By João Ferreira

For several years now, many organizations have been reacting – setting up remote work, tentatively reopening, and constantly reassessing with each new development. It’s no wonder employees feel fatigued and less motivated to return to the physical workplace. Studies show that the commute is the main barrier, and employees need a reason to make the trip.

Microsoft Places – which we wrote about a while back when it was announced at Ignite 2022 – offers a promising solution to make the hybrid work transition easier. It’s designed with features for intelligent scheduling, workspace booking, and seamless integration with Microsoft 365 tools. While the app’s full potential is still in development, when integrated with Appspace, it lays a solid foundation for managing the hybrid workplace.

An overview of Microsoft Places

The Microsoft Places app is, as Microsoft puts it, “a new connected workplace platform that will reimagine hybrid and in-person work.” It will be integrated with the Microsoft 365 suite of solutions that many employees rely on every day – including Outlook, Teams, and Viva. And, according to Microsoft, it will “leverage and enhance the rich set of data available on the Microsoft Graph, combining people and place signals.”

What are the key features and capabilities of Microsoft Places?

Microsoft Places is envisioned as a hub for managing the logistics and complexities of hybrid work, with features like:

• Hybrid scheduling tools: Making it easier to coordinate in-person collaboration sessions when team members would otherwise be dispersed.
• Space reservation and optimization: Enabling effortless booking of desks and meeting rooms, and providing data-driven insights on how your workspace is used.
• Wayfinding and navigation: Helping employees find their way around the office and locate colleagues with ease.
• Integration with Microsoft Teams: Bringing all these features directly into the Teams interface for a seamless workflow.

The office as a collaboration hub: Beyond desk bookings

A smooth desk booking process is great, but it doesn’t fully answer the “why” of coming into the office. According to the Harvard Business Review, for example, 84% of employees would be motivated to go into the office if they could socialize with coworkers.

To truly attract employees, consider:

• Serendipitous connection: Chance encounters spark innovation, which is harder to cultivate when teams are distributed.
• A sense of belonging: Offices can be community hubs, fostering a sense of shared purpose.
• Mentorship and growth: In-person learning offers unique benefits, especially for new hires.

Why wait when you can optimize your hybrid workplace today?

If your organization uses Microsoft and needs hybrid work tools today, Appspace is ready. We offer solutions that address these key factors in a successful hybrid model, available right now.

Proven solutions: Our space reservation tools, analytics dashboards, wayfinding capabilities, and employee communications platform are already helping businesses make the most of their hybrid model. Plus, we’ll integrate with Microsoft Places when it’s ready, offering you a powerful hybrid toolkit.

Focus on user experience: Appspace’s space reservation feature is directly integrated within our Appspace App. It’s one streamlined, user-friendly platform, rather than another login and interface to learn.

Data-driven insights for better decisions: Appspace provides analytics to help you understand space usage patterns, employee preferences, and the overall effectiveness of your hybrid workplace strategy.

Appspace and Microsoft Places = a powerful combo

Appspace enhances the Microsoft Places app by extending its functionality within our Appspace for Microsoft solution. We provide additional features for space reservation, visitor management, wayfinding, and workplace management, effectively broadening the capabilities of Microsoft Places to better support your hybrid workplace.

Improve your workplace experience today

While Microsoft Places signals exciting changes, you can create a great workplace experience now by:

Listening to feedback: Genuinely understand your employees’ needs and challenges.
Championing flexibility: Let people choose where and when they work most effectively.
Optimizing the environment: Provide spaces for collaboration, focus, and the right tech setup for hybrid work.
Nurturing culture: Focus on shared experiences—even remotely—through onboarding, events, and traditions.

The takeaway

Microsoft Places highlights a growing focus on optimizing hybrid workplaces. While we’re excited about the potential of Places, Appspace offers immediate, tangible benefits if you’re ready to tackle the challenges of hybrid work head-on – and create an environment where employees truly want to be.

Ready to get started?
To get the most from Microsoft Places, start by laying the foundation with Appspace. Here’s how you can do that. Check out Appspace + Microsoft Places.