Since the start of 2020, our personal devices—already ubiquitous on a daily basis—have taken on new levels of significance in our personal and professional lives. For many of us, the personal computer (PC) became a lifeline for our professional roles. It became a foundation for recreation and connecting with others when meeting in person was dangerous as well.

 

Microsoft seems to have synthesized many of the lessons from this period with the release of Windows 11—a rollout that will continue through mid-2022, featuring faster updates than Windows 10 after that. Microsoft claims to have factored all types of users into its development as well, including personal users, business users, business leaders, and IT teams.

 

Here we take a closer look at the business advantages the new features of Windows 11 provide. We make key recommendations for how you can begin getting the most from your Windows 11 investment, driving business value as quickly and as lastingly as possible as well.

 

Welcome to Windows 11

 

According to Microsoft, Windows 11 is redesigned to support PC users in all the ways that matter; including “productivity, creativity, and ease,” among others. But it’s most noteworthy improvements over Windows 10 are related to performance and security. Indeed, these two aspects will be most attractive to modern business leaders, especially as ransomware attacks continue to rise worldwide.

 

For example, since Windows 11 is optimized for hybrid work environments, business leaders can worry less about the inherent risks remote work poses to network security. This comes at no cost to productivity, either, as Windows 11 is optimized for multi-tasking, cloud-based management, and seamless collaboration from the new Windows desktop.

 

Build on Your Existing Post-Pandemic Strengths

 

In fact, Microsoft has positioned Windows 11 as the antithesis of pandemic-era IT challenges. Business leaders can build on their post-pandemic strengths, for example, optimizing hybrid work environments without deploying entirely new devices unless they so choose.

 

For those who wish to make the transition gradually, business leaders can deploy devices featuring either Windows 10 or Windows 11 side by side without any performance or security losses in terms of Windows 10 capabilities. Microsoft has therefore attempted to make the transition to Windows 11 seamless no matter a company’s platform and device ecosystem, and whether or not its leaders chose to deploy Windows 11 right away.

 

Take Advantage of these 11 Opportunities

 

At Uvation, our goal is to make your IT investments drive business value as quickly and effectively as possible. With those goals in mind, consider the following business-related features of Windows 11 and what you can do to improve your teams’ experiences and output, right from the start. Then, visit Microsoft online to install and optimize Windows 11 in your business environment.

 

1. Help employees stay organized.

 

Windows 11 enables employees to organize open apps via intelligent arrangements, pre-configured to accommodate any compatible screen size. That way, employees get the most of their available screen space. Employees can customize their own templates so that apps always launch in a pre-determined arrangement, and even launch separate desktops on a single PC simultaneously.

 

2. Help employees become more productive.

 

Employees can accomplish more in fewer steps with a new Start menu, Taskbar, and Navigation Center, arranged in a more intuitive and accessible format. Enhanced built-in search features ensure employees can find what they need intuitively. Employees can group applications and files for fast deployment as well.

 

3. Make collaboration more inclusive.

 

Windows 11 makes collaboration smarter and more integrated with the OS itself. The OS features built-in assistance features, streamlined video conferencing, and optimized sharing features so that employees juggle fewer apps and no participant is at a disadvantage.

 

4. Improve remote work.

 

Companies can get the most of their existing hybrid workforce models by better integrating remote and in-office workers. Business leaders can purchase automatically provisioned devices featuring Windows 11 that comply with corporate policy. They can keep existing devices and deploy Windows 11 as well, even while managing all devices via the cloud.

 

5. Automate performance optimization.

 

Windows 11 performance is superior to Windows 10 performance in that it automatically detects which processes can be pushed to the background at any given time. This way, users enjoy the best possible performance from the applications they actively use. Windows 11 will also remember recent files across devices, so that users can access critical materials easily no matter which device registered to their person they choose to use.

 

6. Become more secure.

 

Business leaders who adopt new Windows 11 devices—such as devices in its Microsoft Surface suite—enjoy built-in security features such as hardware isolation, malware protection, and encryption. But even companies’ existing devices benefit from Windows 11’s zero-trust framework, which streamlines user and device authentication. Workers needn’t worry about remembering passwords anymore, either; Windows 11 features convenient multifactor authentication by default.

 

7. Optimize management from the cloud.

 

IT leaders will quickly recognize the cloud management tools in Windows 11 as both similar and compatible to those of Windows 10. This makes it easy to deploy Windows 11 right alongside existing Windows 10 devices, and manage them in a centralized way. IT teams can manage printers securely from the cloud (i.e., “universal print”) and streamline updates via the cloud as well.

 

8. Deploy new devices (or improve existing ones).

 

As suggested, Windows 11 is designed with existing device ecosystems in mind. Microsoft seams to have taken into account that many companies have already invested in Windows 10 devices to accommodate their new hybrid workforces. Fortunately, and as indicated, companies can streamline management of new Windows 11 devices alongside existing Windows 10 devices; according to Forbes, “nearly any PC that has the capability to run Windows 10 will be able to have Windows 11 installed” as well.

 

9. Keep things updated.

 

Since IT teams can manage Windows 11 devices via the cloud, they can approve, schedule, deploy, and monitor all Windows updates via the cloud as well. These includes updates to security features, drivers, and firmware, all through familiar features such as Microsoft Endpoint Manager, Windows Update for Business, and Autopilot.

 

10. Connect employees to the right resources.

 

Microsoft advertises “app compatibility” as one of the central design aspects of Windows 11, with the goal of supporting functions at all levels of the organization—from the front line to the boardroom. The new OS makes accessing the right resources streamlined for individual roles in this regard.

 

11. Connect employees to everyone else.

 

Last but not least, the new OS optimizes meetings and file sharing between team members, all through the Windows taskbar. Windows 11 makes communicating and collaborating with partners, customers, and clients outside of the company easier and more streamlined as well, rwithout sacrificing secuity.

 

A Next-Gen OS for a Next-Gen Workforce

 

Business leaders needn’t rush to adopt Windows 11. Indeed, continued use of Windows 10 will not create new problems if they choose to adopt and scale Windows 11 later. But companies that are growing quickly and use Windows as their standard OS across devices should consider adoption soon. Growing companies that configure Windows 11 across devices now means their existing workforce is optimized, connected, and secure, creating an ideal foundation as that growth continues.

 

Get the Greatest Value from Windows 11 with Uvation

 

Uvation can help you configure Windows 11 across devices, empowering employees and connecting teams to drive real value for your business. Contact one of our Windows 11 experts to learn more.