Updated on 14 February 2023
As part of our #AskFresh series, we’re answering the most common questions we get about Microsoft Viva, and sharing valuable resources to help you find more information. Click on any of the questions below to take you directly to our answer.
- What is Microsoft Viva?
- How to use Viva Insights?
- How does Viva align with existing internal communications platforms and tools?
- What’s the difference between Viva Engage and Yammer?
- Can I use Microsoft Viva for learning and development within a large enterprise organisation?
- How do I get Viva Amplify?
What is Microsoft Viva?
Microsoft Viva is an employee experience and engagement platform built in Microsoft Teams. It connects the work your people are doing every day – calls, meetings and collaboration – with your organisation’s collective knowledge repository. This bridges the gap between work, learning and insights.
There is a growing number of modules available, but some of the ones you might find most relevant to your intranet are:
- Viva Connections: cultivate positive communications
- Viva Engage: connect people across your organisation
Find out more about how Microsoft Viva works in tandem with your Microsoft 365 applications like SharePoint and Teams in our blog.
How do you use Microsoft Viva Insights?
Microsoft Viva Insights provides each user with personalised recommendations designed to help them do their best work. It helps people build better work habits with data-driven insights and recommendations in Microsoft Teams.
Using Viva Insights is simple – you can access tools to keep connected, protect your time and improve meeting culture. Unique recommendations are designed to create a culture where both your people and the organisation can thrive.
How does Viva align with existing internal communications platforms and tools?
Microsoft Viva has a number of modules available in Microsoft Teams, making it a really agile platform. Here’s how we think some of the modules can bring most value to internal communications:
- Viva Connections helps you unlock a mobile experience for your SharePoint intranet straight from the Teams app by bringing personalised company news and strategy closer into the flow of work.
- Viva Engage is all about enterprise social: it helps you promote a sense of belonging for your people, encouraging connection and information sharing.
- Viva Amplify is a new feature that will be launched to allow the creation and management of campaigns for internal communicators.
All in all, the various apps ensure your people can access everything they need to do their job from one platform.
What’s the difference between Viva Engage and Yammer?
Viva Engage and Yammer are designed for fostering collaboration and engagement within your organisation. At the moment the only difference between the two products is that Viva Engage is hosted within Microsoft Teams on desktop and mobile, while Yammer is typically accessed using a web browser or in the dedicated mobile app.
Starting from March, Yammer is being rebranded as Viva Engage. Microsoft will be moving all Yammer experiences into Viva Engage over 2023, starting with the Communities app. You will still be able to access all the functionality of Yammer – it’s just the brand that is being retired.
Can I use Microsoft Viva for learning and development within a large enterprise organisation?
Yes of course. It is worth acknowledging that Viva Learning does not compete with existing, mature learning and development platforms but can provide easy access to ‘snack-based learning’, providing 10- to 20-minute sessions on specific topics.
How do I get Viva Amplify?
You might have heard Microsoft’s announcement of the new Viva Amplify app. It’s designed to enable you to make wide-scale communications more effective by centralising processes and providing guidance to help you create messages that resonate with your people. It makes communications easier and better, and in turn increases the chance of your message being heard.
Viva Amplify is currently enrolling private preview users – it’s expected to be more broadly available in the summer, but we will have all the updates when they’re available.
Want to know more about all things Viva, SharePoint and intranet?
Join Fresh Product Director David Bowman and Head of Product Operations Madeleine Ryderheim on demand at the Digital Revolution³ virtual event hosted by Content+Cloud.
Get a Fresh perspective on your intranet
We’ve created Fresh for organisations looking to get the most out of a modern SharePoint intranet. It brings together all of the features, practices and functionalities that we know can deliver an engaging experience for your people.
If you’d like to know more or have any other questions, we can help. Get in touch about kickstarting your digital workplace strategy with a modern SharePoint intranet.
