Microsoft has confirmed that it is soon introducing a new feature as part of the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, which could significantly affect the way employers track employee attendance. When a user connects to their company’s Wi-Fi network, Microsoft Teams will automatically set their work location to the specific building in which they are located. Conversely, if Teams or Outlook is used outside the corporate network, the system will clearly register this.
According to multiple sources, this means that an employer will be able to see if someone is late for work, working from home or performing business tasks from another location. This is precisely why this announcement was not well received by employees, especially those who work in a hybrid mode or who perceive this level of surveillance as an invasion of privacy.
A new Microsoft feature raises the question of trust in hybrid work
Microsoft has apparently noticed the backlash, as the launch of this feature has already been delayed several times. Originally planned for January, then February, it has now been moved to March, and is expected to be fully operational by the middle of that month. The company hasn’t officially explained the reasons for the delay, but it says the feature applies to the Teams apps for Windows and macOS.
Microsoft’s official explanation is that the feature is optional, turned off by default, and the location is deleted after business hours. However, the key decision will not be in the hands of employees, but of IT administrators within the company. Administrators can turn on this option and require employees to accept it, which in practice leaves very little room for refusal.
Experts warn that the problem is not of a technical nature, but of an organizational nature. While automatic location adjustment may seem like an innocuous simplification of the user experience, in reality it walks a fine line between efficiency and oversight. Especially at a time when trust is considered a key factor in successful hybrid work.
Critics go a step further, stating that the feature is timed to coincide with a broader push to return to the office, adding to the suspicion that it is a control tool rather than just a convenience option. It remains to be seen whether in the coming weeks Microsoft will further limit access to this data or more clearly define who can see the location of employees and for what purposes, reports Forbes.