Sneaking in a work from home day could soon be a bit trickier thanks to a new update coming to Microsoft Outlook.
The email provider is rolling out a new feature that will allow users to spot which of their co-workers or colleagues is currently in the office, and therefore possibly free for a quick meeting or able to reply to a message.
The update will use the Work Hours and Location information stored within Outlook to offer up this information, meaning there may be some awkward conversations if your colleagues believe you to be in the office.
In its entry in the Microsoft 365 roadmap, the company notes that the feature will be “always on”, meaning there may be no getting around what it represents as your office presence.
And your VPN connection to work knows your endpoint…
Interestingly, there’s another way of finding out if your coworker is in the office — just walk over to their desk.
No problem. Reroute that work email to Gmail servers and read that shit in a browser.
Look. You are incapable of doing work anywhere but the office. Your collaborations severely lack. Somehow tho, when the executive class spends 10 hours in email it’s innovation. When you do it, you’re unproductive.
So they are using the information they have in Azure/Entra about where you login from and presenting it to other users through Outlook/Teams?
Seems fine as long as they don’t include your exact address.
Oh boy, this sounds like it could get interesting! On one hand, it’s great that Outlook is trying to make our work lives more transparent and efficient. Scheduling meetings has always been a bit of a juggling act, so knowing who’s actually in the office could help a lot.
But yeah, I get the concern about privacy and the potential for some awkward moments. I think it’s gonna be important for companies to use this feature responsibly and to have open conversations about expectations. Maybe this will even push more workplaces to formally recognize the value of flexible working arrangements instead of needing the classic “sneak” day at home.
On the bright side, at least we’re not back in the days of buggy webcams and battling over the last working ethernet cable, right?
Scheduling meetings is easy. Don’t do it. Send an email.
“But what about when…” No. Email over meetings. You’re not special, your job isn’t special, your company isn’t special, your perceived needs aren’t special. Send an email. If that isn’t enough, send another email. If you get the urge to “give them a quick call”, firmly grasp your phone and hurtle it out the highest window or rooftop you have access to. Then send another email.
You sound like you’re really fun and easy to work with.
Not sure if sarcasm or apologist
This reads like a LinkedIn comment honestly
Imagine having so few people at the office that the only way people know you’re working remotely is your Outlook status
I don’t get the problem. Isn’t this the entire point of registering your work location in outlook? Why would you add it and be surprised if others can see it?
Boy I hate MS, and I hate Outlook, and MS Teams, and offices, and companies, and work…
Yet, I’m failing to understand what I’m supposed to be angry about here, can someone help?
From what I understand, you set the work hours and people will know if you’re working or not based on that…? It doesn’t sound too controversial to me.
Do people stay home without telling anyone and they wont be able to do that anymore? Or what?
It very clearly says it’ll be using your work hours and location information. MS is turning your hardware into a GPS tracker for your company.
MS is turning your hardware into a GPS tracker for your company.
I hate to break it to you but they are logging your location every time you log into their hardware… if you are using your own hardware, stop being an idiot and make your daddy buy you equipment required to do your job for him.
pssh I wish I could use my own hardware. even if you get a great machine at first they never upgrade. do it like phones where you get an allowance if you use your own for work. I’d dual boot and always have top of the line
if hey pay you allowance, that’s fine from economic perspective. i would still be a bit concerned from privacy side tho of sharing work and private device for anything.
I don’t pretend I am in the office when I am not. I don’t even bother with hiding yellow. I am avaliable during business ours to get things done.
If there is nothing to get done. I am shoot shit with coworkers in the office or doing laundry at home. If you need me, ping me and I will magically appear to take care your needs.
Nice system, barely needs any management but they keep trying to “contribute” 🤡
Wouldn’t your coworkers already know you’re working from home by, you know not seeing you at the office?
If your company is nationwide and has offices all over the country and you work on a distributed team where some people are on the west coast, some are central, and some are on the east coast. In this such event, none of your teammates will physically be able to tell if you are in the office. That’s what this feature is for.
So we can all continue to work from home, from a prescribed office of our employers choosing.
What? How would this change anything in that scenario? You’re still doing a video call if you want to talk to them.
Welcome to the nonsense that is corporations.
Ahhh the gigantic benefit of seeing a cubicle in the background of your zoom. Thanks Microsoft
We’re concerned that your home doesn’t look soul crushing enough. Please upgrade your home office by installing fluorescent tube lights and covering your walls with rough faded blue grey cloth, or we’ll need you to come into the office.
When I worked in an office, most of my team was in other offices across the world. But we had to be in the office for that TEAM BUILDING
I had to read this like six times, because it was so illogical my brain refused to comprehend.
> Go to the office
> All meetings are on teams because half the team works on other offices.
Yup.
Daily stand-up meeting
On the phone because we’re decentralized
Everyone’s actually sitting + hardly anyone’s even paying attention because they’re at their computers
That’s… incredibly dumb.
Yes, pleb, build that team 🤡
“Sent from my yacht”
