When communication is intentional, it doesn’t just inform. It creates clarity and connection. In Session 3 of the Viva Engage Masterclass (season 2), we covered practical ways to build that impact with Storylines, Campaigns, and series-based storytelling.
Below is a recap of the key takeaways you can apply right away.
Why storytelling matters right now
Work is full of constant signals: email, chat, posts, meetings, and in-person interruptions. Microsoft Work Trend Index research describes this as the “infinite workday,” where employee attention is limited and company communications are easy to miss.
What helps is narrative coherence over time: messages that connect into a story employees can recognize, follow, and act on. The goal is to build understanding and momentum.
Use Storylines to build leadership presence
If leaders want to build trust and ongoing connection, their Storyline is an important place for them to show up in Viva Engage. A simple way to think about it:
- Email is delivery
- Meetings are moments
- Storyline is presence
In Viva Engage, Storyline gives leaders a consistent way to share updates, add context, and invite conversation in one place. What Storylines provide:
- Intelligence and targeting: reach defined audiences with the right message.
- Multi-way dialogue: make communication two-way, so people can respond, ask questions, and build on the message.
- Measurable impact: understand what landed through engagement and analytics.
To set a leader up for success with Storyline, start by making sure they’re identified as a leader in the product, assigning delegates who can help draft and publish posts, and defining the audience they want to reach. Then confirm they have the right profile details and a short “about” that matches their role.
Agree on a simple cadence (for example, one post a week), draft the first few posts together, and keep a short list of topics they can pull from.
Strong posts are clear about what they’re trying to do. The session shared a simple way to pressure-test drafts before posting following the 3C model:
- Context: What’s happening?
- Clarity: Why does it matter?
- Connection: What do I want people to do?
One more reminder that came through clearly: engagement doesn’t happen by accident—ask for it. End with a question or prompt that makes it easy to respond.
Used well, Storyline becomes a reliable place for employees to hear directly from leaders and respond in the moment. It helps leaders show up consistently, keep updates connected over time, and build trust through two-way conversation.
- Identify leaders and manage audiences in Viva Engage | Microsoft Learn
- Storylines in Viva Engage - Microsoft Support
- The Engage Chronicles: Leadership Lessons for the Digital Age
Run social campaigns that invite participation
Campaigns help the organization rally around a shared theme through repetition and participation. In the session, we discussed how campaigns can support different goals, such as:
- Driving business initiatives
- Crowdsourcing ideas and experiences
- Creating belonging through employee stories
We also covered the difference between:
- Official (global) campaigns that roll up content across Storylines and communities
- Community campaigns that stay within a specific community (lighter-weight, designed for local participation)
A key takeaway: campaigns work best when they’re designed so employees can join the story—not just read it.
Here are a few campaign examples we shared in the session that translate well to Viva Engage:
- Win. Win. Win. Invite people to share weekly wins, shout-outs, or lessons learned—and encourage others to add their own.
- Product launch or roll out. Announce a new tool or change, then keep everything in one place: tips, FAQs, help resources, and Q&A.
- 30 days of ____. Pick a theme and post a prompt each day (or each week) to keep the story moving and make it easy to join in.
- Leadership series. Have leaders take turns sharing what they’re learning, reading, or trying, then ask employees to share their own.
- Recognition and gratitude. Spotlight individuals and teams who are making an impact and invite peers to add praise.
A simple recipe for success: be clear on the goal, make it easy to participate, and keep a steady posting rhythm.
Even though it’s quick to create a campaign, the work is in the planning. The session shared a straightforward timeline:
- Two+ weeks before: define the theme, align stakeholders
- One week before: define success (KPIs), finalize messaging
- Days before: prep content and resources, remind contributors
- Kickoff: publish the Campaign and start the rhythm
Bring it together with a simple plan: set a clear goal, give people an easy way to participate, and keep the Campaign active with a steady rhythm. Track what’s landing as you go, and close the loop by sharing progress and outcomes.
- Campaigns in Viva Engage - Microsoft Support
- Set up official campaigns in Viva Engage | Microsoft Learn
Think series, not a post
One of the clearest themes from the session: if you want adoption or behavior change, one message won’t do it.
We talked about the “rule of 7” concept. People often need repeated exposure before they act. The practical takeaway is to build a series with:
- A consistent theme
- A recognizable visual style
- A predictable rhythm
When employees “watch for the next drop,” your #campaign has started to stick.
The session also introduced “trend-jacking”: using safe, current memes and social trends to make internal communications feel more creative and fun.
Why this works: relevance, clarity, and connection
We closed with research on how communications cut through the noise—especially for younger employees who have learned to filter fast.
The three elements of communication that cut through the noise are:
- Relevant: tailored to an employee’s context (not just “for everyone”). Start with what the update means for people’s day-to-day work. Make the “why it matters to me” clear up front.
- Clear: easy to scan and understand quickly, with optional depth. If you need to include detail, put the most important point first and add the rest below, so people can read more when they have time. Clarity also means being specific, not vague, about dates, owners, and decisions.
- Connected: designed for dialogue, not “do not reply” broadcasting. End posts with a question that’s easy to answer, or a prompt that invites examples. Respond to early comments so people see that engagement is welcome and valued. Over time, this builds trust and helps employees feel like they’re part of the story, not just receiving updates.
One important point: it’s not that people can’t focus—it’s that they’ve built faster filters. If content doesn’t signal value quickly, it won’t land.
What’s next
The Masterclass continues with Session 4: Designing events employees remember. You’ve got live events coming up soon at your company, this next session will help you plan moments that drive real participation—and follow-through.
You can register for upcoming sessions and explore the full schedule at:
👉 https://aka.ms/VivaEngage/Masterclass
Microsoft