Microsoft has announced its plans to advance the rollout of a feature that has stirred considerable debate: the ability for organizations to track employee presence in the office through Wi-Fi connectivity. This feature, which operates in conjunction with Microsoft Teams and requires configuration through Microsoft Places, is officially termed “Workplace check-in.” While it first appeared on the company’s roadmap in September 2025, Microsoft has clarified that the feature will not be enabled by default, at least for the time being.
Workplace check-in aims to enhance flexibility within organizations, allowing for improved coordination among co-workers. By connecting to the company’s Wi-Fi, Teams will automatically register the location of the user. For instance, if an employee travels from home to their organization’s Building C and connects to the Wi-Fi, Microsoft Teams will log that they are working from that location.
Initially, the rollout faced delays due to design changes, which were largely influenced by significant privacy concerns. However, as the initial backlash has subsided, Microsoft is proceeding with the implementation of Workplace location tracking via Teams, emphasizing that users will retain control over their participation in this feature.
How Microsoft Teams’ new location tracking works
The location tracking feature in Microsoft Teams does not function as real-time tracking akin to Google or Apple Maps. Instead, it identifies whether an employee is present in the office and specifies their location based on the Wi-Fi connection. Users will have to grant location access through their operating system’s API, with prompts appearing for those using Windows 11.
If a user declines to share their location at the OS level, the IT policy cannot override this decision. However, there remains a concern that organizations may impose rules that could compel compliance. Currently, Teams’ Workplace check-in is disabled by default at the tenant level. When activated by an IT administrator, they can select between two profiles:
- Inform: Users are notified that the feature is enabled for their account and are given the option to opt out immediately.
- Ask mode: A banner will appear requesting permission to share location data via Teams.
Microsoft has clarified that the intention behind this feature is not to create a surveillance system for monitoring employee productivity. The company emphasizes that it does not track movements between floors or buildings over time. Instead, the Workplace check-in feature serves as a real-time indicator of presence when employees connect to Wi-Fi at their workplace. Nonetheless, there is a theoretical risk that it could be used to penalize employees who are connected via VPN rather than being physically present in the office.
Importantly, Microsoft has stated that sharing workplace presence and utilizing the Workplace check-in feature are independent decisions, allowing employees to choose whether their presence is visible to others while working on-site. The initial rollout of Teams’ Workplace check-in is linked to organizations that also utilize the Microsoft Places directory, meaning not all users will experience immediate changes.
As organizations become more aware of the feature and navigate the necessary setup processes, including configuring specific BSSIDs (the unique identifiers for wireless access points), it is likely that many users will eventually be impacted. Beyond Workplace check-in, Microsoft is also enhancing Teams with improvements aimed at increasing speed and testing a new, streamlined user interface for meetings, which includes the ability to rearrange items and buttons to minimize misclicks.
