The key differentiator between Viva Engage and other internal communications channels is that Viva Engage allows for two-way conversations. Employees can provide feedback, ask questions, share their opinions, connect with leaders, and engage in meaningful conversations in an informal way. 

It’s also a platform to receive immediate information from subject matter experts in times of emergencies or crisis, a place where people can ask and immediately receive answers, and where company news can be amplified – with the ability for people to ask questions and engage in conversation. 

SWOOP Analytics contacted about 40 people we believe to be among the world’s experts in managing and facilitating Viva Engage networks as part of the research into our 2024/25 Viva Engage Benchmarking Report.[1] One question we asked our experts was:

What is the role of Viva Engage in your digital channels strategy?   

The resounding answer was that Viva Engage facilitates two-way conversation, which helps break down organisational hierarchies and silos, and builds connection across different departments. 

For Leonie Challacombe, Principal Advisor (Digital Culture) at Queensland state government Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Viva Engage is not just a communication channel but a key part of the digital workplace. She said Viva Engage enables people to connect, collaborate and learn from colleagues while building digital skills and capabilities in a hybrid working environment.    

TMR uses Viva Engage to create Communities of Practice, where employees can share best practices, ask questions, and learn from each other. It is also a platform to recognise and celebrate the achievements and milestones of employees, creating a culture of recognition and appreciation.   

Fiona Roberts, Senior Digital Engagement Manager at Westpac New Zealand, said a key part of the bank’s channel strategy has always been to provide places for everyone to participate, and Viva Engage fits the bill. 

Westpac New Zealand always intended Viva Engage to be a place to build a local community where every employee at the bank has a voice, everyone can be heard, and traditional organisational and hierarchical divides no longer exist.   

“We’ve achieved that, and over time, it’s become our primary channel for communication, in many instances replacing email, to enable more connection, and feedback, noting that there have been times when it’s been our only channel to communicate with our employees at times of emergency, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mass shootings and the COVID-19 pandemic,” Fiona said.   

She said the bank is purposeful with how it uses Viva Engage, and when.  

“Whilst we still have other communication channels including email, and intranet, there’s been a deliberate move away from those, and of pushing news and information, to using Viva Engage to create and crowdsource news and information and campaigns that engage people,” she said. 

“Using it at the right time and in the right way though, for campaigns and initiatives, is key to its success. For example, when we need our people to share their knowledge, we would lead with Viva Engage, versus a campaign that’s more informational and requires more static channels.” 

Microsoft Viva Engage Adoption and Training Consultant Bernie Murtagh says Viva Engage is at the core of a modern digital channels strategy.  

Bernie says the “secret sauce" of Viva Engage is its commitment to two-way, transparent communication, setting it apart from more traditional broadcast channels like newsletters, live events, email, and SharePoint sites.  

“In today’s ever-changing work environment, transparency and open dialogue are increasingly valued, and Viva Engage delivers both effectively,” she said. 

For Jorn Nurkka, Senior Communication Advisor at Danfoss, Viva Engage is an integrated and important channel in the engineering giant’s internal communication strategy. It is primarily used to share local news and updates.  

Amplifying messaging through Viva Engage 

Kevin Crossman, IT Manager and Content Collaboration Service Owner at Juniper Networks, said while urgent messages are still sent via email, Viva Engage is used as a secondary, or reminder, channel for some messages from corporate communications.  

Evita Puccio, Senior Communications Manager, Internal Engagement, at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, says the key principles for its channel strategy is to keep communication simple, foster conversation, be targeted and relevant, accessible and inclusive, and encourage authentic storytelling.  

She said the way her colleagues consume news and information is evolving, and Viva Engage helps the internal communications team amplify key campaigns and priority messaging using social media tools and mindset, with things like short, catchy posts, gifs and infographics.  

Leonie from TMR also spoke about using Viva Engage to amplify messaging from other channels. Part of TMR’s digital channels strategy involves tailoring messages to different audiences by using topics, hashtags, and communities. 

At Air Canada, Viva Engage is a pivotal part of its omnichannel communication strategy. Andrew Clarke, Manager, Employee Social Media Communications at Air Canada, explains,

As well as amplifying messages, Sean Zintl, Global Intranet & Channels Manager at Sage, says Viva Engage has become a key channel for in-the-moment updates, targeted at larger audiences. Importantly, using Viva Engage to communicate means the subject matter experts can immediately be brought into conversations, skipping the need for the internal comms team to search for answers to questions.  

At Schneider Electric, Viva Engage is used for employees to collaborate, for cross-pollination of ideas, best practices, and skills, and for the employee communications team to amplify content, said Cecile Kozinski, Global Brand and Communications, Channel Owner – SPICE+ and Viva Engage.

Schneider Electric’s employee communications team publishes news articles and videos on the intranet, and then uses a vanity account to post an Announcement on Viva Engage with a link to the intranet page.

Sally Jackson, Senior Manager, Content and Channels, at National Grid said there were three main functions of Viva Engage at the energy group – giving colleagues a voice, allowing leaders to listen to employees and connect, and for cross-department collaboration. 

“Thirdly, it allows for collaboration outside of departments and project teams. This and the second point have become even more important post-COVID for our desk-based workers who often work in hybrid working environments and see each other in person less.” 

What tool when? 

Sean Zintl from Sage said there still remains some confusion amongst colleagues about when to use Viva Engage and when to use Microsoft Teams. 

“Our general rule of thumb is – if you know who you’re talking to directly – use Teams,” he said. 

“If your audience is wider or more opaque, use Viva Engage. It’s still not always clear cut, but as colleagues engage with one another on various channels, they quickly get a sense of where best to go.  

[1] The experts contacted by SWOOP Analytics for this research are people who have been top performers in our previous benchmarking studies and recipients of a SWOOP Analytics Award for Outstanding Collaborative Performance or nominated by peers for the annual SWOOP Analytics Community Manager Award.