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.
king_tronzington@lemm.ee 1 month ago
Wouldn’t your coworkers already know you’re working from home by, you know not seeing you at the office?
afk_strats@lemmy.world 1 month ago
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
driving_crooner@lemmy.eco.br 1 month ago
> Go to the office
> All meetings are on teams because half the team works on other offices.
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
That’s… incredibly dumb.
vinnymac@lemmy.world 1 month ago
I had to read this like six times, because it was so illogical my brain refused to comprehend.
PerogiBoi@lemmy.ca 1 month ago
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.
king_tronzington@lemm.ee 1 month ago
Ahhh the gigantic benefit of seeing a cubicle in the background of your zoom. Thanks Microsoft
Alexstarfire@lemmy.world 1 month ago
What? How would this change anything in that scenario? You’re still doing a video call if you want to talk to them.
faltryka@lemmy.world 1 month ago
My “office” is a network of interconnected multi-story buildings. It’s actually really convenient for me to know if I need to go meet someone in person or just use video.
Sometimes we have a room booked ahead of time and I learn they are wfh when I get to the empty room.
king_tronzington@lemm.ee 1 month ago
That’s just poor common courtesy by your coworker. If you have a physical room booked and they are WFH they need to tell you so you don’t waste your time. You shouldn’t be relying on teams status
orclev@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Sounds like all the meetings should just be done by video and nothing would be lost.
jordanlund@lemmy.world 1 month ago
My co-workers are also rarely in the office, so it makes no difference. ;)
DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 month ago
Maybe head honchos don’t go into the office all the time and aren’t aware if the lower managers are working from home potentially