Microsoft Teams is getting a new location tracking feature that lets bosses snoop on staff – research shows it could cause workforce pushback
The new Microsoft Teams feature aims to improve office coordination by automatically updating location based on Wi-Fi
A new location tracking feature in Microsoft Teams will make it easier to keep tabs on your colleague's activities – and for your boss to know exactly where you are.
Microsoft revealed in September that it was developing a system in Teams to automatically update work locations using Wi-Fi, as well as noting when a laptop is plugged into a configured desk peripheral such as a monitor.
The system is designed to help tackle some of the challenges of hybrid working, when co-workers might be in the office or working from home at different times.
Once this update rolls out, Teams will automatically display location information, rather than leaving colleagues guessing as to whether their coworker's status has been updated and forcing employees to constantly check in with each other.
"When users connect to their organization's Wi-Fi, Teams will soon be able to automatically update their work location to reflect the building they're working from," Microsoft said in a support document.
That means when you're in the office, Teams will know and share that information, making it easier for fellow workers to track you down for some vital in-person collaboration business leaders have been pushing for over the last three years.
However, it'll also be clear when you're not in the office – though the company hasn't revealed details beyond that – and make it harder to dodge interruptions when you are in the office.
How Microsoft Teams location tracking works
The full system is expected to start rolling out in February next year, an apparent delay to earlier plans to begin pushing the feature out this month.
"Automatic detection of work location by plugging into peripherals at a desk is available now," Microsoft noted in a support document. "Automatic detection of work location using a wireless network connection is currently in preview and will be widely available in the near future."
The system will either display that the user is "in the office" or list a specific building, depending on how it's configured and what users have consented to.
Microsoft has clearly recognized that this feature will raise concerns of workplace surveillance. Indeed, the auto-updating location system has to be actively turned on.
"This feature will be off by default," the company said in an explainer document. "Tenant admins will decide whether to enable it and require end-users to opt-in."
Of course, if your manager requires you to turn it on, most employees will feel pressured to comply, but Microsoft stressed "it is not possible for admins to consent on users' behalf."
With an eye on privacy and work-life balance, Microsoft added that the system only operates during working hours.
"The detected work location lasts until the end of a user's working hours. If users connect after their set work hours, their work locations are not set."
Workplace monitoring
The shift to hybrid working has sparked a rise in workplace monitoring as managers seek to maintain some sense of oversight of employees and their work efforts, as well as to track when they're in the office.
Research suggests about a third of companies are using "bossware" of some sort to monitor staff working in the office or remotely. The issue has become a flashpoint for workers in recent years, and research shows that it’s reaching boiling point.
A survey in late 2024 found these practices are harming workforce morale, with three-quarters of respondents claiming they stopped trusting their employer after monitoring tools were introduced.
Last year, research revealed that wireless networking equipment was being used to track employees throughout office buildings by making use of Bluetooth enabled badges, cameras, and even video conferencing systems.
Intriguingly, the feature is set to arrive as Microsoft is apparently planning to tighten up its own hybrid working policies, requiring staff to come into the office more.
As ITPro reported in August, per reports from Business Insider, the tech giant will introduce stricter rules for office attendance in the new year.
The move comes amidst a sharpened focus on workforce productivity at the company, although the crackdown won’t represent a complete return to office (RTO) mandate.
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