Microsoft Teams to get location-tracking feature, bosses to know when staff are in office
The rollout is expected to begin in December 2025.
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Microsoft Teams is set to introduce a new location-tracking feature that could automatically inform employers when staff are working from the office — a move raising fresh concerns over privacy and workplace surveillance.
According to a Microsoft 365 Roadmap update, the feature will enable Teams to detect when a user connects to their organisation’s Wi-Fi network and automatically update their work location accordingly. The rollout is expected to begin in December 2025.
Microsoft said the feature, which will be switched off by default, aims to improve clarity about where employees are working from and reduce confusion among hybrid teams. “When users connect to their organisation'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,” the company explained.
The tech giant added that system administrators, or tenant admins, will determine whether to enable the function, and employees will need to opt in. The feature will be available on both Windows and macOS platforms.
While Microsoft maintains that the update is designed to streamline communication within hybrid workplaces, critics argue that it represents a step towards greater employee surveillance. Many fear that such tracking could erode trust between employers and staff, particularly among those who have grown accustomed to flexible work-from-home arrangements.
The change underscores growing tensions between corporate efforts to monitor productivity and employees’ right to privacy in the post-pandemic hybrid work era.
