Google said a new RSVP option will allow users to select their attendance as in-person or virtual. Both the organizer of the event and the other guests will see how people are attending in the event details. It’s important to note that the new RSVP options won’t work with contacts on other platforms like Microsoft Outlook. The new feature initially will only be available on Google Calendar, but will soon come to Gmail calendar invitations. Google said the feature gradually will roll out to users in the coming weeks. This is just one of the many Google Workplace updates in recent months. One of the biggest updates came in June when Google announced that anyone with a Google account could access Google Workspace features. Before, features like the ability to share smart suggestions in emails or documents, mention other users to add them to tasks and present in Google Docs, and add Sheets or Slides directly within your Google Meet calls, only were available with a Google Workspace subscription. Google initially announced some of these new Workspace features during May’s Google I/O conference and referred to the new experience as Smart Canvas. The Smart Canvas features, such as inclusive language suggestions and connected checklists, work across Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. These features are especially handy, since many workers have had to work from home this past year and will continue to do so either full-time or in a hybrid setting, as Google noted in its announcement. According to a 2020 study from the University of Chicago, 22% of all full work days are expected to be performed from home after the pandemic ends, compared with just 5% before.
