All Company - How are you using it, how are you moderating it, what guidance do you have

[Rebecca Jackson]

I am currently assessing our growing Yammer network and creating updated guidance for our teams on what Yammer is for.

I am interested in people's thoughts, opinions and applications of managing All Company in Yammer, whether you are a small or large organisation. I'm seeking other peoples approaches to inform what could work for us.

We know we need to provide guidance, but here are the challenges we are considering:

- Yammer is our key communication channel

- But it is a social network, and we don't want to fight that function

- People tell us they miss important information as consumers

- Those who share posts to All Company often do so 'so everyone can see it'

- Some people post to All Company because they don't think to look elsewhere

- We can move things now... some people don't like that

I feel that even with the best guidance, All Company will always be a spot where people dump the stuff they can't be bothered putting elsewhere. But I am interested in how other companies of different sizes have articulated this, and how much effort goes into managing this.

Note: in an effort to get a range of opinions I have posted a similar question on my Twitter and in another Yammer forum. 

[#2]

Hi Rebecca, I agree it depends on the scale/size of your network.  We have +70,000 Yammer users and our general advice is to not to watch the All Company.  There are many Uservoice requests for All Company enhancements, such as limiting who can post etc. 

All Company does need frequent moderation. 

We see the All Company often as an unintended "dumping ground", especially from mobile Apps. As a network Admin, I do watch the All Company and move posts if I feel that they are not posted correctly. It's more the point that the post will get to the right people in the right group. I think some people think that they are casting the net wider by using All Company but we find the opposite and when explained, most people agree they are better off posting to smaller groups, but of the right people. 

We also have another guideline of deleting Yammer posts on All Company that are simple "re-tweets"  (i.e. a Yammer SHARE without adding new or context comments). Sometimes people think they are "replying" to a group post but actually making a standalone comment to All Company.  

[#3]

Thanks so much for responding Alan, some things for me to think about here.

Very interesting that you are advising to not watch All Company. I had not considered that as an approach. It is where our important announcements go, so would have to think whether that would be confusing for people. I can see though, at 70,000+, your All Company activity would be significantly different to our 200+ people.

Also like your approach to the "re-tweet" behaviour. I have noted people starting to post in a group, then "re-tweet" to All Company, I assume to 'cover their bases'.

[#4]

Rebecca - have you considered creating an "All 'companyname'" group? The all company group is actually algorithmically downplayed in Yammer in general. So that's why it's not a great option. You could create a "dynamic group" so that all employees get automatically added when they join your company. Then you could use it like any other group, you'd get group analytics, you'd be able to make announcements in a normal way...

[#5]

I have been wondering if that is a viable option. Is this something you have done with success, or do you know of other orgs taking this approach?

[#6]

When I used to run another network, yes, we did that. We had less than 9,000 people in the firm, and we were just getting started so had only a couple thousand on the network. It worked really well. This was several years ago, before dynamic groups, and I would have LOVED to have that rather than remembering to add all the new users there. For your 200 people, I think it's a great solution!

[#7]

As the service owner I monitor the posts in All Company and move them if there is a topically appropriate group.

[#8]

I do the same. Do you set guidance around what is "topically appropriate" or just explain as you move them?

[#9]

Just explain as I move (in most cases it is pretty obvious).

[#10]

I'll echo what Kevin said, and add that we recently update the Info section in All Company to provide some guidance/intent around the group as well as highlight our Network guidelines and Yammer 101 group for those who are new to Yammer.