1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,560
Welcome to another episode of Microsoft Knowledge Nuggets here on M365, FM, I'm your host,

2
00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:05,560
Mirko Peters.

3
00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:09,560
Today's topic is one that almost everyone has heard of, but most people can't explain.

4
00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:13,760
Viva Engage, you've probably seen the name pop up in your Microsoft 365 App Launcher.

5
00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,240
Or maybe you've heard someone say it's just YAMMA with a new name?

6
00:00:16,240 --> 00:00:17,540
Actually, it's more than that.

7
00:00:17,540 --> 00:00:21,480
By the end of this episode, you'll know exactly what Viva Engage is, what it's not, and

8
00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:23,680
why your company might actually need it.

9
00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:24,680
Here's the problem.

10
00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:28,200
Since the pandemic, employee engagement has dropped to its lowest point in years.

11
00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:32,560
The estimated cost of lost productivity worldwide, around $10 trillion.

12
00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,880
Microsoft built Viva Engage as part of their answer to that, so in this episode we'll

13
00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:40,000
clear up the YAMMA confusion compared to teams, so you know which tool to use when,

14
00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,760
break down the core features, and show you the business case.

15
00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:44,920
Grab your coffee and let's dive in.

16
00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:46,800
The YAMMA confusion.

17
00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:48,120
What actually changed?

18
00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,320
So let's start with the biggest source of confusion.

19
00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:51,320
What happened to YAMMA?

20
00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:56,080
YAMMA was Microsoft's old enterprise social network, launched back in 2008, and Microsoft

21
00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,600
bought it in 2012 for over a billion dollars.

22
00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:03,160
For about a decade, it was the place where employees could post updates, ask questions, and share

23
00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:04,960
ideas across the whole company.

24
00:01:04,960 --> 00:01:07,200
Think of it as an internal Facebook for work.

25
00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:11,360
But in 2023, Microsoft officially replaced YAMMA with Viva Engage.

26
00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:12,400
Now here's the thing.

27
00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:14,440
The underlying technology is very similar.

28
00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:18,000
Most of the YAMMA features you used before are still there, just under a new name.

29
00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,000
The data migrated over-automatically, so nobody lost anything.

30
00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,920
But the branding and the integration changed significantly.

31
00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:25,240
Here's the key difference.

32
00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:27,280
YAMMA was a standalone social tool.

33
00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,200
You opened it, used it, and that was it.

34
00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:35,000
Viva Engage is part of the larger Viva platform, connecting to tools like Viva Connections,

35
00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,000
Viva Insights, and Viva Learning.

36
00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:38,280
It's not an island anymore.

37
00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:39,880
It's a neighborhood in a bigger city.

38
00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:41,280
Why did Microsoft rebrand?

39
00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:42,280
Simple.

40
00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,960
They wanted a unified Viva family instead of a confusing mix of product names.

41
00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:47,960
YAMMA teams SharePoint Stream.

42
00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,080
It was getting hard for customers to keep track.

43
00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,600
So they folded everything into the Viva brand and engaged became the community and

44
00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:55,480
conversation piece of that puzzle.

45
00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:56,920
What this means for you is straightforward.

46
00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,720
If you used YAMMA before, you already know the basics.

47
00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:05,320
The interface is cleaner, the integration is deeper, but the core idea, company-wide conversations,

48
00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:06,320
is the same.

49
00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,920
If you're new to engage, you're jumping into a more mature, better integrated product

50
00:02:09,920 --> 00:02:12,920
without having to learn the old way first.

51
00:02:12,920 --> 00:02:15,040
Viva Engage vases Microsoft Teams.

52
00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:16,160
Not the same thing.

53
00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:17,760
Here's where people get confused.

54
00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:19,960
Is Viva Engage just another chat app like Teams?

55
00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:20,960
The answer is no.

56
00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,560
Mixing them up is one of the most common mistakes I see.

57
00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:25,640
Teams is a collaboration hub for real-time work.

58
00:02:25,640 --> 00:02:28,640
You use it for chat, meetings, file sharing and project management.

59
00:02:28,640 --> 00:02:30,840
It's built for small groups doing daily tasks.

60
00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,240
Your team has a channel, you talk about the project, you share documents, you jump on

61
00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:38,240
a video call, it's fast, immediate and focused on getting work done.

62
00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:39,800
Engage is a completely different animal.

63
00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:43,400
It's a company-wide community platform for asynchronous conversation.

64
00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,960
That means it's not about real-time chat, you post something and people respond over hours

65
00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:47,960
or days.

66
00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:51,360
It's for the whole organization, not just your project team.

67
00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:52,960
Here's the best analogy I can give you.

68
00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:54,520
This is your team's group chat.

69
00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:56,360
You use it to coordinate the work.

70
00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:57,720
Engage is the company town square.

71
00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,040
That's where everyone can post announcements, ask questions and share ideas.

72
00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,000
You don't go to the town square to close a deal.

73
00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,680
You go there to see what's happening, to ask for help and to connect with people you don't

74
00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:07,880
work with every day.

75
00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,400
Teams conversations are often private to a channel.

76
00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:12,520
You have to be a member to see what's said.

77
00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,520
Engage conversations are typically visible to the whole company.

78
00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:17,120
That's by design.

79
00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:18,600
Transparency is the point.

80
00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,280
When someone posts a question and engage, anyone in the organization can answer.

81
00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:25,040
It's powerful for knowledge sharing and here's the thing.

82
00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:26,360
They're not competing tools.

83
00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:27,600
They complement each other.

84
00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,560
You use teams to get work done and you use engage to build culture, share knowledge and

85
00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,040
connect across departments.

86
00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:34,040
A real example.

87
00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:36,720
A sales team uses teams to close deals.

88
00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,680
They're in a channel, sharing leads, jumping on calls.

89
00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,920
That same team uses engage to ask the whole company, "Hey, anyone have a template for this

90
00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:45,920
type of proposal?"

91
00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:49,840
Instead of emailing 10 people, they post ones and get answers from people they've never

92
00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:50,840
met.

93
00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:52,080
That's the value.

94
00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:56,280
So now that we know what engage isn't, let's talk about what it actually is.

95
00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,040
Starting with its most important feature.

96
00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:02,640
Core Feature 1, Communities, your company's interest groups.

97
00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:04,280
Communities are the heart of Viva Engage.

98
00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:08,880
They are topic-based or role-based groups where employees connect around shared interests.

99
00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:10,880
Think of them like subreddits for your company.

100
00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,640
You might have one for new product launches, one for IT support tips and one for the company

101
00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:15,640
softball team.

102
00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:17,960
Each community is its own little world.

103
00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:18,960
Communities can be public.

104
00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:20,600
Anyone can join and see posts.

105
00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,360
Before they can be private where only approved members get access.

106
00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:27,320
That flexibility matters because some conversations need to be open to everyone and some need a more

107
00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:28,320
focused audience.

108
00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,640
A public community about AI adoption makes sense for the whole company.

109
00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,960
A private community for the executive leadership team probably doesn't.

110
00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:40,240
Inside a community, members can post discussions, ask questions, give praise and run polls.

111
00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:44,040
It's social media for work, you can share a screenshot of something cool you built, ask

112
00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,720
for advice on a tricky problem, or just give a shout out to a colleague who helped you

113
00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:48,720
out.

114
00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:49,720
The format is familiar.

115
00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,280
Anyone who's used Facebook, LinkedIn or Reddit will feel right at home.

116
00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:54,280
Why does this matter?

117
00:04:54,280 --> 00:04:56,960
Because communities break down silos between departments.

118
00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:01,200
A marketing person and an engineer can connect over shared interest in AI without needing

119
00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:02,320
to be on the same team.

120
00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,320
In a traditional company structure, those two people might never talk.

121
00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:09,320
But in a community about AI adoption, they can share tips, ask questions and learn from

122
00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:10,320
each other.

123
00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:12,720
That cross-pollination is where a lot of innovation happens.

124
00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,240
Here's a real example from the research I looked at.

125
00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,360
One company created a co-pilot early adopters community.

126
00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:21,440
These posted tips about how they were using co-pilot in their daily work.

127
00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:23,840
They shared screenshots of prompts that worked well.

128
00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:26,280
They asked questions when something didn't work as expected.

129
00:05:26,280 --> 00:05:28,320
And other employees answered those questions.

130
00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:32,320
Not IT, not a help desk, just regular co-workers who had already figured it out.

131
00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:35,240
That kind of peer-to-peer learning is incredibly powerful.

132
00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:39,080
It's faster than waiting for formal training, and it builds a sense of shared ownership.

133
00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,920
Each community also has its own files tab, analytics dashboard and event calendar.

134
00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:44,320
It's a self-contained hub.

135
00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,920
You don't need to jump between different tools to find the files, see who's active, or

136
00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:48,920
check what's coming up.

137
00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:49,920
It's all right there.

138
00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:51,120
What this means for you is simple.

139
00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:54,840
If you want to start using engage, find or create a community around something you care

140
00:05:54,840 --> 00:05:55,840
about.

141
00:05:55,840 --> 00:05:56,840
That's your entry point.

142
00:05:56,840 --> 00:05:58,920
Don't try to understand the whole platform at once.

143
00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,920
Just join one community, post something and see what happens.

144
00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:04,600
Core feature 2, Storyline's a leadership corner.

145
00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,800
Communities are great for group conversations, but they don't give individual voices.

146
00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:08,800
Especially leaders.

147
00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:09,800
Their own spotlight.

148
00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:11,320
That's where Storylines come in.

149
00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:16,080
They're personal feeds that let people like leaders share updates, insights and announcements.

150
00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,640
Think of it as a linked in-feed for your company.

151
00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:22,560
Leaders post employees follow and it all shows up on the home screen giving you a direct

152
00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,000
line from the top to the rest of the organization.

153
00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:26,480
Now here's the thing.

154
00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:28,920
Storylines humanize leadership.

155
00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:33,040
Instead of those dry all company emails that nobody reads, leaders can post authentic

156
00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,760
updates, respond to comments and build real connections.

157
00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:39,520
A CEO might post a quick video about what they're working on.

158
00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:44,240
A department head can share a team win and employees can comment with questions or reactions.

159
00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:46,680
There's two-way communication not just broadcast.

160
00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,320
There's also a dedicated section called leadership corner.

161
00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:51,520
It highlights the leaders you've designated.

162
00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,840
Employees can follow specific leaders to see their content in the feed.

163
00:06:54,840 --> 00:06:57,600
That way, leadership voices don't get lost in the noise.

164
00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,760
Storylines appear on the home feed so they get a lot of visibility.

165
00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:04,840
When someone opens in gauge, the first thing they see is the home feed and Storylines are

166
00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:05,840
right at the top.

167
00:07:05,840 --> 00:07:07,800
That's a lot of eyeballs for a single post.

168
00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:08,800
Here's a real example.

169
00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,080
A CEO posts a weekly update about company priorities.

170
00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:14,560
Maybe a short video, maybe a written post.

171
00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:17,520
Employees can comment with questions and the CEO responds.

172
00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:21,160
That's a massive shift from the old model where the CEO sent a quarterly email and nobody

173
00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:22,160
could reply.

174
00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,600
It creates a culture of openness and accessibility.

175
00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:26,320
What this means for you depends on your role.

176
00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,320
If you're a leader, Storylines give you a direct line to your people.

177
00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,560
You can share what matters, get feedback and build trust.

178
00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,280
If you're an employee, you get unfiltered access to leadership thinking.

179
00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:40,400
You don't have to rely on second-hand information or filtered messages from middle management.

180
00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,160
You hear it directly from the person making the decisions.

181
00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:44,760
Core Feature 3.

182
00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,160
Campaigns, events and analytics.

183
00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:50,880
Communities and Storylines are the foundation, but in gauge has more advanced features for

184
00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:52,440
driving specific initiatives.

185
00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:53,440
That's where campaigns come in.

186
00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,760
They let you organize content around a specific goal or initiative like rolling out

187
00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:58,440
co-pilot and driving adoption.

188
00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:02,280
You could create a campaign called co-pilot adoption month with a name, description, goal

189
00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:03,480
and timeline.

190
00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,440
Every post event and resource related to that initiative lives under that campaign.

191
00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,560
It gets scattered across different communities or lost in the feed.

192
00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,640
Now, here's why campaigns matter.

193
00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:16,440
Without them, big initiatives become a mess of disconnected posts.

194
00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:20,200
Someone shares a tip in one community and event gets announced in another and a training

195
00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:22,200
resource ends up in a third place.

196
00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:23,920
Nobody sees the full picture.

197
00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:25,480
Campaigns give structure to that chaos.

198
00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,960
You can track engagement, measure success and see exactly what's working and what isn't.

199
00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:31,440
Events are another key feature.

200
00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:35,120
An engage lets you create live events like ask me anything sessions or town halls that

201
00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:36,800
integrate with teams for streaming.

202
00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,040
You don't need a separate tool for broadcasting.

203
00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:40,040
It's all built in.

204
00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:41,160
Here's a real example.

205
00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:45,440
A company sets up and asks me anything event with the CTO.

206
00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:46,840
Employees submit questions in advance.

207
00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,360
The CTO answers them live and the whole thing streams through teams.

208
00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:54,320
Afterward, the recording stays in the community so anyone who missed it can watch later.

209
00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:56,360
That's a lot of value from a single event.

210
00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:57,480
Analytics round out the picture.

211
00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:01,480
They show you who's engaging, which posts are popular and how communities are growing.

212
00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:05,240
You can see which topics get the most attention and which ones fall flat.

213
00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:07,960
The data is gold for improving your communication strategy.

214
00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:12,160
With a premium license, you get deeper insights into sentiment, influence and trends.

215
00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,480
You can see not just what people are clicking on but how they feel about it.

216
00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,920
What this means for you is that campaigns turn engage from a casual social tool into a strategic

217
00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:21,320
communications platform.

218
00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,440
You're not just posting and hoping people see it.

219
00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,760
You're running structured initiatives with clear goals and measurable outcomes.

220
00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:29,160
That's a completely different level of capability.

221
00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,360
Where Viva engage fits in the Microsoft Viva suite.

222
00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:36,040
So engage does a lot on its own but it's even more powerful when you see where it fits in

223
00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:37,560
the bigger Viva picture.

224
00:09:37,560 --> 00:09:40,200
Viva is Microsoft's employee experience platform.

225
00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:41,280
It's not one app.

226
00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:42,600
It's a family of apps.

227
00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:43,960
Each solving a different problem.

228
00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:48,320
The full suite includes connections, engage, amplify, insights, glint, pulse, learning

229
00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:49,320
goals and sales.

230
00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,160
That's a lot of names but each one has a specific job.

231
00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,640
When you understand the role of each app, you can stop guessing and start using the right

232
00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:57,120
tool for the right task.

233
00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,400
Viva engage is the communities and culture app.

234
00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:02,680
This job is connection, conversation and belonging.

235
00:10:02,680 --> 00:10:06,520
People use it to talk across the company, share ideas and build relationships.

236
00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:07,920
That's its lane and it stays in it.

237
00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:11,120
It's the place where culture happens, not where policies are announced.

238
00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,200
Viva connections is the digital front door.

239
00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:17,640
It pulls news, resources and tools into a single dashboard inside teams.

240
00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:19,560
Think of it as the homepage for your work life.

241
00:10:19,560 --> 00:10:23,880
You open connections and see company news, quick links to HR tools and personalized content.

242
00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:26,000
It's the starting point, not the conversation space.

243
00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,080
You go there to get oriented, then you go to engage to discuss.

244
00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:31,600
Viva Amplify is for corporate communications.

245
00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:35,600
It handles campaign management, publishing and reporting for communicators.

246
00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:39,640
If you're running a company-wide initiative and need to push content across multiple channels,

247
00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:43,520
outlook, teams, sharepoint, amplify is the tool.

248
00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:45,520
Engage is where the conversation happens.

249
00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:48,000
Amplify is where the message gets built and distributed.

250
00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:49,000
They work together.

251
00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:51,640
Amplify sends the message, engage, discusses it.

252
00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:53,520
Viva Insights Tracks work patterns.

253
00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:57,600
It looks at meeting overload, focus time, after hours work and collaboration patterns.

254
00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:02,120
The goal is to improve wellbeing and productivity by giving people and managers data about how

255
00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:03,640
they actually spend their time.

256
00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:06,240
It's not about surveillance, it's about awareness.

257
00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,080
It shows you patterns so you can make better choices.

258
00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:12,440
Viva Glint and Viva Pulse handle surveys and feedback at different scales.

259
00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:16,960
Glint is for organization-wide engagement surveys with benchmarking and advanced analytics.

260
00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,360
Pulse is for quick, manager-led check-ins.

261
00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,840
Glint is the annual deep dive while pulse is the weekly temperature check.

262
00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,320
They serve different purposes but work together.

263
00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:28,560
Use Glint for the big picture and pulse for the day to day.

264
00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:30,440
Viva Learning brings training into teams.

265
00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,480
No more separate learning portals with different logins and passwords.

266
00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,800
You find courses, complete them and share recommendations.

267
00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:38,080
All without leaving teams.

268
00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,160
It's training integrated into your workflow.

269
00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:41,360
The key insight is simple.

270
00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:43,320
Each Viva app has a specific job.

271
00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:45,720
Engage handles community and conversation.

272
00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,120
Don't try to use it for things the other apps do better.

273
00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,520
If you need to run a company-wide survey use Glint.

274
00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:53,440
If you need to build a personalized dashboard use connections.

275
00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:57,320
If you need to manage a multi-channel campaign use amplify.

276
00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:01,520
Engages for the human side, the conversations, the connections, the culture, that's where

277
00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:02,520
it shines.

278
00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:07,320
Knowing which app to use for which need is the secret to getting the most out of Viva.

279
00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:08,440
The business case.

280
00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:10,200
Why engagement platforms matter.

281
00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:11,800
All this sounds great in theory.

282
00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:13,240
But does it actually make a difference?

283
00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:14,520
Let's look at the numbers.

284
00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:18,120
Employee engagement has been declining since the pandemic and it's now at its lowest

285
00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:19,360
point in years.

286
00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:22,040
Gallup tracks this stuff closely and the trend is not good.

287
00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:25,440
People feel disconnected from their companies, their co-workers and the mission.

288
00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:26,920
That's not just a feel-good problem.

289
00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,320
It's a business problem with a massive price tag.

290
00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,720
When people aren't engaged, everything slows down.

291
00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:36,560
The estimated global cost of loss productivity from this engagement is about $10 trillion.

292
00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:40,080
That's trillion with a T. When people aren't engaged, they're not just unhappy.

293
00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:43,920
They're less productive, make more mistakes and are more likely to leave.

294
00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:47,400
Replacing an employee costs anywhere from half to two times their annual salary.

295
00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:48,760
The math adds up fast.

296
00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:52,600
For a company with a thousand employees, that's a huge potential loss.

297
00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:56,600
When you factor in the cost of hiring and training replacements, the impact is even bigger.

298
00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:58,720
But the other side is just as dramatic.

299
00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:05,280
Companies in the top quartile for engagement have 81% lower absenteeism and 23% higher profitability.

300
00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:06,280
That's not a small bump.

301
00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,800
It's a significant competitive advantage.

302
00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:11,600
Engaged employees show up more, work harder and stay longer.

303
00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:15,000
It's one of the highest leverage investments a company can make.

304
00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:18,320
Compared to other initiatives, improving engagement has one of the best returns.

305
00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:20,080
Here's a number that really matters.

306
00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:23,440
Managers account for 70% of the variance in team-level engagement.

307
00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:24,440
Think about that.

308
00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:28,560
Seven out of every 10 points of engagement difference between teams comes down to the manager.

309
00:13:28,560 --> 00:13:32,240
That means leadership, visibility and communication matter enormously.

310
00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,240
It's not about perks or ping-pong tables.

311
00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:38,960
It's about whether people feel seen, heard and connected to what's happening above them.

312
00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:43,040
Engaged gives managers a platform to be visible and communicate regularly.

313
00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:45,320
That visibility directly impacts engagement scores.

314
00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:50,640
In a 2024 survey, 84% of organizations said they believe investing in employee experience

315
00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:52,600
software provides positive value.

316
00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:53,920
That's not a niche opinion.

317
00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:56,560
It's the vast majority of companies saying this stuff works.

318
00:13:56,560 --> 00:14:00,640
They're seeing improvements in retention, productivity and culture.

319
00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:01,640
The evidence is piling up.

320
00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:03,120
It's not just a trend.

321
00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:04,520
It's a strategic shift.

322
00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:09,360
Viva Engage addresses a specific problem that's gotten worse with hybrid and remote work.

323
00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:12,120
Employees feel disconnected from the company mission and from each other.

324
00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:15,680
They don't know what's happening in other departments or have a way to ask questions across

325
00:14:15,680 --> 00:14:16,840
the organization.

326
00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:18,360
They feel isolated.

327
00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,360
Engage breaks down those silos by giving everyone a shared space.

328
00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:25,960
By giving people a place to ask questions, share wins and connect with leaders, engage tackles,

329
00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:27,920
isolation and knowledge hoarding.

330
00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,240
It creates a culture where information flows freely instead of getting stuck in silos.

331
00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:32,720
And that's not a nice to have.

332
00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,320
That's a fundamental shift in how a company operates.

333
00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:38,960
Instead of information staying in one department, it spreads across the whole company.

334
00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:40,280
What this means for you is simple.

335
00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:42,040
This isn't a nice to have tool.

336
00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:47,320
The data shows engaged employees are more productive, healthier and less likely to quit.

337
00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:51,760
If your company is struggling with retention or culture, engage is a tool that directly addresses

338
00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:52,760
those problems.

339
00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:56,160
It's a direct investment in your people and your bottom line.

340
00:14:56,160 --> 00:15:00,320
If you're looking for a way to improve retention, productivity and culture, this is a tool

341
00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:01,840
worth considering.

342
00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:03,400
Licensing and getting started.

343
00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:04,640
So you're convinced.

344
00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,000
What does it actually cost and how do you get started?

345
00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:11,640
The basic Viva Engage features, communities, conversations, storylines and basic analytics

346
00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:14,800
come bundled with most Microsoft 365 business plans.

347
00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:19,040
If your company has Microsoft 365, you can start using Engage right now without spending

348
00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:20,040
an extra dollar.

349
00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:21,880
No special setup, no hidden fees.

350
00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:23,880
Premium features are a different story.

351
00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:27,920
Advanced analytics, campaigns and leadership corner require an additional license.

352
00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,000
If you want to run structured initiatives with measurable outcomes, you'll need to pay

353
00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:32,000
for the upgrade.

354
00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:33,960
Let's break down the two license options.

355
00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:38,360
First, the Viva employee communications and communities license, often called CNC.

356
00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:40,800
It covers engage, amplify and connections.

357
00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:44,360
If community and communication is your priority, this is the one you want.

358
00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:49,000
It gives you the tools to build culture, run campaigns and keep people informed without buying

359
00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:50,000
the full suite.

360
00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:51,760
Second, the full Viva suite license.

361
00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,280
This gives you everything.

362
00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,760
Engage, insights, glint, pulse, learning, goals and more.

363
00:15:56,760 --> 00:15:57,960
It's the all-in-one package.

364
00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:01,440
If your organization wants to tackle employee experience from every angle, this is the

365
00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:02,440
way to go.

366
00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:03,440
Getting started?

367
00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:08,880
Go to engage.cloud.microsoft in your browser or find engage in your Microsoft 365 app

368
00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:09,880
launcher.

369
00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:14,080
Also available inside Teams, just search for engage in the left navigation and pin it.

370
00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:15,080
That's it.

371
00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:16,080
You're in.

372
00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:19,040
What this means for you is that there's no barrier to trying it.

373
00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:20,200
Start with the free version.

374
00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:24,120
Most organizations get real value from the basic features before they ever need premium.

375
00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:25,760
You can always upgrade later.

376
00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:26,920
So that's the big picture.

377
00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:29,920
Viva engage is Microsoft's answer to a real problem.

378
00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:32,280
Disconnected employees and fragmented company culture.

379
00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:33,560
It's not Yammer rebranded.

380
00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:37,400
It's a modern community platform integrated into the Viva suite and Teams.

381
00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:39,360
Remember three key pieces.

382
00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:40,800
Bring people together.

383
00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:44,800
Storylines give leadership visibility and campaigns drive initiatives.

384
00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,480
Start small by finding or creating one community around a topic you care about.

385
00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:50,320
Post something and see what happens.

386
00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:53,440
Subscribe to Microsoft Knowledge Nuggets for more plain English breakdowns of Microsoft's

387
00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:54,440
tools.

388
00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:55,960
And drop a comment if you've used engage.

389
00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:56,840
What worked for your company?