By Cally Chan, General Manager of Microsoft Hong Kong and Macau
Kung Hei Fat Choy!
Last year was unprecedented as we fought hard together in Hong Kong to combat the pandemic, yet it was unique for Microsoft Hong Kong as it marked our 30th year of establishment in the city. Together with the Hong Kong Management Association, we recognized some innovative and outstanding technology usages among Hong Kong companies. Looking ahead, the Year of the Tiger is a year technology will continue to play a vital role in supporting society to connect. Microsoft Hong Kong is here to make hybrid working, remote healthcare services as well as teaching and learning possible. Digital well-being across workplace, schools and families is a rising concern and it’s our priority to address them. Not to mention building a more data-driven and sustainable future for Hong Kong.
Photo 1: Titania Woo (left), Executive Director of The Hong Kong Management Association and
Cally Chan (middle), General Manager of Microsoft Hong Kong and Macau at CRHK program
sharing some innovative stories of our recognized companies.
Hybrid work will work better for everyone
With many companies accelerating their adoption of remote work, operating with a hybrid model is a positive evolution of work and this has created better workplaces that empower employees and everyone to achieve more.
One of the most interesting developments in the past year was the rise of the digital universe, which enables shared experiences across the physical and digital dimensions. Microsoft has long been investing in it to help Hong Kong businesses in different sectors to help their employees, first line worker, students & teachers to communicate and collaborate from anywhere. In 2022, Microsoft will launch Mesh for Microsoft Teams, a feature that combines the mixed-reality capabilities of Microsoft Mesh allowing people and organizations in different physical locations to create their own digital space, persistent virtual worlds for people to collaborate and share holographic experiences. These will serve as the perfect getaway to the new digital era.
Moving forward, the focus on hybrid work beyond software, devices, and cybersecurity – these are very important still – but companies should also reconsider how to integrate physical and virtual working space to form the actual modern workplace without geographical boundaries and fully unleash the power of cloud as an enabler. Technology plays a key role in addressing these questions. Microsoft supports Schneider Electric with ’s EcoStruxure™ Workplace Advisor, which provided valuable real-time data via Azure Cloud on space usage and optimization for fact-based decision-making and reporting, significantly improved employees’ comfort and workplace experience.
With hybrid work at home and in the office is the new normal, empowering employers to keep track on the well-being of their employees is our priority. Microsoft’s Viva Insights gives individuals, managers, and leaders the insight to develop healthier work habits and a better digital work environment for employees. Teachers could also help students to improve their reading fluency and keep track via Reading Progress in Microsoft Teams. Healthcare providers could do their job more safely with remote assessment capability.
Actioning on sustainability on the path to net zero
Last year we saw sustainability become the buzzword. In the coming year, businesses no longer see sustainability as optional. Decarbonizing the global economy will take years, but it is already clear that we are heading in that direction.
Transparency will be crucial for all businesses in their sustainability efforts, and Microsoft is committed to helping different industries in this area. We are committed to transparency and we regularly report on our own pledge to be carbon negative by 2030. And last year, Microsoft has introduced Cloud for Sustainability to help other organizations reach their own goals. We believe it’s important that we start to establish clear and consistent standards.
Monitoring an organization’s current carbon footprint has proven to be a huge challenge. The real risk is that even with the best intentions, carbon emissions data is meaningless if it cannot be properly ingested for analysis and action. At Microsoft, we help organizations to effectively record, report and reduce their carbon emissions on a path to net zero.
On recording, our Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability automates data collection through connectors that can eliminate manual uploads through near real-time connections to emissions sources, such approach can break down data silos across emissions sources, accelerating data integration and reporting. On reporting, it helps to provide data visualizations and dashboards to create a baseline, track your resource consumption and sustainability progress, and measure performance against your goals, and easily export data for public reporting purposes. On reduction, we provide actionable insights and recommendations to help reduce emissions and improve business processes, enabling you to compare your progress with peers using Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability. And it helps identify potential gaps in meeting regulatory requirements.
Greater commitment in flexible and healthier workplaces and sustainability accountability are just starting points. We look forward to continuing empowering Hong Kong to reimagine, reinvent and revamp opportunities through technology. We cannot wait to see the new possibilities that the Year of Tiger holds. There are many reasons to feel optimistic about 2022, and I wish you all a healthy, fulfilling, and prosperous new year ahead.
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