As per Microsoft, the new Workplace Check-In feature will remain under user control and will not be enabled by default.
Microsoft has emphasised that Workplace Check-In is not a real-time employee tracking system
Microsoft is rolling out a new feature for Microsoft Teams that can automatically detect when employees are in the office. The company says that the Workplace Check-In feature works in tandem with Microsoft Places to detect the user's connection to a corporate Wi-Fi network. The capability, first spotted on Microsoft's roadmap last year, can automatically update a user's workplace location when they connect to approved office networks. As per Microsoft, the new feature will remain under user control and will not be enabled by default.
Microsoft Teams Workplace Check-In Uses Wi-Fi to Detect Office Presence
With the Workplace Check-In feature, Microsoft aims to simplify workplace coordination by keeping users' office location status updated automatically. In a blog post, the company said that it builds on existing Microsoft 365 signals such as Teams presence indicators and calendar availability.
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When a device connects to a configured corporate Wi-Fi network, Microsoft Teams can detect whether an employee is working from a particular office location. Citing an example, the company explained that if an employee visits a specific office building and joins its approved wireless network, the app will automatically update their workplace location for the day. The process does not require any manual input.
Addressing concerns, the company emphasised that Workplace Check-In is not a real-time employee tracking system. As per Microsoft, it can neither track movement between floors, buildings, or locations over time, nor store historical location data. Instead, it only provides an in-the-moment signal that a user is present in a configured workplace location.
Microsoft noted that it only works within workplace environments where approved corporate Wi-Fi networks have been configured. A user's status will continue to show as remote outside of such locations. Further, users are claimed to maintain control even after Workplace Check-In is enabled.
There is an Inform mode within Teams, which notifies employees that the feature is available, further supported by a choice to disable it. Alternatively, the Ask mode is claimed to explicitly prompt users to grant permission before it begins working.
As per the company, Workplace Check-In can help employees coordinate in-person work more effectively. It is also claimed to automatically update an employee's work plan and check them into existing desk reservations when they arrive at the office.
Microsoft says the rollout will begin later this year for organisations using Microsoft Places.
How to Enable Workplace Check-In on Microsoft Teams
- Confirm that Microsoft Places is configured within the organisation's environment.
- Add office buildings and workplace information to the Places directory.
- Enable the Teams Work Location Detection policy.
- Configure approved corporate Wi-Fi BSSIDs within the Places directory.
- Decide whether employees will receive the feature as an opt-in or opt-out experience.
- Inform employees about how the feature works, what information it collects, and how they can manage their privacy settings.
Microsoft says the rollout will begin later this year for organisations using Microsoft Places.
