WASHINGTON, D.C.—A recent article Inside the Forest Service discussed telework and the pandemic from an employee perspective. It contained a discussion on how Microsoft Teams meetings and Microsoft live events have played an integral part of how employees communicate virtually throughout the Forest Service, particularly over the past year and a half.

As a result of the impact these services have had on our work environment, the Office of Communication created a SharePoint page (internal link) to assist all regions, forests, research stations, deputy areas and programs to provide virtual resources for hosting Teams live meetings and events. The page includes steps on how to get started, choosing the right platform for your needs and even tips on providing an inclusive environment for deaf and hard-of-hearing employees by including interpreters.

This example of a well-run Teams live event was produced with multiple speakers, the use of pre-recorded video and producers queueing up whatever came next according to a well-organized schedule. A production of this magnitude took a lot of planning, preparation, rehearsals and a behind-the-scenes director making sure all parties involved felt comfortable in their roles, both in front of and behind the camera. While this video does not include interpreters for deaf or hard-of-hearing employees, this technology is coming soon for Teams live events. The eventual goal for this platform is to have it be inclusive for all parties.

Although things will certainly look different than before, post-COVID work inside an office setting will eventually return. These new technology skills learned over these many months will continue to be used with great success. Teams meetings, as well as Teams live events, will continue to play an integral part in how communication and teamwork are defined throughout the Forest Service.

Going forth, collaboration will not be limited to just in-person time among colleagues in the same office, since we have proven that physical distance doesn’t matter much anymore. As such, we will be able to be more inclusive, bringing multiple voices to the table from across the nation, for projects and events.