Microsoft′s “#EmpowerHK Work-From-Anywhere Support Program” is officially launched to team up with you and provide even greater support with a comprehensive upgrade!
The support program launched by Microsoft in February has seen an overwhelming response, with hundreds of businesses already receiving timely support to help alleviate pressure related to Hong Kong′s misfortunes at this time. This program is now entering the next phase. Microsoft and its partners will offer you more support services so that you can continue to work at home easily and in a worry-free environment. Microsoft aims to ensure that local enterprises can rediscover their power and overcome the current hardships affecting our community.
Free services for the “#EmpowerHK Work-From-Anywhere Support” program include:
Support services are provided by our Microsoft Partners:
Free Real-time Team Collaboration Tools
Microsoft is offering a 3-month full-featured Microsoft Teams service with remote learning to help enterprises implement mobile office work completely, plus free use of real-time collaboration tools to eliminate any geographic boundaries. Each enterprise can request up to 100 user accounts.
For enterprises that already have Office 365 but have yet to activate and license Teams, this is a good time to kick-start this powerful hub for teamwork. Remote support and training will be given to applicants with Microsoft Office 365, to help activate Teams and understand how to fully utilize the functions. By making use of the free cloud storage space in Teams, all team members can share and edit documents and save company files anywhere and anytime. In addition, Teams allows employees to schedule and conduct online video conferences remotely and keep in touch with colleagues and customers, while also preventing confidential data leakage caused by using free communication software.
Support services include:
- Free access to all Teams features, including sharing and co-editing files, cloud-protected files, video conferencing and many others
- Specialist remote help to set up Teams and solve technical issues
- Teams overview, helping companies understand how Teams works for them
- Teams advanced tutorial, learning how to use channels / groups / meetings, share screens, share files and much more
- Enablement across platforms, i.e. PCs / tablets / smartphones
Eligible applicants:
- All local SME companies
Remarks:
- The free trial period lasts for 3 months starting from successful activation. The service will be automatically cancelled after the free trial period. The customer may determine whether to continue using the service or not with a 30-day notice period. For any individual application or extension of service period, please call the hotline for details. (Office hours: Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm)
- Application deadline: March 31, 2020
For companies that already have Office 365 but have yet to activate and license Teams, this is a good time to kick-start this powerful hub for teamwork. Microsoft specialists will help remotely to set up Teams and solve technical issues.
Existing Microsoft 365 / Office 365 users please apply here:
Co-organizers:
Free Business Operation App
Microsoft will offer the mobile company operation app to 100 enterprises for free to help your team members work from home or in the field for 3 months, with a choice of 1 of 4 options on a first-come, first-served basis.
By using Microsoft Power Apps with Office 365 accounts, your team members can perform health assessments, human resources activities, field customer management and project management through mobile devices anywhere and anytime. No matter the size of your team, you can use it for free for the whole team, ensuring that every team member in your enterprise can benefit.
Even if you are not an Office 365 customer, you can still enjoy this free offer with support for up to 5 team members.
Free Business Operation App (choose 1 of 4 options):
- Health assessment: record staff temperature and usage of anti-epidemic supplies
- eClaim and human resources: mobile leave request and approval, reimbursement, online clock-in / clock-out
- Customer management: clock in and out for team members from anywhere, sales process management, instant quotation, sales forecasting and other functions
- Project management: supervisors can assign work to team members and follow up on the progress of each project, providing team members with regular updates to facilitate daily understanding of the work progress
Eligible applicants:
- All local SME companies
Remarks:
- The free trial period lasts for 3 months starting from successful activation. The service will be automatically cancelled after the free trial period. The customer may determine whether to continue using the service or not with a 30-day notice period. For any individual applications or extension of service period, please call the hotline for details. (Office hours: Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm)
- Application deadline: March 31, 2020
Co-organizers:
Free Commercial Cloud-based Phone Service
Microsoft will offer a 3-month cloud-based phone service for 100 enterprises for free. Each enterprise will be provided with up to 5 phone numbers connecting to Microsoft Teams.
Many enterprises are restricted by their fixed telecommunication service, and therefore shifting their workplace elsewhere is difficult. Using Teams, communication is simple and seamless by office desktop telephone access from any computer or portable mobile devices. No calls will be missed, and outgoing calls will display the office desktop number. Companies can stay connected with their own teams and clients anytime, anywhere and business mobility can be enhanced.
Support services include:
- Cloud-based phone service system
- Extra phone numbers
- Teams communication tools
- Free specialist enabling service
Eligible applicants:
- All local SME companies
Remarks:
- Applicants can decide to continue the service after the rent-free period. Each cloud-based phone service is HK$88 per month. For any inquires, please call the hotline for details. (Office hours: Monday to Friday, 10 am to 6 pm)
- Application deadline: March 31, 2020
Co-organizer:
Office-On-The-Go “Work From Home” Solution
Fully supported by: 
Microsoft and HKT jointly provide local SMEs with 12 months free service of “Smart Biz Line On-The-Go” and “Hong Kong Telecom Cloud Backup” to support local SMEs to maintain normal operations.
SMEs can use the mobile app to answer and make company calls anywhere, anytime, and back up important documents to the HKT Cloud Backup.
In addition, SMEs can strengthen collaboration through video and shared files anywhere. HKT provides free Microsoft Teams startup and new applications for Microsoft Office 365 services, with up to 70% subsidy.
Support services include:
- 12-month free “Smart Biz Line On-The-Go” and “HKT Cloud Backup” services
- Up to 70% subsidy for free activation of Teams and new application for Office 365
On-The-Go Human Resource Management Solution
The two companies will also provide a monthly fee subsidy for SMEs to apply for the On-The-Go human resource management program, allowing SMEs to easily manage their employees′ schedules, reports, expenses and salary payments. SMEs can benefit from this cloud-based solution to experience digital human resources services through mobile applications.
Support services include:
- On-The-Go human resources management plan with monthly fee subsidy, for easier management of employees′ schedules, reports, expenses, salary payments and more
Eligible applicants:
- All local SME companies
Remarks:
- This offer is only applicable to designated HKT telecommunications service types and must be used in conjunction with a valid and eligible service.
- HKT business customers can apply for, or renew, HKT business phone, business broadband or one of the following communications services to enjoy these benefits: (i) HKT x Office 365 service, HK $20 per month (standard monthly fee is HK $78), or (ii) human resources management plan, HK $20 per month (standard monthly fee is HK $60). Each customer can enjoy only one service at a discounted price at any given time.
- Application deadline: March 31, 2020
The “#EmpowerHK Work-From-Anywhere Support Program ” aims at supporting local enterprises to enjoy the convenience brought by digital transformation. Under the current business environment, Microsoft strongly suggests that local enterprises consider a gradual shift of business to online, which can help reduce the impact of external environmental factors, allow employees to focus on productivity and business development, and drive the local economy together.
Please feel free to contact our Microsoft specialists for any inquiries and we will be ready to provide relevant digital solutions and suggestions.
Gear up your company for the foreseeable future challenges.
Terms and conditions
- The first-phase application deadline is March 31, 2020.
- Applicants who are qualified can apply for the above support services, or select 3 more support services at the same time. Microsoft will review and approve according to actual needs and company support.
- Free services are available on a first come, first served basis.
- The free trial period lasts for 3 months, and the applicant can cancel or pay to continue using the service at any time.
- For detailed terms and eligibility requirements for each support service, please refer to the relevant application link.
- In case of any dispute, the decision of Microsoft and the service provider is final.