Outlook will tell you who is in the office

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.eeEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    Wouldn’t your coworkers already know you’re working from home by, you know not seeing you at the office?

    • afk_strats@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 months 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

        • imPastaSyndrome@lemm.eeEnglish
          1·
          2 months ago

          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

        • FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          2 months ago

          Even if the whole team is actually in the conference room…it’s one dude with a laptop who struggles to get the display working for 10 min then proceeds to just read the PowerPoint out loud.

          None of this required me putting on pants or being part of traffic.

        • SlopppyEngineer@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          2 months ago

          Even worse, it’s completely real. It was the common situation for me before corona. Also driving an entire day for a 1 hour meeting.

  • rogu@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    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?

    • BallsandBayonets@lemmings.worldEnglish
      01·
      2 months ago

      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.