Watch out, Microsoft Outlook could soon give away when you're sneakily working from home

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.

Always on

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.

It’s not really mentioned exactly how malleable or “smart” the feature is – as employee schedules will undoubtedly change depending on work load or calendars – for example, heading to a conference may mean you are out of the office, or a last-minute customer visit may require a dash away from your desk.

The information will be pinned on the top-right corner of the Calendar surface in Outlook, initially on Windows and web, but undoubtedly rolling out to more platforms soon.

The ability to specify your working location via Outlook was first introduced in December 2021 at the height of the hybrid working boom, as companies and employees alike switched to a new way of working that allowed more flexibility and efficiency when working away from the office.

Google Calendar launched a similar feature in August 2021, allowing users to highlight exactly where they would be working, with the options of home, office, or a specific other location.

Several large companies have recently launched a fightback against hybrid working, claiming having employees back in the office is somehow better for productivity.

Most recently, Dell ordered its global sales teams to work onsite five days per week unless otherwise engaged with customers or partners as part of its plan to “continually evolve our business”.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently also ordered all employees to return to full-time in-person working – a move that was met with extreme reluctance, with a survey following the announcement revealing 91% were unhappy with the decision, and 73% were considering moving jobs because of it.