Enhance your meetings with new engagement features in Microsoft Teams

By João Ferreira Sep 27, 2023 Meetings 0 Comments

Meetings have become an integral part of our professional lives, especially in today’s remote and hybrid work environments. While the purpose of meetings is to collaborate, communicate, and achieve collective goals, it’s equally important to gauge the level of engagement to ensure productivity and effectiveness. This is where the latest engagement features in Microsoft Teams, specifically designed for premium users, come into play. In this blog post, we’ll explore the significance of analyzing engagement data and dive into the exciting new capabilities that Microsoft Teams is rolling out to elevate your meeting experiences.

The Importance of Analyzing Engagement Data

Meetings serve as the cornerstone of collaboration within any organization. They offer a platform for brainstorming ideas, sharing updates, and making critical decisions. However, not all meetings are created equal, and engagement levels can vary widely. Understanding how participants interact with your meetings is essential for several reasons:

1. Improving meeting effectiveness – Analyzing engagement data allows organizers to identify which meetings are productive and which ones may need adjustments. By assessing factors like participant reactions, raised hands, and camera usage, organizers can optimize meeting structures, content, and duration.
2. Enhancing participant experience – Engagement insights empower organizers to create more engaging and interactive meetings. When organizers can gauge the level of attentiveness and participation, they can adapt their approach to ensure everyone’s involvement and satisfaction.
3. Measuring progress – Tracking engagement data over time provides valuable insights into the overall progress of a team or project. It helps in identifying trends, patterns, and areas that may require additional attention or resources.

Introducing Microsoft Teams new engagement features

Microsoft Teams is committed to enhancing the meeting experience for its users, and the latest update is no exception. Premium users can now access a wealth of engagement data through the “Attendance” tab in their calendar or meeting chat.

Here’s what you can expect from these new features:

• Total Reactions – Premium users will have access to data on how participants reacted during a meeting. This includes emojis, thumbs-up, thumbs-down, and other reactions, helping organizers understand the emotional tone of the meeting.
• Raised hands – The platform now tracks raised hands during meetings, enabling organizers to identify when participants want to speak or contribute. This feature encourages active participation and ensures that everyone’s voice is heard.
• Cameras turned on – Visual engagement is a vital aspect of virtual meetings. With this feature, organizers can see when participants have their cameras turned on, promoting a more personal and engaging meeting experience.
• Unmutes – Identifying when participants unmute themselves can be crucial for detecting moments of active dialogue or interruptions. This information can assist organizers in managing meeting flow.
• Attendee-level data – In addition to meeting-level data, premium users can access engagement information at the attendee level. This granular view allows organizers to recognize individual contributions and engagement patterns.

The rollout of these exciting engagement features in Microsoft Teams is scheduled to begin in early October 2023 and expected completion by early November 2023.

How to prepare for enhanced engagement insights

To make the most of these new engagement features, ensure that the Attendance Report is turned ON your meeting policies. However, it’s worth noting that if an end user opts out of the Attendance Report in Teams settings, their engagement information will not be displayed in the report.

In conclusion, the ability to analyze engagement data is a game-changer for improving meeting effectiveness, enhancing participant experiences, and measuring progress within your organization. Microsoft Teams new engagement features for premium users empower you to take your meetings to the next level. Stay tuned for these enhancements and be sure to prepare your organization to leverage the full potential of these insights.