Microsoft is rolling out a controversial new feature in the Microsoft Teams application that will reveal your location to your boss. This new update will allow employers to detect whether or not employees are working from the office. Microsoft Teams will detect the location of the employee using the Wi-Fi network they are connected to. Moreover, the update will allow admins and companies to set the work locations of employees to the office’s location.
This new feature works in a manner that could raise concerns of privacy violation. Microsoft says it helps colleagues see if an employee is working remotely or from the office itself, therefore reducing confusion about hybrid work schedules of different employees.
When will MS Teams start beaming your location to your boss?
Microsoft is gearing up for a global rollout of this feature by December 2025. The company is also working on making the new feature available to both Windows and macOS users of Microsoft Teams.
Location data collection is a controversial issue in itself. Therefore, questions are raised about the viability of this new feature. Although it looks harmless from the looks of it, collecting and integrating this data into Teams in such a way could be seen as a major violation of privacy of employees.
In essence, the update will allow MS Teams to showcase your location in the office building, helping your colleagues and employer to find your potential location. Note that this will only work when your office device or BYOD machine connects to the office Wi-Fi network. “When you connect to peripherals in a bring your own device (BYOD) room or at a bookable desk, your workplace presence in Teams will automatically be set to the building level”, says Microsoft.
The feature also helps to identify those who are working from home.
What else is coming to MS Teams
Microsoft recently introduced a ‘Save message’ feature that allows users to bookmark important chats and conversations, making it easier to find key information without endless scrolling. Another upcoming feature will let users customise keyboard shortcuts in Teams, allowing quick access to frequently used icons, symbols, and functions.
Microsoft is also enhancing its Copilot integration for Teams. Once enabled during recorded meetings, Copilot will be able to analyse on-screen content, chat transcripts, and meeting notes to generate instant summaries or answers to questions.
