This blog post is a continuation of the blog series “Use Microsoft Teams the right way”.
Previous blog post “Use Microsoft Teams the right way Part 7 – The new way to add tabs to a Teams channel” was about the new way of adding tabs to a Teams channel.

In this blog post, I write about how to use Private Channels properly and the Pros and Cons of Private Channels.

Microsoft Teams is (as most of you already know) a powerful collaboration tool that offers various features to improve team communication and productivity. As with any other tool (whether it’s a chainsaw, hammer, screwdriver, mobile phone or any other machine or system that is supposed to make your life easier), it is important to use the tools correctly to achieve a good result. Many tools have multiple features, and Microsoft Teams does too. One such feature is “Private Channels” which are designed to provide a secure space for confidential/sensitive conversations and documents. While private channels can sometimes be beneficial, they also have some disadvantages that you should consider.

Limited Visibility and Discoverability

One of the biggest drawbacks of Private Channels is their limited visibility. Only the Team Owner(s), the Private Channel Owners, and the Private Channel Members can see the Private Channel’s existence. Only the Private Channel Owners and the Private Channel Members can see the Private Channel’s content. This can lead to information silos, where critical information is not available to the rest of the team. As a result, team members may miss out on important updates or discussions, which can lead to potential misunderstandings and inefficiencies. If all team members have the right to create private channels, there is a high chance that private channels will be created where the team owner is not included as an owner (or as a member) of the private channel. This creates a high risk that a team owner, for example when a team is no longer relevant, will delete a team that may contain important information in a Private Channel that the team owner does not know exists. This is one of the reasons why I believe that we should not let everyone create private channels.

Administrative burden

Private Channels increase the administrative burden for team owners and IT administrators. Each Private Channel requires separate permissions and settings, which can be time-consuming to configure and maintain. Additionally, as team members change roles or leave the organization, keeping track of who has access to which Private Channels can become a complex task. Each private channel also gets its own hidden special SharePoint site that is not even easily visible to administrators. This makes it more or less impossible to manage and ensure that information is properly controlled and secured. Should your company be subject to an audit, it is very complicated to include documents and dialogue hidden in Private Channels.

Reduced Collaboration and the “whispering game”

Private Channels can unintentionally reduce the necessary collaboration within a team. By isolating conversations and documents, team members may be less likely to share information openly. This can hinder the flow of ideas and reduce the overall effectiveness of the team. This also definitely increases the risk that people will start sending important work-related messages and documents via Private chat groups instead, and then we will have both lousy collaboration and lousy information governance.

In some cases, the use of private channels can create a sense of exclusivity, which can negatively affect team morale and cohesion. Therefore, if the information is not sensitive or confidential, it should not be placed in a Private Channel.

Limited integration with apps

Another drawback of Private Channels is their limited integration with certain apps available in Microsoft Teams. For example, apps like Planner are not available in private channels. This limitation can reduce the tools and resources available to team members, which reduces the functionality and effectiveness of the Private Channel. For example, if you need a Planner in a Private Channel, it is therefore better to replace the Private Channel with a completely separate new Team with a limited number of members so that you can use Planner and other supported apps to work properly without workarounds.

Data Management Challenges

As I mentioned earlier, Private Channels create separate, hidden SharePoint sites for file storage, which can complicate data management. This separation can lead to difficulties tracking and organizing documents, especially when team members need access to files from both the main team and the private channel. Additionally, the proliferation of SharePoint sites can reduce control, increasing the risk of data leakage and making it harder to enforce data governance policies.

Consequences of adding shortcuts to “standalone” apps

When standalone apps (i.e., apps that are not stored in your team’s M365 group but are created/stored outside your team) like Planner are added as web tabs in a private channel, it can lead to several complications. First, these apps are not natively supported in private channels, which means you have to manage access permissions in multiple places. For example, if you add a standalone Planner to a web tab or as a link in a post in your Private Channel, you have to manage permissions in both the Planner app and the Private Channel. This double management is cumbersome and increases the risk of inconsistent access controls, potentially leading to unauthorized access or limited access for legitimate users.

When Private Channels Can Be Useful

Despite these drawbacks, Private Channels can be very beneficial in specific situations. They are ideal for handling sensitive information that should not be available to the entire team, such as HR discussions, financial data or strategic planning. Private Channels can also be useful for project-based work where you have a dedicated project team, where some of the team members (for example, if you are a consulting firm) need to communicate and share documents that should not be seen by other team members (for example, if the team members are partly from the client you are working with in the project).

Conclusion

While Private Channels in Microsoft Teams offer a “safe space” for confidential or sensitive communications, they also have several drawbacks that can impact team collaboration and efficiency. By carefully considering the above drawbacks and using Private Channels wisely, you can strike a balance between security and open communication, and ease administration.

Private channels should only be used when it comes to collaborating on sensitive or confidential information. If this is not the case, there is no reason to use Private Channels just to shield team members from information. In that case, it is better if you use @mentions and or “tags” in the right way and also configure the notification settings in the right way.