Remote work is here to stay, and with that, cybersecurity threats will evolve and become more complex and punishing. As a business operating in this complicated space, you need much more than a basic productivity tool. The benefits of Microsoft 365 Business Premium (BP) fit perfectly in this picture.
It combines powerful office applications with enterprise-grade security and device management. Microsoft 365 Business Premium integrates advanced threat protection, data loss prevention, and remote device control with this approach. The best part is that all of these features are available at a very modest price.
So, if you are a small or medium-sized business and wondering about the benefits of Microsoft 365 Business Premium, here’s what you gain:
Benefits of Microsoft 365 Business Premium: A Detailed Look
Microsoft 365 Business Premium is a purpose-built tool for small and medium businesses (SMBs) with up to 300 employees. What makes it stand out is that it offers the usual Office apps like Outlook and Excel alongside cloud services and security features. You can also manage remote devices used by your Teams to ensure the safety of sensitive data.
It is time to dig into the details and understand the benefits of Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
Enhanced Security
Do you know that 91% of all cyberattacks start with a good old email? 85% of UK businesses affected by cyberattacks reported phishing as the culprit.
Source: StationX
It shows how vulnerable SMBs can be and how easily their data can be breached. Microsoft 365 Business Premium resolves this issue by securing the three most important fronts: emails and documents, user accounts, and devices.
1. Microsoft Defender for Office 365
The Microsoft Defender for Office 365 scans all attachments, links, and URLs in emails, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Microsoft Teams to instantly block suspicious content. The real-time phishing detection feature lets security Teams instantly identify and catch threats that can cause serious damage. The Defender Portal also lets you create robust anti-phishing policies to protect your data.
2. Stop Email Auto-Forwarding
Microsoft 365 Business Premium has advanced email security features that help protect businesses from phishing emails. You can set up rules to stop automatic email forwarding as well as to stop SPAM, both internal and external
3. Microsoft Intune for Device Management
Intune allows you to enhance endpoint security, which means securing devices, applications, and data used by your employees. What makes Intune really special is its ability to manage all kinds of devices using Windows, iOS, macOS, and Android. So, even if your employees use a diverse range of devices, you can add them all to your database and create policies that ensure compliance with security regulations.
4. Data Loss Prevention
One of the major benefits of Microsoft 365 Business Premium is a special data loss prevention (DLP) feature that protects sensitive data, such as Social Security numbers, personally identifiable information (PII), financial data, and more.
Source: Stage2Data
Every organisation follows some data protection regulations, and DLP ensures that the data being stored or transferred stays compliant. With over 40 templates, DLP includes some of the most important regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), United States Personally Identifiable Information, (U.S. PII), and more.
Seamless Collaboration
Hundreds and thousands of organisations have remote employees, a number expected to rise to 90 million by 2030. Collaboration in these hybrid workspaces goes beyond office walls, which is why businesses need solutions like Microsoft 365 Business Premium to collaborate effectively with employees, no matter where they are.
1. Microsoft Teams – A Collaborative Hub
If you want a comprehensive, central hub for collaboration, there is hardly anything better than Microsoft Teams. It combines chat, video conferencing, task management, and file sharing on one platform. Also, it integrates effortlessly with other Microsoft programs, such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Employees no longer need to mindlessly switch between different programs and can instead collaborate on documents in real time.
The following are some additional features of Teams:
- Third-party integration with Salesforce, Trello, and Asana so you can work with partners and clients effortlessly.
- SharePoint lets you store files and collaborate on them.
- Virtual meetings with screen-sharing.
2. SharePoint and OneDrive for Document Collaboration
SharePoint and OneDrive remove the problem of working with multiple documents, which is bound to cause confusion and errors. Instead, employees can collaborate on documents by leaving comments and tracking changes in real time.
For instance, the training team can work on a document by editing different parts, without affecting the work of other team members. Once the documents have been edited, SharePoint secures them and allows access only to authorised people.
3. Planner and To-Do for Task Management
If a team has to perform at its best, everyone needs to follow deadlines and track tasks. The new Microsoft Planner and Microsoft To-Do are the perfect tools for this.
- Planner is a team-oriented tool that allows Teams to assign tasks, create detailed task boards, and track progress at any time.
- Microsoft To-Do is for individuals who want a task management tool to track their progress on different tasks.
Integrating these tools in the workflow means that an organisation performs well on a team and individual level.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium vs Microsoft 365 E5
Generally, the 365 E5 is considered the highest standard in the Microsoft suite, with the most comprehensive set of features. However, that doesn’t make it best for most businesses because of the price it asks. This is especially true for businesses with up to 300 employees, because 365 Business Premium is built exactly for them.
Unless your organisation has specific security needs that only 365 E5 can meet, 365 Business Premium is almost always better.
Feature | Business Premium | Enterprise E5 |
Target Organisations | Small and medium businesses with up to 300 users | Large enterprises with unlimited users |
Monthly Price (GBP) | £17.75 per user | £49.46 per user (no Teams) |
Office Applications | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher, OneNote | All apps included in Business Premium alongside Power BI Pro, Microsoft Teams Phone, and more |
Email and Calendar | Exchange Online with 50 GB per user | Exchange Online with 100 GB per user |
OneDrive Storage | 1 TB per user | Unlimited (with a minimum of 5 users) |
Security Features | Microsoft Defender for Office 365 (Plan 1), basic threat protection | Microsoft Defender for Office 365 (Plan 2), Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Cloud App Security |
Analytics and Reporting | Basic reporting tools | Power BI Pro and MyAnalytics |
Secure Your Business With Microsoft 365 Business Premium
In a world where remote work and cyber threats are the norm, the benefits of Microsoft 365 Business Premium become critical. With its advanced threat protection, seamless device management, and compliance tools, you have a serious strategic advantage at hand, not just a tool.
At Rejuvenate IT, we specialise in helping businesses like yours harness the full power of Microsoft 365 while ensuring robust security. Whether you’re transitioning into the cloud, strengthening cyber defenses, or optimising remote work, our expert team is here to guide you every step of the way.
Ready to change the way your business operates? Contact Rejuvenate IT today to discover how Microsoft 365 Business Premium and other tools can transform your operations, securely, efficiently, and affordably.