Effective Use of Shared Calendars

Setting Your Visibility and Privacy

Shared calendars are the primary tool for coordinating work across our organization. By default, your colleagues can see when you are 'Busy' or 'Free,' and they can usually see the titles of your meetings. This helps teams find a time to collaborate without endless back-and-forth emails. However, if you have a sensitive appointment—such as a doctor's visit or a private 1-on-1—you should mark the event as 'Private' in Outlook. This hides the details from everyone except you, showing only a 'Private Appointment' block. We also recommend setting your 'Working Hours' in the Outlook settings; this warns colleagues if they try to schedule a meeting with you outside of your typical day, helping you maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Using the Scheduling Assistant

Never send a meeting invite without checking the 'Scheduling Assistant' first. This tool provides a grid view of all participants' calendars, allowing you to easily identify a gap where everyone is free. It also shows the availability of conference rooms. If you see that a key participant has a conflict, do not 'double-book' them without prior agreement; instead, look for a different time or reach out to them via Slack to see which meeting they prioritize. Being mindful of others' time by using this tool reduces the administrative burden of rescheduling and ensures that your meetings can actually start on time with everyone present. If you are scheduling with international colleagues, the assistant will also show their local time zones, helping you avoid inviting someone to a meeting in the middle of their night.