Introduction
Most Microsoft 365 environments technically work, but that’s not the same as an environment that works well. Files can be stored and shared, messages get sent, calls happen and your business moves forward, but doing all of those things might be harder than it should be. People spend time figuring out where things are supposed to live or trying to find documents. They’re reliant on colleagues to send them links and point them in the right direction. Documents might exist in multiple places and it’s not clear which version is the most relevant. All of these things take time and energy, and, frankly, a lot more effort than it should.
The short answer is…
Most Microsoft 365 productivity issues aren’t caused by missing tools, but by how the environment is organised. When there’s no clear structure, people create their own ways of working, which adds friction over time. Governance brings consistency, making it easier for people to use what’s already there.
How it’s meant to work vs how it actually works
Over time inefficiencies in the way people work become normal. Somebody knows where a file lives, so everyone goes to them. Maybe they download a version so they don’t have to go through the effort of trying to find it again, and so multiple versions then exist in multiple different places. This creates disparity between how the environment should work and how it actually does.
Why this happens
As with a lot of things in IT, complexity and confusion isn’t down to one single wrong move. In this case, it’s due to a lack of structure. Without boundaries and clear reasoning, it’s easy for the environment to grow into something that works, but the complexity stifles productivity. That’s where governance can really help.
Where governance helps
In simple terms, governance is just a way of deciding and maintaining how your Microsoft 365 environment is organised and used. It covers things like how Teams are created and named, where files should be stored, who has access to what and does that access get removed after a period of time?
In essence, it’s a set of guidelines that help bring consistency to your environment by guiding decision making. With these clear guidelines, your environment starts to be cohesive and easier to use.
Impact on productivity
When your environment is structured and easy to use, increased productivity naturally follows. It’s easy to find things because there’s an expectation of where they should be, teams and channels make sense, there’s less file duplication and less reliance on other people to point them in the right direction. In other words, the system is something they can work with, not work around.
First Steps
A good first step is to understand what your current environment is like, where it’s working as expected, where it’s not. Speak to your teams and understand their pain points; where do they struggle and lose time, what workarounds do they have in place?
Once you have a clear understanding of how your environment currently works, from there, you need to prioritise. Which problems are most impactful? What are quick wins? With clear priorities in place, you can start to look at solutions.
The important thing here is to stick to your priorities and not try to solve everything at once; starting small is really effective.
For example, you might begin by introducing a clearer approach to how Teams are created and named. From there, you might look at where files are stored and who has access to them, then develop a structure that works consistently across the entire organisation.
Ownership is another area that’s worth addressing early. Without clear ownership of who will maintain the structure, it’s easy to drift back into old habits. Defining who is responsible for what makes it easier to maintain the structure over time rather than let it evolve unchecked.
Access needs to be revisited too. You’ll need to sense check the access people have in your current environment, ensure that’s suitable, and then alter it accordingly. In this stage, many businesses find they have areas where the entire organisation has access which isn’t needed, or that somebody who has moved to a different team for example is the admin for a certain tool, or similarly, there are dormant accounts of colleagues that have left still with full admin permissions. Setting a timescale to check in on access settings, and also adding removal of access to your offboarding processes is crucial.
These are all relatively small adjustments, but can make a big difference. Governance is less about making harsh rules, and more about reinforcing what’s going well and shaping your environment to be secure and easy to use.
In conclusion
Most Microsoft 365 environments don’t become difficult to use overnight. They get there gradually, as decisions are made in isolation and small inefficiencies become part of the day-to-day. Because everything still works, it’s easy to accept that as normal.
But the difference between an environment that works and one that works well is usually down to how it’s structured.
Governance brings that structure in. Not to restrict how people use the system, but to make it clearer, more consistent, and easier to work in. When that happens, productivity gains follow without needing to introduce anything new.
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FAQ
What is Microsoft 365 governance?
It’s the structure and guidelines around how your environment is organised, including Teams, files, permissions, and access.
Why does governance affect productivity?
Without structure, people spend more time finding things, duplicating work, and relying on others instead of using systems effectively.
Is governance restrictive?
It doesn’t need to be. Done properly, it makes the environment easier to navigate rather than harder to use.
Do you need to redesign everything to introduce governance?
No. Most improvements come from small changes applied consistently over time.