Using Google Workspace to Enhance Collaboration & Productivity

Schedule meetings with Google Calendar to add your preferred video conferencing platform.

• Add invitees and use the “Find a Time” feature to view everyone’s calendars.
• Select Google Meet or install the Zoom for GSuite Add-On to populate your meeting with video conferencing information within the calendar invite. 
• Attach the agenda or other meetings resources to the calendar invite.

Take minutes or brainstorm using Google Docs, Sheets, or Presentations.

• Share resources with attendees before the meeting or via chat during the meeting.
• Mention meeting participants or colleagues with @ in front of their name to make them aware of conversations and assign tasks.
• Make sure any conversations that occur on site after the video conference ends are documented in the minutes for remote participants.

Enhance collaboration and communication with Google Chat.

• Create Rooms with project members to instant message, share documents with a group, collaborate on projects, and more.
• Set your status to “Do not disturb” when focusing.

Use the Google Side Panel when you have Gmail, Calendar, or Docs open in Chrome to quickly access information.

• Access multiple Google products, such as Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, and more in the same window. 
• If Contacts is open while you move through your emails, the contacts will change to those listed in each email. 
• Use Tasks to make a to-do list, and set a date and time for the task to get a reminder on your Calendar.

Manage your emails through Snooze and Schedule Send

• Snooze emails to temporarily remove them from your inbox until you need them. Set the date and time they return to the top of your inbox.
• Consider scheduling non time-critical emails when emailing outside of regular work hours. Please be cautious of the schedule send feature if information changes during the time it was scheduled and sent.
  • Use the down arrow next to the Send button to schedule the date and time for your email to be sent.

Use Google Calendar to let others know when you are available

• Share your calendar with colleagues and mark certain events private, if appropriate. 
• Set your scheduled work hours and work location. You can add a weekly working location routine and update your location as plans change.
• Create Out of Office (OOO) entries.
  • An OOO banner will show up in Gmail and Chat for colleagues who you have shared your calendar with if they are trying to reach you when you are away. 
    • If you are out of the office for consecutive days and have configured your work hours on your calendar, your OOO calendar event must either extend past your scheduled working hours or be an all-day event for this banner to continue to show up for colleagues. 
    • Note, this is different from setting up a Vacation Responder in Gmail when out of the office.