Microsoft Viva Engage

What is Microsoft Viva Engage?

Microsoft Viva Engage is Microsoft's employee communication and community tool (formerly Yammer), part of Microsoft Viva and integrated with Microsoft 365 and Teams, the natural internal community choice for Microsoft organisations. It provides communities, conversations, news and announcements, and a social, feed based space for employees to connect and leaders to communicate, integrated into Microsoft 365 and accessible within Teams, and part of the Microsoft Viva employee experience suite. Available with Microsoft 365 (and expanded via Viva), Viva Engage is the built in way for Microsoft organisations to run internal communities and employee communication within their existing stack. For the Microsoft ecosystem, Viva Engage is a natural choice.

Microsoft Viva Engage's distinction is being Microsoft's built in employee community tool, integrated with Microsoft 365 and Teams. For Microsoft organisations, it provides internal communities and communication within the tools they already use, accessible in Teams and included with Microsoft 365, so there is no separate platform to buy for basic community and comms, which standalone intranets do not offer for Microsoft integration and bundling. That Microsoft integration and bundling set it apart, though it is less a full intranet than dedicated platforms.

Who Microsoft Viva Engage is best for

Microsoft Viva Engage is best for organisations on Microsoft 365 that want built in internal communities, conversations and employee communication integrated with Teams and the Microsoft ecosystem, especially since it comes with Microsoft 365. It suits Microsoft centric organisations. It is a weaker fit for those wanting a polished, full employee experience intranet, where Simpplr or Unily fit, strong frontline comms, where Staffbase fits, engagement led culture, where Workvivo fits, or a simple standalone intranet, where Jostle fits.

Key features

The core strengths are communities and conversations, news and announcements, a social feed for employees and leaders, integration into Microsoft 365 and access within Teams, and inclusion in the Microsoft Viva employee experience suite. Viva Engage offers built in community and comms in the Microsoft ecosystem. Its Microsoft integration and bundling are its defining advantages, though it is less a full intranet.

Microsoft Viva Engage pricing

Microsoft Viva Engage is included with Microsoft 365 plans (as the successor to Yammer), with additional capabilities available via Microsoft Viva suite or Viva Engage premium licences. So Microsoft organisations largely get it as part of Microsoft 365, with extras as paid add ons. Costs follow your Microsoft licensing. Confirm details via Microsoft 365.

Integrations and ecosystem

Microsoft Viva Engage is integrated with Microsoft 365 and Teams (accessible as an app within Teams), SharePoint and the Microsoft Viva suite. Its native Microsoft 365 and Teams integration, which puts employee communities and communication inside the Microsoft tools people already use, is a signature strength for Microsoft organisations.

Viva Engage and the Microsoft ecosystem

Built in employee community integrated with Microsoft 365 and Teams is the signature strength: Viva Engage provides internal communities and communication within the Microsoft tools organisations already use, accessible in Teams and included with Microsoft 365, so there is no separate platform to buy for basic community and comms, which standalone intranets do not offer. For Microsoft organisations, this is the main reason to use it.

Ease of use and support

Microsoft Viva Engage is rated for Microsoft integration, community features and bundling, with Microsoft support, though its 3.9 rating reflects that it is less a polished, full intranet than dedicated platforms, and the Yammer legacy. Its G2 reviews note Microsoft integration and community, with being less a full experience platform the main consideration.

Is Microsoft Viva Engage worth it?

For organisations on Microsoft 365 that want built in internal communities and employee communication integrated with Teams, Viva Engage is a sensible, largely bundled choice. The main caution is that it is less a polished, full employee experience intranet than dedicated platforms, so those wanting a richer hub may prefer Simpplr or Unily, frontline comms Staffbase, engagement Workvivo, and a simple intranet Jostle, but for the Microsoft ecosystem Viva Engage is a natural pick.