Microsoft Teams set for remote working upgrades

Microsoft is launching new features to help people cope with remote working.

The company's Viva employment engagement platform will be getting new upgrades including guided meditations and mindful exercises later this month.

These sessions have been developed by Headspace, with the mental wellness firm aiming to help workers start each day in the right way.

Meanwhile, Viva will also get two new modes - focus and quiet time - to battle issues with remote working.

For focus mode, users will get a curated soundtrack to help them concentrate, while timers can be set up to push for regular breaks around important tasks.

And quiet time will simply disable Outlook and Teams alerts, allowing workers to remain undisturbed out of hours.

Microsoft said: "Weekly meeting time for Teams users has more than doubled since the onset of the pandemic.

"Back-to-back meetings increase stress and make it harder to stay engaged and focused.

"The research uncovered something crucial: employees want flexible remote work options to stay, but the digital overload associated with more remote work is challenging their wellbeing.”

© BANG Media International