Microsoft (MSFT 2.22%) has been on the frontlines helping people around the world deal with the coronavirus pandemic. Some of its actions have been obvious, with companies turning to tools like Teams and Office 365 to facilitate remote work and with many schools doing the same.
Some of the company's other efforts are less visible but no less important. CEO Satya Nadella wrote a letter to employees detailing what he sees as his company's role in the crisis.
"No one company is going to solve a challenge like this alone, and it's going to take the private and public sectors working together to turn the tide on COVID-19," he wrote. "Our unique role as a platform and tools provider allows us to connect the dots, bring together an ecosystem of partners, and enable organizations of all sizes to build the digital capability required to address these challenges."
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wrote an open letter to employees. Image source: Microsoft.
Care for employees
Nadella was careful in his letter to not just focus on business. He also addressed the challenges his workers are facing and thanked them for their willingness to adapt.
"It's times like this that remind us that each of us has something to contribute and the importance of coming together as a community," he wrote.
Microsoft has played a crucial role in keeping Americans working during this crisis. It has also done a lot of things behind the scenes that won't necessarily help its bottom line, and its CEO has straddled the line well between protecting the bottom line and doing the right thing.
Microsoft has, for example, been paying the workers in its retail stores even while the stores are closed. It has also had employees (including Nadella) working from home to keep them as safe as possible.
Software as a solution
Nadella also named a number of ways Microsoft software has been used during this crisis. This includes helping hospitals manage resources, allowing schools to quickly move classes online, and helping the Centers for Disease Control develop a COVID-19 assessment tool.
The CEO admitted he did not have all the answers. He did, however, show that his company was both doing its part and pushing its business forward while considering the health and safety of its workers. That's not always an easy balance, but Nadella's letter showed his pride in his employees while also letting shareholders know how the company has been advancing its business goals.
