Embracing the Future of Flexible Work with Microsoft Places

Work should always be flexible, not just a bonus.

At Changing Social, we know the importance of flexible working and the benefits it reaps from allowing everyone to work when they find it easiest to do so, fitting their lifestyles.

Research from Microsoft shows that nearly half (48%) of global employees will likely request more flexible work schedules or locations from their direct managers in the coming year.

However, maintaining meaningful connections in a flexible work setup can be challenging.

Organisations that don’t actively foster these connections risk alienating their workforce. With 43% of employees feeling disconnected from their company, Microsoft Places promotes working with your employees, not against them.

The balance between flexibility and connection is delicate and requires innovative solutions. Enter Microsoft Places, a groundbreaking app designed to redefine flexible work by leveraging the power of AI.

 

Introducing Microsoft Places

Microsoft Places is a revolutionary app that reimagines flexible work environments.

Microsoft Places is a location-based service designed to enhance workplace efficiency and collaboration. It uses AI and IoT (Internet of Things) to optimise physical workspace management, offering features like room booking, space utilisation analytics, and indoor navigation, which we will discuss in more detail later.

This platform helps organisations create a more productive and connected work environment by seamlessly integrating with other Microsoft services.

With real-time insights and intelligent recommendations, Microsoft Places aims to support hybrid working models and improve the overall employee experience.

It is designed to enhance workplace coordination and connection, integrating seamlessly with familiar tools like Outlook and Microsoft Teams. This ensures that managing your flexible work schedule is effortless and embedded within your regular workflow. Now, who wouldn’t want that?

 

Straightforward Office Coordination

Scheduling in-office time with coworkers and securing workspaces are common challenges for flexible teams that potentially hot desk.

Employees don’t want to be greeted by empty desks; it’s never nice to be the only one in the office. People seek and need face-to-face interactions with their managers and colleagues. Nearly half (49%) of global knowledge workers have encountered this issue over the past year. Microsoft Places addresses this issue by allowing you to set and share your location schedule with colleagues and view theirs, ensuring better coordination.

Updating your location is simple within the Places app and is also accessible via the Outlook Calendar. With just a click, you can adjust your schedule, see who plans to be in the office, and quickly book the necessary spaces. You would never have to be the person sitting in the office alone.

 

Enhanced Team Collaboration

With Places, managers can easily communicate their expectations, specifying which days the team should be in the office and the priorities for those days, meaning you will never be reminded of this last minute.

This clear guidance gives employees a purpose for coming into the office, fostering stronger team bonds.

Moreover, integration with Microsoft Copilot in the second half of 2024 will make office coordination even smoother.

Copilot will help you decide the best days to come into the office, considering factors like in-person meetings and your manager’s attendance. It will also assist in adjusting your schedule and booking the appropriate spaces for your meetings.

 

Optimise Your Workspace

Finding the right space for meetings and focused work is crucial.

Microsoft’s end-to-end booking solution, accessible through the Places Finder in Outlook, helps you search for rooms and desks, providing detailed information and images to guide your decisions. Enhanced by Microsoft and partner devices, this feature ensures a seamless booking experience.

Places also offer helpful reminders in your Calendar if no rooms or desks are booked for an in-office day. Simply click the location pin to browse suggestions that best meet your needs.

 

 

Foster In-Office Connections

One of the benefits of being in the office is the opportunity for spontaneous interactions with coworkers.

The expanded presence feature in Places, visible across Microsoft 365 apps, shows you which colleagues are nearby, facilitating quick in-person chats or impromptu lunches.

In Teams group chats, you can use the @nearby feature to notify those around you about activities or changes in meeting rooms.

Importantly, all location data collection adheres to Microsoft’s stringent privacy standards.

Opt-in and opt-out controls are available, ensuring data is aggregated and anonymised in office occupancy reports.

 

Optimise Workplace Efficiency

Office buildings often don’t keep pace with evolving work patterns. AI can significantly improve space management by highlighting areas for optimisation.

Combining intent and actual occupancy patterns in Places gives administrators a clear picture of space availability and needs.

Utilisation insights and analytics and Microsoft Teams Rooms Pro Management provide valuable data on meeting and collaboration spaces, helping validate intent data and inform better decisions on spaces for your organisation.

Starting in the second half of 2024, Copilot will offer additional intelligence to guide space management, suggesting adjustments like consolidating floors on low occupancy days or modifying food services to reduce waste. These insights can substantially impact operating budgets and sustainability goals.

 

The Power of Collaboration Using Places

Microsoft Places is a transformative tool for the modern workplace. It enhances coordination, fosters connections, and optimises space usage, addressing the critical challenges of flexible work.

The benefits of using this tool in your workplace are so extensive that it could give your employees the power to manage their own time and have flexible working hours.

At Changing Social, we are more than aware of the benefits that this gives employees. We see happier employees, which means happier clients, and we see staff with a family life and a work life. It opens so many doors, and overall, who wouldn’t want a productive and more engaged team?

You can join the Public Preview programme today and experience how Microsoft Places can revolutionise your work environment.

 

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