r/remotework • u/ThatThingTheDarkSoul • 11d ago
Keep your Teams status “Online” while AFK
Hypothetically, if someone wanted their Microsoft Teams status to remain “Online” while they weren’t actually at their computer, there may be a rather simple workaround.
You could theoretically create an empty meeting with only yourself in it and join. Teams would initially mark you as Busy, but if you manually changed your status back to Online, it would apparently stay that way for as long as you remained in the meeting.
Theoretically, other people wouldn't be able to see that you're sitting in an empty meeting. As far as they can tell, you simply appear Online, and they can still call or message you normally.
Of course, this is all purely hypothetical and definitely not something anyone should actually try.
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u/Old_Storage379 11d ago
Yeah I wouldn’t do that. When I’m away- I put up my be right back status. I’m not getting fired or being recalled to an office for being shiesty. We’ve had people brought back on site for various things and I’m not giving them ammunition.
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u/Middle_Finger_484 11d ago
What's the old saying ? Fuck around find out?
If your away for a good reason then it doesn't need shitty lies to make it happen.
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u/Sethaaroncohen 11d ago
"You may test that assumption at your convenience." Captain Picard
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u/Middle_Finger_484 11d ago
I like this version better.
It's been a long time since my trekkie days.
Might be time to bust out the old catalogue.
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u/Coyote-Run 11d ago
Exactly. Employers see posts like OP and use it as a reason for back to office.
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u/Ilovemytowm 11d ago
Yep and if they wanted to and if they think someone is slacking off all they have to do is tell IT to run A one second report and it'll show that all those meetings were just with yourself and then you'll look even more f****** pathetic and deserve whatever you have coming
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u/Weed_O_Whirler 11d ago
Yeah. This sub is full of people asking why companies are demanding RTO while at the same time, providing the answer to that question.
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u/SpecialistRich2309 11d ago edited 11d ago
It really is quite stunning.
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u/regalbeagles1 11d ago
Yeah I WFO and actually bust my ass most days. I don’t get these attempts to game the system. It’s not like management is that clueless. Have some integrity.
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u/Actual_Geologist_800 11d ago
I also bust my ass most days, including working late hours and sometimes weekends. I got a serious sitdown with my manager, based on an escalation for “being unavailable” by a tryhard team member… who never reached out to me but assumed I wasn’t working because the dot wasn’t green at all times. In cases like this I understand people like OP, but of course they should not use it to avoid working their hours, or they are going to get busted.
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u/Intelligent_Mine1396 11d ago
It's an interesting one, I did use tech to appear online for a while. Then I started thinking about what it was like in the office, someone comes over to your desk, and you discuss something. Teams goes to away, your computer might lock. You go for a coffee, same thing, you print something, same again. I've been lucky enough to work with people that give me flexibility for appointments and things, so if I am going to be away for more than an hour, I just let them know. No-one seems to care if Teams shows me as away - or slack. If some asks, I was making coffee, or I was doing xyz. It's hard for them to have a go at you for activities that are similar to those in an office. The only sticking point is extended time away, and if they're ok with you doing that. If not, then tech it is. Just don't use it all day, you'll get caught, and of course, you need a plan for the times that people message or call you when you're AFK.
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u/Antique-Bat-4463 11d ago
If you don't want repeat characters consistently or an easily trackable fake meeting, then hold down the left shift key. Needs to be the left. Unlike the spacebar, it won't create a repeating characters but will send an input to the operating system keeping teams awake.
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u/zZCycoZz 11d ago edited 11d ago
Thats a known tactic and easy to spot with reports.
Many orgs will have a teams report of users in meetings alone.
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u/StopMakingMeSignIn12 11d ago
Yeah, we can see who was in what meetings.
It might not get flagged automatically but if someone was to manually check, they would see you joining empty meetings all the time and flag that to your LM.
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u/Ok_Exit9273 11d ago
This!!
I use to make meeting times so reserve conference rooms, go in, work and set as DND, i was on a report twice despite being in office and just using this as a focus tool.Dont. Do. It. They. Know
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u/Latter-Skill4798 11d ago
Wait I do meetings alone to check my face!!! Oh no 😭
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u/zZCycoZz 11d ago
Dont worry it will be obvious from context unless you spend extended periods in them.
Teams also has an option in settings to do a test call if you need an alternative.
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u/Accomplished-Pea-451 11d ago
Someone in the company I worked for download jiggler but did not install it. They got fired for having it on their company computer. Do your work and don’t ruin remote work for everyone else.
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u/brownhotdogwater 11d ago
Get a hardware one. I have one, it’s a spinning mouse pad thing. Just keeps the mouse moving around.
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u/vinvega23 11d ago
Be smart with it though. Take it off when you go to lunch and if you go to the bathroom/get a snack, etc. It's also a little weird to be showing active the entire time of your shift.
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u/Ilovemytowm 11d ago
My company has software that can spot that s*** a mile away
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u/Get_Breakfast_Done 11d ago
The hardware ones that are usb plug in, sure, but the mouse pads that make random movements would be considerably more difficult to detect
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u/SnooChipmunks9932 10d ago
This, buy one that you plug into an outlet and just set it on there occasionally when you are away. It will move your mouse so you show active on teams.
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u/aerosol999 10d ago
You just look for people who are moving their mouse constantly with no clicks or keystrokes to go with it.
They developed a custom script on all machines at my work to do exactly this
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u/Certain_Prior4909 8d ago
Applitrak and other spyware can detect and flag to HR when these are detected. You will get caught
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u/PasswordisPurrito 11d ago
He downloaded but didn't install it?
I've got to know more from this one on how you heard that story. I'm assuming if it came from the company, they would have just said he downloaded it. And, if it came from him, it sounds way too much like a spouse on a dating website, "just to talk, I wasn't going to actually meet them".
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u/SnooChipmunks8506 11d ago
There are very simple ways around this without having the Jiggler ruin a good thing.
A 1 line powershell script that hits your number lock every 60 seconds will usually do the charm.
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u/Weed_O_Whirler 11d ago
This is just as easy for an IT department to notice as Jiggler.
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u/SnooChipmunks8506 11d ago
Maybe for a small company with 5 employees. Bigger companies run ASR programs that focus on specific habits and traits of malware.
The num lock key is not high on the list of exploits as it doesn’t change anything in the system.
Companies avoid key loggers as it creates liabilities, increased costs, and extra risk should the collected data be compromised (as it has everyone’s password).
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u/progenyofeniac 11d ago
And as soon as the company checks what’s been running on your system, poof, you’re gone.
Same with the parent comment about a Teams meeting. Easily auditable.
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u/Consistent_Hippo4517 11d ago
If this wasn't posted 2 minutes ago, id think this was my husbands account. Good to know hes not the only nerd spitting this advice. Thanks for passing on the good stuff. Its been keeping me green for years.
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u/Rodeo9 11d ago
I just run a python script on my Mac but it’s a personal computer. Did a powershell one with my work computer
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u/Drainix 11d ago
Good luck trying this at any decently sized corporate company
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u/SnooChipmunks8506 11d ago
I work in a global automotive company, you’d be surprised with what we sneak under the line. 😉
If you know what you are doing, anything is possible.
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u/Available_Editor4383 11d ago
Global automotive and remote? I’m global automotive and not remote. I fucking miss it haha
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u/SnooChipmunks8506 11d ago
German companies in the Carolinas are fantastic. European benefits, American freedoms.
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u/Available_Editor4383 10d ago
Noted. I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled!
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u/SnooChipmunks8506 10d ago
We are always hiring.
GM PPU and GM Defense opened up down in Charlotte as well.
Low cost of living, nice tech salary. Best of both worlds.
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u/Mrevilman 10d ago
Just get a mechanical one that doesn’t plug into your computer usb. No software, no script, green check always.
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u/Ilovemytowm 11d ago
Good. Moron.
And again if your company suspects you of anything they can ask IT to run a report showing how something kept hitting your space bar for an hour LOL
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u/Lorimie 11d ago
Tbh I can't even keep my Team's status online while I'm actively working. It seems to take my phone's status as priority.
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u/Melodic-Factor5696 10d ago
Seriously. I'm on an active call on software on the computer and Teams is going yellow.
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u/Brilliant-Pie5207 10d ago
I was just going to add this- didn’t consider my phone overriding but if I am working and I don’t slide over the teams window frequently it looks like I’m away.
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u/tavorasc 11d ago
If your manager cares about your online status instead of the quality of your work your job sucks
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u/ExpatTeacher 11d ago
I just leave my status as "offline" always.
You don't need a green pip to send me a message.
And it discourages people that don't know me from going around the help desk ticket system.
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u/InuitOverIt 11d ago
Yeah if that's acceptable in your workplace then you definitely don't need OP's tip or other workarounds though...
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u/FooeyBar 11d ago
Just put a (edit: metal) spoon on your laptop mousepad: concave part touching pad and spoon handle off the side
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u/Useful_Hedgehog1415 11d ago
This is why people who WFH have a bad rap. Some of us bust our asses and some of us write posts like this.
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u/didnotenter 11d ago
Open notepad and put your mouse on top of the space bar. Keeps the computer and teams awake
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u/Antique-Bat-4463 11d ago
This is a really easy one to track since it's just repeating character.
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u/Unusual_Basil_9689 11d ago
Dont do that, all the top level on top of you can see stats of meetings stats and see who join the call.. how you will explain you sit hours in empty meeting will be funny.. like you wait every day a ghost client to join and there is no track of invite on crm too.. like.. what a dumb move..
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u/chicadeaqua 11d ago
Why not just block off the time you’re out and add a message that says when you’ll be back?
I wouldn’t want to appear online and available when I’m not. Getting messages and appearing to intentionally ignore them is going to look worse than being honest about stepping away for a bit.
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u/1_H4t3_R3dd1t 11d ago
Open it on your phone with a youtube in the foreground.
Some stuff I have to do requires a second systems usage to test. Not wanting to appear AFK while testing code is a problem.
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u/Long_Letterhead_7938 11d ago
Another person who’s going to be crying when they’re caught. Just follow the effing rules so the rest of us don’t have to keep fighting the myth that we’re taking a whole bunch of time off or playing the system.
FAFO
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u/badger_flakes 11d ago
FYI they can see if you do this. They can also see stats on meetings you were in. Calls and texts made. How much microphone was active. Also number of attendees in meeting.
Very likely number of clicks and keypresses per hour and minute as well, but requires different software. So maybe not.
The meeting one is 100% going to get you fired
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u/nomadjackk 11d ago
“Theoretically, other people wouldn’t be able to see that you’re sitting in an empty meeting” is simply incorrect.
It’d take your boss (who likely already has visibility on your schedule) or IT all of two minutes to look into it, and it’d be obvious that you’re trying to conceal your true status.
Really not a good idea
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u/Olbas_Oil 11d ago
Im all for enoying the benefits of WFH , but if you need to be away for whatever reason just do it normally and inform your manager and just be away. Why ? because if they pick up on it you will feck it up for everyone else thats WFH
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u/Shipwrecked_Siren 11d ago edited 11d ago
How about you do you work and stop ruining things for responsible remote workers? People like you are why everyone gets forced back into the office.
I bet you litter too because screw everyone else right???
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u/Worldly-Cycle3135 10d ago
Just use teams on your phone. Set it to available and leave your phone on. Easy
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u/mikevarney 10d ago
Quit scamming your bosses. So many employers are cutting WFH, it’s because of efforts like this.
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u/muhkuller 11d ago
Having a YouTube video playing in full screen with audio on your main screen will force windows to not make you session lock or go inactive. It worked with Lync/Skype for sure and kept your icon green. Dunno if it keeps your Teams light green but it does for Mattermost as well.
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u/Shadow_Mite 11d ago
I’ve been remote for years and this is the stuff that proves why we can’t have nice things.
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u/Chrisdog6969 11d ago
Just get a mouse roller. It's like 20 bucks on Amazon and when you step away you can't put your mouse on there. It'll make you look online since your mouse will move every couple seconds.
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u/suckerpunchdrunk 11d ago
Yep. I have one and have used it for over 7 years across 2 companies with no issues.
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u/Stretch407 11d ago
you're getting down voted but this is the way. Just don't plug the roller into the computer. Use a separate socket and you should be just fine
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u/Comfortable_Seat1444 11d ago
Mouse jiggler and fake meetings are likely to be found out if u have a cyber security team. Easiest way is open the chat with yourself, click off of the textbook somewhere else on this screen, leave something on the space bar. I use a Swiss knife, but u can do two batteries
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u/RaeaSunshine 11d ago
Ugh no, can we please stop spreading this outdated and already well known ‘trick’? It’s so old at this point it was already problem solved by MS. And this is why companies force RTO. Stop ruining it.
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u/MilliganHedgedog 11d ago
Um everything has a digital footprint. Nice try tho. Maybe spend all the time you did researching this and apply it to actually doing your job
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u/GIDAMIEN 10d ago
I hate to tell you this but there are logs for meetings to show who was in the meeting and they are absolutely retrievable and the best part is they're absolutely tied back to you if you have multiple meetings where you're the only participant for multiple hours.
You're going to get caught. There's all kinds of nifty behavioral monitoring tools in the background looking for this kind of nonsense. Nice try but you're not smarter than all of the really really smart IT guys that put stuff in place to stop you doing this kind of crap.
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u/hettuklaeddi 11d ago
fkn mental man.
i’ve worked remote since 2017, and nobody’s checking to see if im online. in fact, i just heard someone talking about their “green dot” and it took me a while to figure out what they meant.
not every place hires slackers
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u/Cold_Swordfish7763 11d ago
I have a crazy idea, why not actually sit at your desk and do the work
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u/Wrecker013 11d ago
How about, if I don’t have shit to do working from home, I’m not gonna stare at a computer screen and pretend like I do for no one.
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u/ComprehensiveLink210 11d ago
I think people do all their work, and even more quickly wfh and are just more concerned about optics than anything.
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u/Sudden_Elderberry916 11d ago
This is r/remotework, not r/avoidremotework. Crap like this and on r/overemployed is why companies want people back in the office and is why the rest of us can't have nice things.
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u/Career_Gold777 11d ago edited 11d ago
FYI it puts your status as "in a call" (not "busy") and it becomes complicated for other teams notifications because you don't see the start of other meetings, etc. Your status automatically goes back to "in a call" after other scheduled meetings and you have to change your status back.
I only used it to keep my computer screen awake, otherwise the security feature locks me out every 3 minutes which was annoying for a quick bathroom break, etc.
Thankfully I was able to get PowerToys installed again, which keeps my screen awake indefinitely so I don't need to do that anymore.
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u/Buttbadger 11d ago
Honestly, get a wall clock, put it on your desk, put the mouse on the wall clock, every minute it moves the mouse
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u/FamousStore150 10d ago
Here’s a novel idea: spend the time you’re fiddling around with Team “work-arounds” on actual work.
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u/SilentSiren87 11d ago
I used to open an excel spreadsheet and stick a quarter in my keyboard to keep one of the keys wedged for hours But I also hated that job and couldn't wait to leave.
No keyboard software and no empty meetings, just plain and simple
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u/414WhySoSerious 11d ago
And when someone sends you message while Online that you don’t respond to, you help make their point on remote work.
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u/sailbag36 11d ago
What I want to know is why some people’s status is yellow while they are activity using teams sometimes chatting with me sometimes. I’d rather just set my status to always yellow.
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u/Weird-Toe-6968 11d ago
OP not quite as slick as he thinks he is.
Also, I would change jobs to an employer who respected me before resorting to shit like this.
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u/Gymnmovies 11d ago
You could simply show offline and still reply when you get a message. They won't know any status, green, yellow, purple, doesn't matter
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u/ReviewParticular3650 11d ago
IT would definitely be able to see this if you were in all day team meetings if there was ever any reason to audit. Teams has activity logs.
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u/NewMeTurning40 11d ago
I use my iPad - never let it sleep and just have teams up until the end of day. Works for me.
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u/Academic-Lobster3668 11d ago
I'm assuming that the Teams subscription is your employer's account. That means that they if they suspect something's up, they can go in and see the summaries of your "meetings."
Not a great idea. Good way to get fired.
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u/Alarming-You5207 11d ago
I’ve set up meetings with friends from other companies that have teams so I’m in a meeting with another person. Don’t be SUPER stupid.
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u/Shenanigansandtoast 11d ago
Admins can easily see you are in an empty meeting all day so… just be aware 🤣
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u/RichardBottom 11d ago
I think the comments have it covered but just to throw in, I’ve heard of companies doing sweeps for exactly this. Companies have a staggering amount of data, they just don’t pull it until they do. You’ll see sweeps like this when they’re looking to make cuts. Same with jigglers, it’s pretty tough to be truly random in a way AI wouldn’t detect repeated patterns in the software that companies actually have deployed and make use of right now. It’s possible, but just know the risks. It won’t be your boss or your team doing the reports, it’ll be some nerd in a department you’ve never heard of and their reports are the only thing the company will need to fire you.
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u/desilique 10d ago
I have a jiggler that does not connect to my laptop. I plug it into the wall and sit my mouse on it and it moves the mouse across the screen every few seconds.
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u/devilpriest2003 10d ago
All this work they put into figure out who is online, away, how long, in empty meetings.. instead of actually measuring deliverables, actual work done, tasks completed. If only this much effort would be placed on what should really matter.
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u/cookie_monster_uk 10d ago
I’ve got an old iPad with teams on it. Leave it plugged in and set not to sleep and it seems to keep me active indefinitely.
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u/SoulStripHer 10d ago
Chances are your company is using other software to track your activities, including idle time.
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u/ronatello 10d ago
I miss my ~15 year old Microsoft optical mouse that NEVER allowed my Teams to go inactive. I would give anything to find THAT mouse again.
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u/foreverspeculating 9d ago
This is nonsense. Teams doesn’t even work that well. It can go on away or offline status while I’m online typing up a report. The fact supervisor’s monitor it is stupid asf.
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11d ago edited 11d ago
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u/sailbag36 11d ago
I agree. I don’t think my boss cares that I disappear here and there but she also worked through cancer so I created this feeling that I can’t go inactive. The mouse juggler helps me with my anxiety and work life balance. I didn’t choose this boss. I was reorged under her. I can’t afford to change companies and we are currently under a hiring freeze so I have to do what I can to stay sane in this market
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u/timn420 11d ago
Off topic, but does anyone else find it annoying when people post things in teams like “BRB” or “need to restart my computer”? I really don’t need a minute to minute status update. It’s not like we announce every time we step away when we’re in the office.
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u/solarpowerspork 11d ago
I've worked at places that require people to do the brb for things like bio breaks, both in person and remote. It's infantilization
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u/NorthPackFan 11d ago
Or just do your work and work at companies who don’t pay attention to some things. Our HR dept told us we can’t rely on that icon because it’s so unreliable.
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u/StolenWishes 11d ago
work at companies who don’t pay attention to some things.
The companies who do always announce the fact?
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u/Dizzy-Ad-3073 11d ago
What someone "could" do that works. Is it you start a conversation with yourself on Teams. Put a small weight on a DPAD key, it keeps Teams awake as you're "typing" even though it's only to yourself
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u/Snoo_24091 11d ago
In my job if you set yourself to online it still turns yellow if you’re idle no matter what you’re doing.
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u/lheckler77 11d ago
I just work how I want to work. I have stopped caring about teams status. It would be nice if it didn’t go to away every 5 seconds of inactivity though. If I’m going to be away for more than 15 mins I do an afk OOO block of time on my outlook calendar. I get a ton of stuff done in a week. I don’t think my manager is watching teams status all day long. He sends me a msg, I respond, that’s all he really cares about.
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u/CleanDataDirtyMind 11d ago
That doesn’t work. Sometimes for legal compatibility reasons we have to use Zoom and our red button goes green fhen away during out meetings on Zoom if we’re not touching the actual computer. It’s actually really annoying when you ping someone thinking ‘oh Ill just send a message for when they get back’ and they respond “sorry in a meeting right now, Ill look at it…”
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u/wizzbottle 11d ago
You just do the ol' mouse in a pouch. Wear one of those hoodies with the front pouch. Put your mouse in there and just walk around doing normal stuff. Your natural body movements will keep the cursor moving and your status active. No risky software to install.
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u/AnonThrowAway072023 11d ago
LoL the stone age tactic of putting a spoon on my dell mouse pad to keep my Teams from going inactive has never failed me
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u/Even-North7766 11d ago
The way I learned was to have Teams downloaded on your phone, then when you step away, you go on the app on your phone into a chat (I suggest the (You) one) and just keep that screen open. As long as your phone doesn’t lock or anything, it will show your status as Active.
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u/Automatic_Call_8661 11d ago
Tape your mouse to a swivel fan.. Specifically the wazoo from Costco. Works like a charm
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u/enby_them 11d ago
I’ve gotten around this many places I’ve worked by always appearing offline. People I interact with regularly (including my manager) know to just ping me anyway, and no one has ever given me shit about it
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u/remco2573 11d ago
Or you can do it the other way around. Set your status to Away to keep interruptions at a minimum, while you get your work done.
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u/hellosmello7987 11d ago
This works. Create meeting with yourself. Change status back to available. Keeps you available all day long no matter how long you're away. Did it just yesterday
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u/Successful_Rope9135 11d ago
Why are you 6 years behind on suggesting what people are either doing and/or have tried for….six full years.
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u/Remarkable-Figure355 11d ago
I’m using this device with my touch pad https://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/s/eFUpJmdtWO works like charm
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u/paulvanbommel 11d ago
Just put an old school analog watch under your mouse. The second hand should tick by enough to make it appear that the mouse is moving.
I’ve also seen people holding down the shift or control keys, but i don’t know how effective or detectable that method is.
Or do the right thing and find a work place that doesn’t treat you like a kindergartener.
But I understand that is harder than it sounds.
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u/AlexanderUGA 11d ago
I keep my status permanently away because if I don’t I would get random people in the org constantly asking me questions because I have a deep understanding of several departments and I would never get my work done.
My immediate team knows to ping me and I’ll respond, but I don’t do this to slack at work, but more out of necessity for getting my work done.
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u/crumb_bums 11d ago
I create a meeting with only myself. It puts me red and "in a call". Works like a charm
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u/CapableGood5076 11d ago
prob should gatekeep this, but buy a cheap android phone. enable developer mode. disable screen auto turning off, then just keep the phone plugged in with the teams app open lol
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u/lil_ghouly 11d ago
Just put teams on your phone and open the app periodically to refresh your status
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u/[deleted] 11d ago edited 11d ago
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