We have been getting a lot of questions about Yammer from our clients for the past two years. And we understand why it is so difficult to understand — at first glance, it may appear to be like Microsoft Teams, but a thorough look reveals many similarities with Facebook, Slack, and other communication tools. This is where things become complex because you do not know what you are going to use Yammer for. In this blog, we will explain what Yammer is, why it is distinct from other Microsoft or communication tools, and why you should use it in your organization.
What is Yammer?
Your Office 365 subscription includes Yammer, an Enterprise Social Network (ESN). It enables open-style communication with users both inside and outside your organization. It is specifically designed to function as an exclusive social network for your company.
Yammer is a must-have tool for large-scale (company-wide) communication. Although Yammer is more of a social network than a messaging platform, it does include a basic messaging tool that allows you to send private messages to anyone in your organization. This is what distinguishes it from Slack or Facebook, where you can DM whoever you want. However, if your company uses the Office 365 suite and the entire Microsoft ecosystem, Yammer is ideal because it integrates seamlessly with the rest of Microsoft's products, making it easier to automate some processes.
According to Microsoft's official Yammer article, it "connects leaders, communicators, and employees to build communities, share knowledge, and engage everyone." I feel that engaging people in a remote environment is more important than ever - we must foster engagement and networking to establish strong teams and bonds. As a result, Yammer is an exceptionally strong application within Microsoft 365 that promotes non-work-related collaboration and communication, whereas Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and even SharePoint are typically utilized and built to increase productivity and improve resource allocation.
To recap, Yammer is a social networking application for internal business, similar to "company-designed-Facebook," where your employees simply can have fun and engage in non-work-related conversations.
Why Should You Use Yammer?
- To connect and communicate with people across your organization to exchange ideas and share updates.
- To close the communication gap while also accelerating cooperation, creativity, and networking.
- To leverage the knowledge of others and build on prior work.
- To participate in and build communities to remain informed, network with coworkers, and gather ideas.
- To participate in the discussion by reacting to, replying to, and sharing posts.
- To recognize someone in your network to celebrate an accomplishment or simply to say thanks.
- To hold AMA sessions so that your community can ask questions and interact in real time or view the recording later.
- To create polls to gather input and get answers quickly.
- To provide executives with a new means of communicating key announcements and corporate news in a more easygoing and engaging manner.
- To publicize new hire announcements, benefits, and HR deadlines (like annual tax submission).
- To create external groups and make it less formal to communicate with external stakeholders.
The list goes on and on, as you can see, but it all boils down to communication. Effective communication is a vital element for developing solid, long-term working relationships at all levels of a company. If you invest in providing open lines of communication, you will quickly gain the trust of your staff, resulting in increased productivity, output, and overall morale.
In recent months, the worldwide epidemic has pushed communication into sharper emphasis, as most teams now operate remotely. Poor communication, whether due to personal reasons or a lack of adequate technology, will surely result in unmotivated, poor employees who will begin to doubt their own talents and, eventually, the organization. This is where Yammer comes in.
To make sure you really need Yammer in your company, figure out whether you need it for company-wide collaboration or only for small teams. If we are talking about the first option, go ahead and install Yammer or contact us so we can help you! Alternatively, if you are primarily concerned with small-group communication, Microsoft Teams is the way to go. Try to figure out if you are searching for a corporate version of Facebook or just a communication-focused platform. If you answered yes to the second question, Yammer is not the right tool for you.
About Consovenio
Consovenio is a multicultural team of Microsoft developers and SharePoint Experts who come from many different countries and continents. Yet there is one thing that brings us all together: a passion for current trends in technology and business. We are always eager to learn - and to share what we've discovered with others. That is why we have teamed up on a mission to provide our knowledge and experience to organizations that struggle with their SharePoint Intranet.
We have worked with various companies throughout our 11 years of work experience, ranging from small local businesses to international corporations. Our know - how is your golden opportunity.We are ready to tackle new projects with the kind of confidence that comes from a deep mastery of our field.