologies, with the two companies delivering the Teams Walkie Talkie app on a wide range of Zebra mobile computers,including a dedicated push-to-talk (PTT) button to access Teams Walkie Talkie functionality on Zebra devices.

Also within Teams, Microsoft is enhancing the collaboration platform’s integration with Zebra’s Reflexis Workforce Management solutions. Shift scheduling and time-off requests can be scheduled in Teams for easier approval by managers, Microsoft said.

On its own, Teams will start offering scheduled queuing for virtual appointments, which provides one location for real-time updates on wait times, missed appointments, and staffing delays. The feature is meant to create a transparent and stress-free experience for customers and patients, Microsoft noted.

With Viva, Microsoft’s employee experience (EX) platform introduced in early 2021, Teams will include new functionality for the Viva Connections app and the Viva Learning app.

Viva Connections in Teams will link frontline workers to company culture, resources and tools, news, and employee resource groups in their flow of work. Integrations with strategic partners like Espressive and Workday will make it easier for users to access important HR resources and tasks, such as payroll, time off, and expense reporting, all in one location.

For Viva Learning, frontline employees will be able to track and share learning content directly from Teams. Workers can stay current on required or recommended training withpartner solutions like SAP SuccessFactors and Cornerstone OnDemand, Microsoft said, or through partnerships with learning providers like EdCast and OpenSesame.

Finally, Teams is offering improved device management for IT professionals to help ensure that misplaced shared devices can be easily secured and located.

Emma Williams, corporate vice president at Microsoft, said that empowering frontline workers remains essential for digital transformation. “Together with our partners, we’re equipping frontline workers with tools that allow them to stay connected with their team and company leadership while concentrating on the customer or job at hand,” Williams stated. “If done well, we believe technology can modernize workflows and enhance job performance while also improving workplace culture and communication.”

Work Trend Report

Along with the enhanced functionality of Teams, Microsoft also released the research report, Technology Can Help Unlock a New Future for Frontline Workers, revealing key insights that it said impacts nearly every segment of the workforce. The report, part of Microsoft’s Work Trend Index, explores findings from a survey of 9,600 frontline employees and managers in 8 industries across 5 continents.

While technology is not the only solution to help ease the burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on essential workers, Microsoft’s report reveals an opportunity for digital tools to achieve this purpose. A key insight from the report was that frontline workers are currently at an inflection point, having undergone the enormous strain of the pandemic, and are now citing better pay and benefits, work-life balance, and flexibility as reasons for considering a job change.

The report also remarked that “a culture of caring” has become “the new currency on the frontline.” While a majority of frontline workers feel bonded to one another, the same could not be said of their relationship with management. At least 51% of frontline workers in non-management positions do not feel valued as employees, according to the report, and 60% say their company should do a better job of prioritizing culture and communications from the top.

The report also said that frontline workers have positive feelings about the technology sector, with 63% expressing excitement about possible tech-related job opportunities. But training was sorely needed, the report added, as frontline workers either felt pressure to adapt to new tech or had to learn new tech on the fly.