Today at Microsoft Inspire, Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, announced Microsoft Viva Engage, the newest app within Microsoft Viva, designed to help organizations build community, spark engagement with leadership, harness knowledge and answers, and build personal networks. Microsoft Viva Engage will be a new and enhanced experience of the current Yammer Communities app for Microsoft Teams and brings new capabilities to connect people, find and share knowledge, express yourself, and find belonging at work.
Introducing Microsoft Viva Engage
Viva Engage also introduces storyline and stories which enables employees to connect with colleagues and share and socialize their thoughts, knowledge, and experiences through conversations, images, and videos.
In a world of hybrid work, Viva Engage gives leaders new tools to shape culture and align their workforce by unlocking communication and engagement opportunities for everyone. And for employees, it provides new ways to build a sense of community, strengthen relationships with coworkers, share their work and perspective, and find answers to their questions.
Deploying Viva Engage
Coming in late August, the Communities app for Teams will be rebranded as Viva Engage, deployable immediately into the Teams desktop, web, and mobile apps. For existing users of the Communities app for Teams, no change will be needed from admins. Current Yammer customers will be able to deploy and pin Viva Engage on the left rail of Teams through the Teams Admin Center. Also in late August, Storyline will open for public preview.
Future of Yammer
Yammer is a key part of Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Viva and this change only impacts the Communities app for Teams & Outlook. The Yammer web experience and the native Yammer mobile apps will continue to be a part of Microsoft 365 SKUs and the same communities, storylines, and stories are made available through both Yammer and the new Viva Engage app. We are continuing to invest in Yammer and bring the powers of Yammer to Microsoft 365 and Viva.
How will Viva Engage and Yammer work together?
For nearly ten years, Yammer has been a leader in employee engagement, and now we are delivering these superpowers into the Microsoft Viva platform to empower people and teams to be their best, have a voice, and feel included in the workplace. We know communities, conversations, cross-company relationships, and personal expression are critical to any thriving culture and organization – and essential pieces of employee experience.
Viva Engage will continue to show the same network, home feed, and communities that you see today in Yammer. Any content created in Yammer.com or mobile – including community conversations, storyline posts, and stories – will be viewable in Viva Engage. Likewise, content created in Engage will show up in Yammer native experiences. Viva Engage will also continue respecting any custom branding done for the Communities app. To use Viva Engage an organization must be licensed for Yammer.
What’s next?
Please communicate this change to the Yammer stakeholders in your organization, including community managers and champions. In late August they will begin to see Viva Engage in places they have historically seen Yammer branding. Stay tuned to the Yammer blog for more details and documentation to help with change management and adoption. We are grateful for the customers who have been on this journey with us and we are looking forward to what’s ahead. Stay tuned as we have much more to share soon!
-Murali Sitaram
CVP, Yammer and Viva
Microsoft
