50 Years of Microsoft innovation – and why Mercury chose to build on it

50 Years of Microsoft innovation – and why Mercury chose to build on itAs Microsoft celebrates its 50th anniversary, we’re taking a moment at Mercury to reflect on why we chose to build our recruitment and staffing software on the Microsoft platform, and why that decision continues to shape the future of our business and the success of our clients.A legacy of innovationMicrosoft is the engine behind much of the innovation in business software over the past five decades. From data storage, communication and collaboration to automation, analytics and now AI, Microsoft’s technology continues to shape how businesses operate.At Mercury, our own innovation is powered by this engine. Microsoft’s continuous development gives our teams the tools to go further, faster. Much of our R&D and new product development is enhanced by what Microsoft makes possible.Built for scaleMicrosoft serves some of the largest enterprises in the world. That gives us (and our clients) confidence. We know the solutions we deliver are built to scale, and that they’re designed to meet the demands of demanding, time-sensitive, service-oriented businesses, no matter the size of the recruitment firm.And yes, Microsoft is serious about recruitment. It understands the role staffing plays in every developed economy and is actively investing in technologies that empower recruitment businesses.Adding the recruitment layerMercury takes Microsoft’s world-class infrastructure (Office 365, Teams, the Power Platform) and adds the recruitment-specific layer. We connect the dots and create purpose-built solutions that recruiters need, with a complete front-to-back platform designed for staffing professionals.We’re using Microsoft’s technology with specific intent, to help recruitment businesses operate more effectively and at scale, while making sure every consultant, manager, and leader in a recruitment firm has tools built specifically for them.Relentless innovationOur clients benefit not only from Mercury’s roadmap, but from Microsoft’s too. That’s thousands of engineers working on a shared platform, driving continuous improvement. Our clients get regular product updates, and useful features like Outlook, LinkedIn and Microsoft Teams connectivity, not as marketplace add-ons, but as native capabilities.Future-proofed by designWith recruitment technology evolving rapidly, the long-term viability of your platform is a key consideration.

• Microsoft Office is used by over 1.2 billion people across 140 countries.
• The Power Platform is widely regarded as Microsoft’s next big bet, potentially even bigger than Office itself.

And let’s not forget Microsoft’s bold investments in the future of AI. As the leading investor in OpenAI, Microsoft is shaping the AI revolution. Through Azure and Copilot, Microsoft is making agentic AI accessible inside everyday business tools, empowering users to delegate tasks, make decisions faster, and work more intelligently. We believe this level of investment, scale, and integration is unmatched, which is why we are confident we’ve built on the most future-ready technology foundation available.We believe we’ve backed the right horse. Have you?A partnership for the futureMercury’s recruitment expertise and Microsoft’s platform power make a perfect match. Together, we’re delivering a future-proof, fully connected, and constantly evolving recruitment solution that helps staffing businesses scale with confidence and innovate for many years to come.Take a look at Satya Nadella's opening message at Microsoft's 50th Anniversary celebration, including a look back at their first software operating system... and who can forget the famous dancing at the Windows 95 launch?Happy 50th birthday Microsoft.Written by Daniel Fox.