A lot has changed in the workplace over the past few years. For instance, more organizations are implementing hybrid work arrangements. This can be a great thing for employees who get to enjoy the flexibility and freedom to choose where to work. But hybrid work can also pose a challenge for managers, especially those who need to find ways to engage and empower their hybrid teams. Microsoft Places is a great solution that aims to solve this problem. Read on to learn more.

Microsoft Places: An overview

At the 2022 Microsoft Ignite conference, the tech giant announced the upcoming beta release of a game-changing workplace program called Microsoft Places. This revolutionary software is designed to provide insights into an organization’s hybrid workforce as well as guidance on managing hybrid teams. Places does this by tracking who is in the office on any given day and even where exactly they are working within the office.
 
Furthermore, Places offers a cohesive platform that stands on its own, free from the limitations of working with external productivity applications. With this new AI-powered system, businesses will be able to create seamless workflows like never before.

Features and benefits of Microsoft Places

Aside from enabling companies to create an efficient online workspace where team members can collaborate and communicate easily, here are other benefits that Microsoft Places offers:

Coordinate where work takes place
What's the point of dressing up and going to work only to find a ghost town when you arrive? With Microsoft Places, you can find out who will be at the office and when from information from Outlook and Teams. 

Additionally, Microsoft Places offers travel time estimates. With this feature, you can gauge if you should leave home immediately to get to the office on time or if you can work a little at home before heading out.
 
And as a business leader, you'd also be able to see which days have the most in-office attendance and use this information to better coordinate in-person staff meetings and even ad hoc tasks. This lets you foster better interactions and build camaraderie with your team.
 
Book desks and rooms more efficiently
Aside from its scheduling feature, Microsoft Places also boasts of a wayfinding tool. This tool enables your IT department to create a digital map of your office space so your staff can conveniently find and book available desks or workspaces.
 
And with Places’ intelligent booking feature, meetings will be easier and more effective. Users can use this feature to discover spaces equipped with the kind of technology (e.g., projectors, digital whiteboards) that matches the purpose of their meeting and accommodates both in-person and remote participants.
 
Optimize space and cost
Business owners are always on the lookout looking for ways to save on costs. With Microsoft Places, you can do just that and more. By utilizing Places' space insights feature, you can efficiently determine occupancy trends and see which spaces within your premises are utilized often, and vice versa. With this data, you can create an effective energy conservation plan for your office. This information will also help you determine if renting or owning an office space is cost-efficient or not.
 
Microsoft Places can change the way people — especially hybrid teams — work for the better. If you're interested in learning more about how your company can benefit from Microsoft Places, don't hesitate to contact us. Our experts at SimplyClouds would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and help you get started with this incredible new tool.