The concepts of hybrid work and distributed employees are nothing new to most transportation companies. Most organisations have professionals operating in a variety of settings, from front-of-house teams serving customers, to engineers and back office managers.
United Airlines, one of the biggest transportation companies in the world, was certainly no stronger to the challenges of hybrid communications, even before the pandemic hit. Employees in the workforce had always needed a way to collaborate and connect from anywhere. Yet, for a long time, the business relied heavily on traditional communication tactics. Face-to-face and phone conversations were the norm, often leading to unnecessary travel.
However, when the pandemic hit and the transportation space began to evolve, United Airlines decided it was time to update its communication strategy once and for all. The business leaders turned to Microsoft, and began building their ecosystem in Microsoft 365, with the help of Teams.
Here’s what happened when United Airlines and Microsoft joined forces.
Making Meetings More Dynamic with Microsoft Teams
United Airlines felt it was extremely important to maintain its collaborative culture, even as their hybrid work landscape expanded. The company wanted to introduce tools which would preserve the relationships between their employees, while making communication easier and more efficient.
Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams appeared to be the perfect solutions for the company’s unique needs. The impact of Microsoft became particularly apparent when the pandemic hit, and United Airlines was forced to split its Network Operations Centre (NOC) into two segments, with one team working from home, and the other operating from the office.
Teams proved itself to be a more effective option than relying on conference calls alone. According to United Airlines, the issues typically handled over the phone transitioned into Teams, where people could communicate on a face-to-face basis, chat, and share documents more seamlessly. United Airlines also sees Teams as the perfect match for the always-on nature of the airline industry.
As the airline and transportation landscape continues to evolve and recover after the pandemic, United Airlines believes it’s crucial to have the right tools in place to synchronise their workforce, particularly when issues occur. In the event of a snowstorm, for instance, employees can continue to contribute to discussions via Teams, even if they’re kept out of the office.
The ability of the employees in the workforce to simply dive into Teams and get to work as normal has proven to be extremely valuable for United Airlines. The company believes Microsoft is helping them to run a more efficient airline, capable of adapting quickly to disruptions.
Boosting Inclusivity with Live Events
For United Airlines, Teams has also preserved crucial aspects of the company’s culture. For instance, at the Denver International Airport hub for the company, members of “Team Den” can join forces on a daily basis, to share important news and updates. The team engages in two huddles each day with leaders, one in the evening and one in the morning, to accommodate different shifts. In the past, those meetings had been held mainly through conference calls, with a number of issues as a result.
