Keeping track of your team in this new hybrid working age should soon be more straightforward thanks to a new update to Microsoft Outlook.
The email service is working on a new feature that it says will allow workers more flexibility and efficiency when working away from the office.
According to an entry in the Microsoft 365 roadmap, the update, simply entitled "working hours and location" will allow users to set a notice showing where they are working, whether that be at home, in the office, or anywhere else in particular.
Flexible working
"New working hours and location options in Outlook lets people set more flexible working hours each day and specify the location from where they plan to work," the roadmap entry adds.
The update is scheduled for general availability for all Web Outlook users across the globe, with a targeted release date of June 2022.
The news does mean that Outlook is finally catching up to some of its rivals when it comes to having flexible working-linked tools enabled.
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.
Users can also create a weekly working location routine if they plan on going into the office on certain days and working remotely on others, which can be updated at any time if plans change. There was no information as to whether Microsoft's Outlook update will do the same, but we're hopeful it will.
In July, Google Calendar also added an option that allows users to specify whether they would be attending a meeting in-person or virtually using video conferencing software.
Outlook has released a number of updates recently as it looks to maintain its place as a leading email service for users across the world. Most intriguingly, the company says it is working on a tool that will help users eliminate mistakes from their messages with the launch of spelling and grammar checks for its Outlook on mobile platform.
- To further boost your efficiency, check out our lists of the best productivity tools, best office software and best collaboration tools.
