Microsoft wants to digitise the daily commute

Global – Microsoft Teams software will soon encourage workers to engage in a virtual daily commute.

Set to launch in 2021, the platform update will allow at-home users to 'commute' at the beginning and end of their working day to create a greater sense of separation between working and non-working hours. For the morning commute, Teams users can set time aside to prepare for their working day, while the evening session enables reflection on the working day, celebrate achievements or create a to-do list for the next day. Another new end-of-day initiative will be guided meditation sessions powered by mindfulness app Headspace.

‘Enterprises across the world right now are coming to us and saying: ‘I don’t think we will have organisational resilience if we don’t make wellbeing a priority,’ explains Kamal Janardhan, general manager for workplace analytics and MyAnalytics at Microsoft 365. I think we at Microsoft have a role, almost a responsibility, to give enterprises the capabilities to create these better daily structures and help people be at their best.’

With Covid-19 having accelerated our working landscape, brands and businesses are innovating to ensure long-term employee productivity and wellbeing.