{"id":17417,"date":"2024-12-12T09:05:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T17:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/?p=17417"},"modified":"2025-12-16T13:21:04","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T21:21:04","slug":"enhancing-hybrid-work-with-ai-how-were-using-microsoft-places-to-empower-our-employees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/enhancing-hybrid-work-with-ai-how-were-using-microsoft-places-to-empower-our-employees\/","title":{"rendered":"Enhancing flexible work with AI: How we\u2019re using Microsoft Places to empower our employees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The advent of flexible work has changed the way we think of the workplace here at Microsoft. Like other enterprises, we\u2019re focusing on how we can coordinate, modernize, and optimize our approach to the fast-changing world of modern work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/microsoft-teams\/microsoft-places\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Microsoft Places, now generally available with Teams Premium,<\/a> is our new AI-powered flexible workplace offering that our internal IT organization, Microsoft Digital, helped build and has been piloting internally at the company as Customer Zero.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-group aside-for-guide has-white-200-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-content-justification-right is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-3f1abf08 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-radius:10px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-12);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-12);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-12);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-12)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-298f84b7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"132\" height=\"132\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/10\/Engage-with-our-experts_blogs.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20636\" style=\"width:48px\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-lg-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Engage with our experts!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-4)\">Customers or Microsoft account team representatives from Fortune 500 companies are welcome to <a href=\"mailto:msitstaff@microsoft.com\">request a virtual engagement<\/a> on this topic with experts from our Microsoft Digital team.<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our employees are using Places to ensure that there are spaces available to achieve their purpose for the day, and to understand who might be in the office to help them do it. This means that they can more easily book flexible workspaces, have more meetings in person, and boost their in-person collaboration. Our managers are also using it to optimize where work happens and to get key insights that they can use for long-range planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe believe in flexible work at Microsoft,\u201d says Nathalie D\u2019Hers, corporate vice president of Microsoft Employee Experience. \u201cPlaces is helping our employees work effectively when and where they choose to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Integrating Microsoft Places into our AI-powered workplaces<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"624\" height=\"247\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2024\/11\/10662_AI-powered_workplace-graphic.jpg\" alt=\"The AI-Powered Workplace with Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Places. Safe, secure, and trustworthy by design, it helps coordinate productively, modernize intelligently, and optimize effectively.\" class=\"wp-image-17420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2024\/11\/10662_AI-powered_workplace-graphic.jpg 624w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2024\/11\/10662_AI-powered_workplace-graphic-300x119.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">We&#8217;re using Microsoft Places to unlock new levels of coordination, modernization, and optimization internally here at Microsoft.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the Microsoft Work Trend Index, more than 70% of employees at companies like ours want flexible remote work options to continue, and 66% of business decision-makers are considering redesigning physical spaces to better accommodate these options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This shift highlights a growing expectation among employees for flexible work schedules and locations, a trend that\u2019s reshaping traditional workplace norms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2024\/12\/Jason-McWreath.png\" alt=\"A photo of McWreath.\" class=\"wp-image-21559\" style=\"width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2024\/12\/Jason-McWreath.png 500w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2024\/12\/Jason-McWreath-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2024\/12\/Jason-McWreath-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Flexible work has changed the way many people come to the office and use space. Understanding more about our colleagues\u2019 presence in the flexible workplace is critical to understanding and fostering connection.&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite>Jason McWreath, director of business programs, Microsoft Digital<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maintaining connection in the flexible work environment can be challenging, however. Employees told us that finding the right days to work in the office and coordinating in-person meeting times were some of the areas that needed improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remote work can lead to feelings of disconnection among employees, as they miss spontaneous interactions and informal conversations that often happen in a physical office. Microsoft research supports this, indicating that a significant percentage of employees feel isolated and disconnected from their teams, which negatively impacts morale and productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The traditional office setup, where employees had designated desks and predictable schedules, has given way to a more fluid and dynamic environment. This shift has brought about several challenges, including the need for better space management, efficient scheduling, and enhanced collaboration tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Flexible work has changed the way many people come to the office and use space,\u201d says Jason McWreath, director of business programs with Microsoft Digital. \u201cUnderstanding more about our colleagues\u2019 presence in the flexible workplace is critical to understanding and fostering connection. We want to build tools and strategies to help our employees make decisions about when to come in and where to go. This is about meeting our employees\u2019 needs and the needs of the organization in a flexible environment.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McWreath understands that the shift to flexible work isn\u2019t a temporary adjustment but a fundamental change. It also demands change for the processes and technology that Microsoft is using to support a productive workplace, wherever that place might be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Part of that transformation is why we developed and implemented Places, which our team in Microsoft Digital helped build and that we\u2019ve been testing for eight months across the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Improving presence and connection with Places<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Places is part of the Microsoft 365 suite of solutions, but that isn\u2019t how it began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Microsoft is a large company, and, like other enterprises, we have challenges and needs that are unique to our culture and organizational dynamics. To solve these challenges and fulfill these needs, we develop internal solutions. Places was initially one of these.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPlaces started as a solution to improve the employee experience here at Microsoft,\u201d says Daniel Yuan, a senior product manager at Microsoft Digital. Yuan and his team have been working with Places from the beginning. \u201cWe developed the solution that eventually became Places to address the evolving needs of the flexible workplace\u2014we wanted to enhance the experience our employees have when they physically go into work after many employees had shifted to working from home much of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, our employees need to do things like figure out how to get the most from their days in the office. When they go in, they want to know the best way to move from building to building so they can meet up with as many of their colleagues as feasible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We didn\u2019t get there overnight\u2014our need was huge. We manage 36 million square feet of office space in more than 600 global locations across 110 countries, with a total workforce of more than 200,000 employees. Juggling who was working where was a big task, and we needed a solution that would meet our needs at our scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our internal development team created capabilities such as seeing who will be in the office, booking spaces, and eventually reserving places to work. Scaling these capabilities to meet our room booking and mapping needs involved significant knowledge sharing and collaboration between different teams within Microsoft, and as the functionality grew, so did the opportunity to meld these efforts together, which we did. The result was the creation of Places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Capturing the value of Places in a flexible workplace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From its beginnings as an internally developed solution, Places has evolved into an AI-powered workplace app designed to support flexible work environments. Places enables more confident decision making about with who, how, and where people want to work. It helps provide context around the flexible work patterns of colleagues\u2019 calendars, enables AI-assisted space booking, and updates people\u2019s locations to share presence with others, fostering connection and collaboration. Here\u2019s a summary of the key things that Places does for our employees from within Microsoft 365 apps they use every day, like Teams and Outlook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Workplace presence<\/strong>. Our employees use it to update their status to show that they\u2019re in the office, working remotely, or at another location, providing transparency and improving communication within teams.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Work plans<\/strong>. Employees use it to share their schedules and, conversely, see who else has shared when they will be in the office, making it easier to plan face-to-face interactions and collaborations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Places cards<\/strong>. Employees can see who is coming into the office and adjust their plans accordingly, directly from their Outlook Calendar, enhancing coordination and reducing scheduling conflicts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Team guidance<\/strong>. This feature assists managers in setting and communicating office attendance expectations and finding effective work patterns, helping teams balance remote and in-office work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To find and book the right space for the right work, employees use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Places finder<\/strong>. This feature helps users book desks, rooms, or workspaces with additional information like images and floorplans, making it easier to find and reserve the right space for their needs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Desk booking<\/strong>. Users can book individual desks for their office days, ensuring that they have a designated workspace when they come into the office.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Managed booking with Microsoft 365 Copilot<\/strong>. This AI-driven feature manages room or desk bookings, handling changes, updates, and conflicts, streamlining the booking process and reducing administrative overhead. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To manage and understand space utilization, our IT and real estate teams use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Auto release<\/strong>. This feature automatically frees up unused rooms and desks for others to reserve, optimizing space usage and reducing wasted resources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Space analytics<\/strong>. This functionality provides data on space usage to help track trends and optimize workspace management, enabling organizations to make informed decisions about their office layouts and capacities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McWreath says there is immense value in our employees being able to see who will be in the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt makes it easier for them to plan in-person meetings and collaborate more effectively,\u201d he says. \u201cTeams can coordinate their schedules and maximize face-to-face interactions, which can be more productive than virtual meetings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s about empowering our employees to better set up their work plans, whether they\u2019re working in the office, remotely, or a combination of both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe value this flexibility at Microsoft, and Places helps us cater to diverse work styles and preferences, promoting inclusivity,\u201d McWreath says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With features like space booking and seat reservation, Places helps us optimize the use of physical office spaces. Employees can book the rooms and desks that are best suited for their needs, ensuring efficient use of available resources. This is particularly valuable in a work environment where office attendance can vary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Places integration with Outlook and Teams is particularly helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis integration ensures that employees can easily access Places features within the tools they already use every day,\u201d McWreath says. \u201cIt also enables them to move smoothly between their digital and physical workspace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, when employees check in at various office spaces, the system updates their presence and makes this information available to their colleagues. For instance, if an employee checks into a physical office location, their presence is updated in real-time in Teams and Outlook. This information is visible to their team members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBy using the presence information provided by Places, employees can make more informed decisions about when and where to work, enhancing their connection with colleagues and improving overall team dynamics.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>Jason McWreath, director of business programs, Microsoft Digital<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Knowing that the employee is in the office, a coworker can schedule an impromptu face-to-face meeting to discuss ongoing projects, which might be more effective than a virtual meeting. Similarly, another employee, who might be working remotely, can decide to visit the office on the same day to collaborate with them in person, fostering a stronger team connection and improving collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By suggesting nearby colleagues who are also in the office, Places helps facilitate social interactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis can encourage spontaneous coffee breaks or lunch meetings, helping to build stronger interpersonal relationships and a sense of community within the flexible workplace,\u201d McWreath says. \u201cBy using the presence information provided by Places, employees can make more informed decisions about when and where to work, enhancing their connection with colleagues and improving overall team dynamics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Partnering with the facilities team as Customer Zero<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Microsoft Digital is Customer Zero for Microsoft products. We use them first, test them first, and provide feedback that helps our product groups improve Microsoft products for our customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Places product team has worked closely with Microsoft Global Workplace Services, the company\u2019s facilities team, to continually improve and evolve the employee experience using Places. Global Workplace Services manages and enhances the workplace environment at Microsoft, ensuring that it\u2019s safe, efficient, and conducive to productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur collaboration with the Places product team has greatly enhanced the efficiency of space usage in our buildings already,\u201d says Mike Messer, director and technical program lead for Microsoft Global Workplace Services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Messer\u2019s team is using Places to enable more efficient office space usage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFlexible work has changed the way many people come to the office and use space,\u201d Messer says. \u201cPlaces gives us the capability to understand how our physical spaces are being used and make these spaces more discoverable to employees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, Places allows Microsoft employees to book rooms that are more targeted to the in-person size of the meeting. This helps Messer\u2019s team ensure that the right facilities are available to the right people at the right time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Messer sees big opportunities for Places at Global Workplace Services in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe primary use of Places within Global Workplace Services is currently focused on the employee experience,\u201d Messer says. \u201cThere\u2019s also huge potential for us to use the analytics provided by Places to complement our existing reporting with richer insights into the usage data around building usage, from conference rooms to meeting spaces and individual desks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Considering compliance, security, and governance as Customer Zero<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our journey as Customer Zero means ensuring that compliance, security, and governance are primary considerations from the beginning of any solution we develop or implement. This initiative involves a comprehensive review and adhering to stringent security and privacy standards, including tenant trust and works council approvals. We\u2019ve worked with our Customer Zero users and internal teams to ensure that Places protects employee information while fostering a secure and compliant flexible work environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenant trust reviews are an essential part of the company\u2019s process to ensure that first-party apps and features are secure, manageable, and compliant before they are deployed on our corporate tenant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2024\/12\/Daniel-Yuan.png\" alt=\"A photo of Yuan.\" class=\"wp-image-21564\" style=\"width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2024\/12\/Daniel-Yuan.png 500w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2024\/12\/Daniel-Yuan-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2024\/12\/Daniel-Yuan-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWorks council reviews are an essential part of ensuring that new IT capabilities, including Places, comply with local regulations and protect employee interests. Feedback from works councils has been invaluable for refining Places functionality.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>Daniel Yuan, senior product manager, Microsoft Digital<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The primary goal of tenant trust reviews is to conduct an independent assessment of first-party apps and features from the perspective of a data controller. This helps us ensure that the product is internally manageable and doesn\u2019t pose unnecessary risks to the company in any of the countries where Microsoft operates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All products are evaluated against the Microsoft Tenant Minimum Bar Standards. This includes checking for compliance with security and privacy standards and ensuring that the product is manageable by tenant administrators. The review process involves several steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">The product team shares details about the features and how they work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">The tenant trust team evaluates the product&#8217;s security, privacy, and manageability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Feedback is provided to the product team for any necessary enhancements.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By putting apps like Places through the tenant trust review process, we can ensure the product is ready for deployment within Microsoft, with all necessary security, privacy, and manageability measures in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Places also went through a works council review, a process applied to all solutions and apps deployed at Microsoft. The works council review process ensures that new features aren\u2019t available to employees in specific countries until the works councils in those countries have granted approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWorks council reviews are an essential part of ensuring that new IT capabilities, including Places, comply with local regulations and protect employee interests,&#8221; Yuan says. \u201cFeedback from works councils has been invaluable for refining Places functionality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Works council reviews ensure that new features in apps respect employee privacy and provide adequate control over their data. Collaboration between the product team and works councils led to the implementation of specific settings in Places that allow users to determine the level of information they want to share \u2013 ensuring users always maintain full control over how their location information is shared. The Places product team also added admin controls to turn specific features on or off for certain countries, ensuring compliance with local regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s next<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We will be expanding the scope of how we use Places internally here at Microsoft, adding more early adopter sites globally, focusing on diverse locations and space constraints. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/11\/Nathalie_DHers.png\" alt=\"A photo of D'Hers.\" class=\"wp-image-20943\" style=\"width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/11\/Nathalie_DHers.png 500w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/11\/Nathalie_DHers-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/11\/Nathalie_DHers-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur journey with Places is just beginning. We\u2019re very pleased that we were able to help develop Places, and we\u2019re eager to continue partnering with the product group to make it better and better.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>Nathalie D\u2019Hers, corporate vice president, Microsoft Employee Experience<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As our adoption grows by phases with 20,000 employees in the pilot and 50,000 targeted for early adoption, we expect the insights provided by Places to generate significant benefits for our building usage and occupancy efficiency across Microsoft global office locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019re looking forward to exploring more ways that Places will help our employees modernize the way they connect, make the most of in-office days, and provide an optimized and productive flexible work experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur journey with Places is just beginning,\u201d D\u2019Hers says. \u201cWe\u2019re very pleased that we were able to help develop Places, and we\u2019re eager to continue partnering with the product group to make it better and better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-c0392459 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7db9d80f wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"190\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Key-takeaways-badge.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19493\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:75px;height:75px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Key-takeaways-badge.png 190w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Key-takeaways-badge-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-xl-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24);margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24)\">Key takeaways<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some tips on how you can use Microsoft Places to transform your own organization\u2019s approach to flexible work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Create intentional connections:<\/strong> Use location insights to help employees plan in-person collaboration and strengthen team bonds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Optimize space usage:<\/strong> Leverage occupancy data to make informed decisions about office layouts and resource allocation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Empower flexibility:<\/strong> Provide tools that let employees choose when and where to work while maintaining a high level of productivity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Enhance the employee experience:<\/strong> Use AI-driven recommendations to simplify schedules and reduce potential friction that comes with hybrid work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Plan for the future:<\/strong> Continuously evaluate workplace trends and adapt your strategy to support evolving employee needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-c0392459 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7db9d80f wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"190\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Try-it-out-badge.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19492\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:75px;height:75px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Try-it-out-badge.png 190w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Try-it-out-badge-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-xl-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24);margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24)\">Try it out<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/microsoft-teams\/premium?msockid=273ab02771cd6bf72e88a50670af6ada#Pricing?OCID=InsideTrack_10662\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Try Places with a Teams Premium trial.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-c0392459 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7db9d80f wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"190\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Related-links-badge.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19491\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:75px;height:75px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Related-links-badge.png 190w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Related-links-badge-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-xl-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24);margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24)\">Related links<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-20)\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/empowering-flexibility-our-guide-for-deploying-and-driving-adoption-of-microsoft-places\/\">Check out our guide to the deployment and adoption of Microsoft Places.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/deploying-microsoft-places-at-microsoft-with-our-works-councils\/\">Read about how we deployed Places at Microsoft with the help of our works councils.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/inside-microsoft-being-customer-zero-in-an-ai-powered-world\/\">Explore how Microsoft Digital serves at Customer Zero for the company in the age of AI.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.microsoft.com\/en-us\/microsoft-365\/places\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dive into the Microsoft Learn documentation about Places.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/microsoftpartners.microsoft.com\/abs\/Places-Directory\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">See our Microsoft Places Partner Directory.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-c0392459 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7db9d80f wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"190\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Wed-like-to-hear-from-you-badge.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19490\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:75px;height:75px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Wed-like-to-hear-from-you-badge.png 190w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Wed-like-to-hear-from-you-badge-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-xl-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24);margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24)\">We&#8217;d like to hear from you!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-20)\" class=\"wp-block-list is-style-list-no-bullets\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"mailto:msitstaff@microsoft.com\">Want more information? Email us and include a link to this story and we\u2019ll get back to you.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The advent of flexible work has changed the way we think of the workplace here at Microsoft. Like other enterprises, we\u2019re focusing on how we can coordinate, modernize, and optimize our approach to the fast-changing world of modern work. Microsoft Places, now generally available with Teams Premium, is our new AI-powered flexible workplace offering that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":17419,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_hide_featured_on_single":false,"_show_featured_caption_on_single":true,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[882],"tags":[199,89,597,865,263,836,114],"coauthors":[550],"class_list":["post-17417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-it-strategy","tag-ai","tag-digital-transformation","tag-employee-experience","tag-flexible-work","tag-microsoft-365","tag-microsoft-places","tag-microsoft-teams","m-blog-post"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is 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