Microsoft

The past two years have been challenging for everyone, especially frontline workers tasked with keeping the proverbial lights on throughout the pandemic. From healthcare to hospitality, the manufacturing floor to the retail sales floor, these workers have weathered health risks, labor shortages, supply chain issues and more. So, it’s not surprising to hear they’re ready for change. They want help prioritizing culture and well-being and, despite their essential roles, feel underserved by technology and training. Those are some of the key findings from our latest Work Trend Index report, which focuses on the experiences of the global frontline workforce. Just as the pandemic was a catalyst for spurring rapid digital transformation for...

As we look to the future, organizations including Microsoft have an opportunity and responsibility to drive growth while taking timely action in crucial areas to benefit society and the world. At Microsoft, we believe in doing good while doing well. During last week’s episode of Microsoft Envision, presented with Accenture and Avanade, I described Microsoft’s work in four key areas – trust in technology, inclusive economic growth, the fundamental rights of people, and sustainability – that companies of all sizes should consider for sustainable business growth. Now in its second season, Microsoft Envision is a digital series where business leaders from around the world come together to discuss their company’s most pressing challenges...

The past 20 months have been incredibly challenging for public sector organizations across the globe, with the global COVID-19 pandemic forcing a rapid to shift to remote work amid heightened demand for vital public services. We witnessed firsthand the way agencies that had pursued digital transformation before the pandemic were more resilient to unprecedented challenges. We also witnessed the way U.S. federal, state and local government agencies and educational institutions stepped up to support people, the economy and public health by embracing digital transformation: Morehouse College, Indiana University and public schools like those in the District of Columbia moved thousands of students to virtual learning, using Teams and...

For many of us, childhood is pivotal in the formation of our world view. We learn who we are, what we can be and how to relate to others and the world around us through interactions with our family, friends and community. It is in those environments where we learn a sense of right and wrong, justice and injustice, and how to be good neighbors to all people. As we recognize the disability community at Microsoft throughout December along with International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Dec. 3, I want to reflect on my personal journey of moving from awareness to allyship for people with disabilities. My journey started when I was a child growing up in London. My next-door neighbor was deaf. Although I did not have a full...

The last 18 months have resulted in a sea change throughout every industry – from the adoption of telehealth in healthcare to digital wallets in financial services to curbside pickup and contactless shopping in retail – and digital technology has been at the forefront of this seismic shift. My own habits have changed as well, to the point I can’t imagine going back to a world lacking technological flexibility and digital dexterity. In other words, thank goodness I can get away with sometimes forgetting my wallet at home. Digital technology is now more necessary than ever, for every organization in every sector, as we move into an era in which people expect their digital data to be available anywhere, at any time and on any device...