MC761261 – New Microsoft Outlook for Windows and web: Improvements to working hours and location

Product:

Exchange, Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft 365 for the web, Outlook, Teams

Platform:

Online, US Instances, Web, Windows Desktop, World tenant

Status:

Rolling out

Change type:

Feature update, User impact

Links:

MC553273
383721

Details:

Summary:
Microsoft Outlook for Windows and web will release new flexible working hours in 2023, allowing users to set different working hours and locations for individual workdays. Additional updates will include an updated daily location menu and integration of work location with Out of Office time. The rollout will begin in late March 2024 and is expected to be completed by late August 2024. No admin action is required, but users may want to update relevant documentation. Learn more with a blog coming in May 2024.

Details:
In 2023, Microsoft Outlook on the web and new Outlook for Windows released new flexible working hours that allowed users to set different working hours and location (office/remote) for individual workdays. Users could update their daily work location in the calendar and see their coworkers' work location in the scheduling assistant. We will soon roll out these additional updates:
Updated daily location menu to help users plan their day and see who else is in the office
Integrating your work location with your Out of Office time
This message refers to MC553273 (Updated) Outlook on the web - Work Hours and Location (May 2023) and is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 383721.
[When this will happen]
Outlook on the web and new Outlook for Windows
Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out late March 2024 and expect to complete by late April 2024.
General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out late March 2024 and expect to complete by late May 2024.
General Availability (GCC, GCC High, and DoD): We will begin rolling out early May 2024 and expect to complete by late August 2024.

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Release Phase:
General Availability, Targeted Release

Created:
2024-03-29

updated:
2024-08-10

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Direct effects for Operations**

- Impact on IT Operations
- Increased demand for user support and training
- Users may require assistance in understanding and utilizing the new flexible working hours and location features.
- Role impacted: IT Support Staff
- Potential integration issues with existing systems
- The new features may affect how scheduling and availability are managed across other integrated services (e.g., Teams, Exchange).
- Role impacted: IT Administrators
- Changes in system performance and resource allocation
- The rollout may temporarily affect system performance as users adapt to the new features, potentially leading to increased load on servers.
- Role impacted: IT Operations Team

- Impact on IT Services
- Altered scheduling and meeting management
- The integration of work location with Out of Office settings may lead to changes in how meetings are scheduled, potentially causing confusion if users do not update their settings.
- Role impacted: Project Managers, Team Leaders
- Dependency on Microsoft 365 ecosystem
- The new features rely on seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 services, which may lead to service disruptions if there are issues with synchronization.
- Role impacted: IT Administrators
- Changes in user experience across platforms
- Users may experience inconsistencies in how their working hours and locations are displayed across different devices and applications.
- Role impacted: End Users

- Impact on IT Users
- Need for updated personal settings
- Users will need to proactively set their working hours and locations, which may lead to errors if not done correctly.
- Role impacted: All Employees
- Changes in collaboration dynamics
- The visibility of coworkers' locations may alter how teams collaborate, potentially leading to misunderstandings about availability.
- Role impacted: Team Members, Collaborators
- Increased reliance on digital tools for communication
- Users may become more dependent on Outlook and Teams for managing their work schedules, which could lead to frustration if technical issues arise.
- Role impacted: All Employees

References:
- Microsoft 365 Roadmap: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=383721
- Microsoft Support: https://support.microsoft.com/office/learn-more-about-work-hours-in-outlook-af2fddf9-249e-4710-9c95-5911edfd76f6ID0EBH=Classic_Outlook

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