Describe how Yammer helps communities connect and grow

Breaking Down Silos:

Yammer helps break down organizational silos by allowing employees from different departments, geographic locations, and levels of seniority to connect and communicate. Unlike traditional email communication, Yammer provides a platform for open discussion, which can foster a sense of community and belonging across the organization.

User Profiles and Directories:

Each user on Yammer has a profile that lists their expertise, interests, and role within the company. This makes it easier for individuals to find and connect with colleagues who have specific knowledge or skills, enabling the growth of a network of professionals within the community.

Empowering Community Collaboration

Groups and Communities:

Yammer allows users to create and participate in groups centered around specific topics, projects, or interests. These groups can be public to the entire organization or private for selected members. By joining groups, employees can engage in focused discussions, share resources, and collaborate on documents.

Shared Documents and Co-Authoring:

With Yammer’s integration with SharePoint and OneDrive, community members can easily share and collaboratively edit documents. This co-authoring capability keeps all contributions transparent and streamlined, allowing for real-time updates and reducing version control issues.

Events and Live Video:

Communities can organize events, webinars, and live video sessions within Yammer. These events facilitate real-time engagement and provide opportunities for community members to learn and interact with each other, regardless of their physical location.

Enhancing Knowledge Sharing and Innovation

Threaded Conversations:

Discussions in Yammer are threaded, meaning that replies to posts are nested within the original message. This keeps conversations organized and ensures that context is maintained, making it easier for community members to follow discussions and contribute their insights.

Praise and Recognition:

Yammer has a feature that allows users to publicly recognize and praise their colleagues for their contributions. This not only boosts morale but also highlights expertise within the community, encouraging others to seek out and learn from those recognized individuals.

Polls and Surveys:

Communities can gather opinions and feedback through polls and surveys within Yammer. This helps in making inclusive decisions and also in gauging the community’s sentiments on various topics, driving data-informed strategies for community growth.

Ensuring Community Management and Engagement

Analytics and Insights:

Community managers can use Yammer’s built-in analytics to track engagement, measure the reach of posts, and understand how the community is growing. This data can then inform strategies to boost interaction and ensure that the community is aligning with the organization’s objectives.

Customization and Branding:

Yammer allows for the customization of community spaces, including branding with company logos and colors. This personalization helps in creating a sense of identity and ownership among community members.

Integration with Other Microsoft 365 Tools:

Yammer seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft 365 tools such as Teams, Outlook, and Planner. This means that communities can not only connect on the Yammer platform but also take advantage of the broader ecosystem to manage projects, schedule meetings, and communicate through various channels.

Conclusion

Yammer fosters a connected and growing community within organizations by offering a range of features that facilitate communication, collaboration, engagement, and knowledge sharing. Its integration with Microsoft 365 enhances its capabilities and provides a comprehensive environment for communities to thrive. As organizations continue to look for ways to bolster internal networks and streamline collaboration, Yammer serves as a pivotal tool within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem to achieve these goals.

By capitalizing on Yammer’s features and fostering a culture of open communication and collaboration, organizations can build robust, dynamic, and engaged communities that are well-positioned for success in an increasingly connected world.