Microsoft Teams is preparing to roll out a new location-tracking feature that could make remote workers uneasy. According to a recent Microsoft 365 Roadmap update, the collaboration platform will soon be able to detect when employees are in the office by tracking their connection to the company’s Wi-Fi network.
The update, expected to roll out in December 2025, has sparked concerns over growing workplace surveillance and the shrinking privacy of hybrid and remote employees.
In Microsoft’s official description, the company said, “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. This feature will be off by default.”
Microsoft added that the feature would be available for both Windows and macOS users, and that tenant administrators, usually company IT teams, will decide whether to enable it. Employees will also need to opt in before Teams can start tracking their location.
Why the sudden move?
Microsoft claims the move is designed to make hybrid work smoother by reducing confusion about who’s working remotely and who’s in the office. However, critics argue it could easily become a new form of employee monitoring, giving managers one more way to keep tabs on staff.
For many remote workers, especially those who have settled into flexible routines since the pandemic, the change feels intrusive. On social media, users expressed frustration and skepticism over the feature.
“So now even Microsoft Teams is turning into an attendance monitor. What’s next, Teams asking for a doctor’s note when we take a day off?” one user joked on X (formerly Twitter).
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
