“People will say, ‘I’m happy I don’t have to commute anymore. Commutes provide blocks of uninterrupted time for mentally transitioning to and from work, an important aspect of wellbeing and productivity, says Iqbal, a principal researcher in Microsoft Research AI. The feature draws inspiration from research by Iqbal and her colleagues, who have studied the importance of work breaks and “ workplace detachment and reattachment” as part of the Microsoft Research group. End-of-the-day commutes can be customized with prompts to reflect emotionally, celebrate accomplishments, add tasks to a to-do list for later and meditate with Headspace to fully disconnect. Scheduling a “commute” for the beginning of a workday means setting aside time to prepare for work, whether it’s going for a walk or planning tasks with a cup of coffee. The virtual commute experience in Teams will help create boundaries and structure that physical commutes once provided. And we tend not to do a good job at anything when we’re multitasking,” says Morris, a human resources director at Microsoft who teaches courses on mindfulness and meditation. “We’re in this mode where the boundaries between work and home are dissolved and it’s all one big soup, which can lead to a constant state of part working, part taking care of personal life, part taking care of ourselves. Another study found that remote work is leading to more stress and mental fatigue from video meetings, isolation and a feeling of always being “on.”Ĭharles Morris (photo courtesy of Morris) One study found that people are working after hours and on weekends more frequently at home than they did in the office. The features were designed to help people overcome remote work challenges detailed in several Microsoft studies. It can change business outcomes and how every employee feels.” When you focus on wellbeing and bringing in mindfulness at all levels, it can change the whole business. “We have an accountability at Microsoft to help enterprises foster wellbeing and mindfulness for their employees so that they’re woven into their day and not an afterthought. “Technology has not only played a key role in helping people work remotely and stay productive, it is also proving to be a key part of preserving and creating wellbeing,” says Janardhan, general manager of MyAnalytics and Workplace Analytics, the platforms for data-driven insights behind the new features. They will also include tools to help people connect more easily with colleagues, schedule time for focused work and breaks, and see insights and patterns personalized for individuals, managers and leaders.
The features include a virtual commute experience for better work- and home-life transitions and integration with Headspace, a global leader in mindfulness and meditation. Collectively, they’re teaching mindfulness, researching productivity and learning surprising insights, like the fact that many people’s pre-pandemic, traffic-clogged commutes were actually beneficial.Īt Microsoft Ignite this week, the company is announcing new features in Microsoft Teams and Outlook to help people around the world with their wellbeing and productivity. As experts in workplace wellbeing, they’re also addressing the universal stress it can cause. The three Microsoft employees - an engineering leader, researcher and HR leader - feel lucky they’ve been able to work remotely. For Charles Morris, it’s the blurring of boundaries among work, home and family. For Shamsi Iqbal, it’s a lack of time to focus between endless video calls and parental duties. For Kamal Janardhan, it’s a loss of afternoon tea breaks when she used to chat with co-workers. Six months into the pandemic, working at home has become routine for many people - but at a cost.
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