Latest news with #Teams
The Citizen
21 hours ago
- The Citizen
Why Gen Z fears phones
Dr Redelinghuys said telephobia presents as a form of social anxiety. The phone is no longer just the phone. It's becoming the damn phone. This, because the massive amount of spam that South Africans are being subjected to has created substantial anxiety, particularly amongst Gen Zs. But it doesn't exclude the rest of us. Telephobia, or the fear and concomitant anxiety associated with speaking on the phone, has become a recognised condition and a sign of modern times. While the condition was first discussed in psychological circles in the 1990s, it has gained momentum recently with global search spikes for the term, according to netnographer and cultural trends analyst Carmen Murray, recorded in June 2023, July 2024, and March 2025. Murray said that the pandemic played a major role in reshaping how people communicate. 'During lockdown, people became used to messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Teams and Slack. Direct phone calls started to feel disruptive and often unwanted,' she said. It's now embedded in popular culture. Phone call anxiety is real Phone call anxiety is not limited to inconvenience. According to Murray, increased robocalls, scam attempts using AI-generated voices and unlabelled call centre numbers add to this. In South Africa, the trend is compounded by what Murray called Hassle Culture, where frequent unsolicited calls and aggressive marketing have made consumers wary. 'There's reputational risk now when you call someone. Trust in the phone as a communication tool is eroding.' And all this has contributed to widespread distrust. 'Many companies now call from mobile numbers too, which are often the same format scammers use,' she said. ALSO READ: Why are we so negative? An expert answers Outside of personal preferences, South African consumers report high volumes of unsolicited calls. Murray said that there isn't a day that goes by when she isn't hassled several times by pretend-familiar salespeople trying to push their wares. 'They come in waves, and if you don't answer the first time, the robot just keeps calling you until you give in,' she said. 'This, despite POPIA, despite strict regulations, they just do whatever they want with no consideration to the consequences or impact on someone else's day.' Spam calls are shortsighted Psychologist and medical doctor Dr Jonathan Redelinghuys said that hammering consumers with calls is short-sighted. 'The aversion that an individual can develop towards a certain product or brand can become more damaging to a business than the actual call was worth,' he said. Murray said that the result is that people have stopped answering altogether. That is, unless they know the person on the other end of the line. Dr Redelinghuys said telephobia presents as a form of social anxiety. 'Not seeing someone's face or body language during a call creates uncertainty. People fear being misunderstood, judged by their tone, or freezing mid-conversation,' he said. He agreed that telephobia may be fuelled by past experiences. 'Some people associate phone calls with bad news. Others are self-conscious about their voice or feel they need a script to handle live interactions. Others just feel it spoils their day and gets their blood boiling when it is the umpteenth sales call in a day.' ALSO READ: Huawei unveils Pura 80 series smartphones with innovative camera system [VIDEO] Text is best This avoidance of Alexander Bell's invention is increasingly visible in younger workers, said Murray. A 2024 Uswitch survey found that 61% of 18 to 34-year-olds prefer texting or WhatsApps to phone calls, and 23% of them never answer unknown numbers. In the UK, coaching sessions have been introduced to help students overcome phone anxiety. 'They've grown up using asynchronous communication,' said Murray, 'where responses can be thought through and edited. A phone call does not allow that level of control,' she said. The impact is also being felt in the workplace. Dr Redelinghuys said that communication expectations are changing, but not everyone's on the same page. 'In some environments, avoiding calls can affect job interviews, client meetings, or collaborative work. It's important to recognise that these habits don't mean someone is unprofessional. It could just be that their communication style is different.' Murray added that in the absence of POPIA enforcement against harassment, consumers are beginning to automate their own defences. 'Apps that block spam or screen unknown numbers are now standard. Increasingly, people are setting their phones to silent by default and choosing to engage on their own terms. If at all.' She said that as businesses automate client interactions, consumers will follow suit. 'Agentic AI will allow users to deploy personal assistants to handle calls, negotiate services, and interact with companies directly.' Dr Redelinghuys said it is important for businesses and institutions to adapt. 'Phone calls are still useful in many cases, but the way people use them is changing. Understanding these behaviours is essential if we want to maintain clear communication across generations.' NOW READ: Never say these 7 things on a first date
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Remote work vs return to office: The battle for workplace culture, pay and productivity
'If companies want to calibrate remote working to their requirements, they need systems that support flexibility.' Remote work, often abbreviated as WFH (work-from-home), is becoming culturally ingrained, despite pushback through return-to-office (RTO) mandates. A poll from Global Payroll Association revealed that three-quarters of people would turn down a job that doesn't offer hybrid or remote working. While critics say WFH reduces productivity. Sandra Crous, managing director at Deel Local Payroll, powered by PaySpace, notes that there is an increasing expectation for more workplace flexibility, and certain roles work better with flexible hours and locations. 'Considering that our digital society enables remote and flexible working, it's no wonder it has become the norm. Companies should think about where it's appropriate and how they create the systems to manage different work styles.' Adapting to remote work She says workplace flexibility is complex. The ability to work remotely depends on employee roles and business projects, managerial styles, customer expectations, and even how flexibility is presented. 'For example, is time and location flexibility a standard feature or offered as a perk?' Crous highlights that work location flexibility is incompatible with some roles or industries. It can stagnate or elevate careers. It can reduce pay or increase bonuses. Furthermore, it can make some jobs more productive and others less. ALSO READ: How to create a healthy work environment for employees Work location flexibility 'In some cases, it has no impact at all. If companies want to calibrate remote working to their requirements, they need systems that support flexibility. Payroll and human resources systems have the biggest impact.' She highlights that modern payroll and HR platforms offer increased flexibility for companies through data-driven insights, employee enablement services, and seamless integration with other business areas. 'They establish the processes that enable a business to adapt and adopt different work modes as required. For example, a modern payroll platform automates the management of variable pay structures, thereby reducing the administrative burden associated with taxes, benefits, time tracking, and invoicing.' Efforts to support WFH Crucially, they support remote work for managers of payroll, HR, and finances, who can access cloud-native payroll platforms remotely and securely from anywhere through their smart devices. 'When companies combine these features with other collaboration tools such as Slack or Teams, they open the doors to dynamic collaborative workflows for people at the office and elsewhere.' NOW READ: Do you want to work at home or in an office that looks like a hotel?
India Today
2 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Slack gets big AI overhaul improving search, adds chat transcription and summaries
In a significant update, Slack has announced enhancements to its platform by integrating AI capabilities, aimed at bolstering productivity for its users. This development includes advanced search features, transcriptions, and summaries for its huddles, which are Slack's voice and video chat functionalities. These new features are set to be available on Slack's Business and Enterprise AI-powered search function will allow users to navigate across channels and connected apps such as Google Drive, Salesforce, and Teams, surfacing pertinent files and discussions. This improvement is part of Slack's broader strategy to integrate more sophisticated tools within its platform, aiming to streamline workflows and enhance user experience. By leveraging AI, Slack is positioning itself as a leader in productivity tools, ensuring that users can access the information they need swiftly and Slack's Huddles will now benefit from AI-driven transcriptions and summaries, with key action items from calls automatically highlighted. This is expected to facilitate better meeting management and information retention, particularly for users who cannot attend every session. Additionally, Slack will provide message summaries in channels and threads to help users catch up on discussions they missed, ensuring no important detail is enhancements include a feature that will allow users to get a summary of another user's profile, showing their role and recent work. "The company said that it will roll out a way for users to get a summary of another user's profile, showing their role and recent work." This aims to optimise team interactions by providing context about colleagues' contributions and is also working on an AI feature that will explain a message within the given conversation's context. "Slack added that it is working on a feature that would let you use AI to explain a message in the context of the given conversation." Such a tool is poised to enhance understanding and reduce miscommunications in team discussions, fostering a more cohesive working platform's Canvas feature, a collaborative panel for sharing guides and documents, will also receive an AI-powered writing assistant. This assistant is expected to help users create a canvas from any conversation or modify existing content's formatting, thereby promoting efficient content management and collaboration. This addition underscores Slack's commitment to enhancing collaborative efforts among updates come as part of Slack's continuous efforts to refine user experience and maintain competitiveness in the productivity app space. This wave of enhancements coincides with the announcement of TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, where tech and VC heavyweights, including Netflix and Sequoia Capital, are set to join the agenda, sharing insights on startup focus on creating a unified space for all shared files, lists, and Canvas items further emphasises its commitment to providing a more integrated and user-friendly platform. As the competition in the productivity apps market continues to heat up, Slack's latest AI-driven features could offer its users significant advantages in managing their workflow more effectively, ensuring they remain at the forefront of innovation in the industry.- Ends
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Mercedes-Benz brings Microsoft Teams calls to cars
Mercedes-Benz has expanded its partnership with Microsoft to bring popular business tools, including Teams, into its cars. The partnership introduces advanced Microsoft business productivity and collaboration tools, starting with the all-new CLA. The productivity enhancements will be rolled out this summer, starting with the powered fourth-generation MBUX in the new CLA. The updated Meetings for Teams app in Mercedes-Benz vehicles now allows drivers to participate in Teams calls using the in-car camera, ensuring compliance with local laws and focusing on safety. The app automatically disables the video stream when the camera is activated to prevent driver distraction. Additionally, the app features a new dashboard with upcoming meetings, quick access to frequent contacts, and an expanded chat function, all designed to enhance productivity while driving. Mercedes-Benz is the first to natively integrate Microsoft Intune into a vehicle operating system, creating a secure workspace on wheels. This integration into allows customers to manage business and private data separately and provides IT administrators with tools to control access rights and security policies. The integration supports productivity apps like MBUX Notes and Calendar and will be available in Europe and the US. The collaboration also aims to bring Microsoft 365 Copilot into Mercedes-Benz vehicles, marking one of the first in-car applications of generative AI. The advanced AI will assist users in summarising emails, retrieving client information, and managing tasks through voice commands, potentially making the vehicle a third workspace alongside the office and home office. Mercedes-Benz Group chairman of the board of management Ola Källenius said: 'Through our industry-leading collaboration with Microsoft, we are making it even easier for our customers to stay productive while on the move. By integrating the latest Microsoft workspace tools, such as Microsoft Teams, directly into our new operating system, we've created an intuitive and safe user experience that boosts efficiency and reduces distractions at the same time.' "Mercedes-Benz brings Microsoft Teams calls to cars" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Call for Entries: Globee® Awards for Leadership to Recognize Achievements by Individuals and Teams
Recognizing Leadership at Every Level: 13th Annual Globee® Awards for Leadership Invites Entries from All Over the World SAN FRANCISCO, July 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Globee® Awards, organizers of premier data-driven business awards programs with worldwide acceptance and industry-wide participation, have announced the Call for Entries for the 13th Annual Globee® Awards for Leadership, a global program dedicated to recognizing exceptional leadership achievements by individuals and teams. This program celebrates leaders at every level—those who inspire innovation, drive organizational success, and make a meaningful impact in their industries and communities. Organizations, leaders, and teams worldwide are invited to submit their accomplishments—whether local, regional, or global—for consideration. Learn more and submit your entries now: Winners are determined through a 100% merit-based process, with evaluations conducted by independent industry experts and peers from around the world. All judging scores are transparently shared with both winners and non-winners to ensure fairness and credibility. About the Globee® Awards The Globee® Awards present recognition across ten annual programs and competitions, celebrating achievements in business, innovation, technology, leadership, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and more. With global participation and evaluations from industry experts worldwide, the Globee® Awards have become a widely accepted standard for honoring excellence and impact across all sectors and organization sizes. To learn more about the Globee® Awards, please visit: Follow: @globeeawards | Hashtags: #globeeawards #leadershipawards #leadershipachievement #businessrecognition All trademarks belong to their respective owners. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Globee Awards
