Microsoft Yammer, what is it and what is its future?
What is Microsoft Yammer?
Microsoft Yammer is a business communication platform that allows employees to communicate and collaborate in real-time. Users can share information, ideas, and files, and connect with peers in the same organization.
Yammer is known for its social approach, and many compare it to Facebook or LinkedIn in terms of design and functionality.
The platform was founded in 2008 by David Sacks and Adam Pisoni and was acquired by Microsoft in June 2012 for $1.2 billion. At the time, the acquisition of Yammer was seen as a way to strengthen Microsoft’s enterprise product offering to better compete with other platforms such as Salesforce Chatter and Jive.
Since its launch, Yammer has been adopted by thousands of companies worldwide. The platform has been especially popular with companies looking to improve collaboration and communication in their organizations. Since its acquisition, Microsoft has integrated the platform into the Microsoft 365 suite.
The adoption of Yammer has been driven by the need for greater collaboration in organizations. As businesses grow, they become more global and work teams become more dispersed. The need for real-time collaboration tools has become increasingly important. Yammer has filled this need by providing a business communication platform that allows users to communicate and collaborate more effectively and quickly.
What is the future of Microsoft Yammer?
In recent years, there has been much speculation about the future of Yammer within the Microsoft 365 suite. Some companies have expressed concern about the lack of development and improvement of the platform. Meanwhile, others have questioned its place within the Microsoft 365 suite. In addition, there have been rumors about the possible removal of Yammer from the Microsoft 365 suite.
Part of the speculation about Yammer’s future is due to competition with other enterprise collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams. Many companies have begun to adopt Microsoft Teams as their primary collaboration platform. This has led to questions about Yammer’s future within the Microsoft 365 suite.
Yammer and the Microsoft 365 suite
Despite rumors, Microsoft has confirmed that Yammer will remain an integral part of the Microsoft 365 suite. Rather than phasing out the platform, Microsoft is investing resources in its continued development and improvement.
It was in 2020 when Microsoft announced a series of improvements and updates to Yammer. This included the expected integration with Microsoft Teams and improved content moderation capabilities.
Yammer’s integration with Microsoft Teams
One of the most significant and long-awaited updates to Yammer is its integration with Microsoft Teams. With this integration, Yammer users can share Yammer posts in Microsoft Teams channels, enabling greater collaboration and communication between teams.
In addition, with this new integration, Yammer users can access files and documents shared in Microsoft Teams, improving the efficiency and productivity of work teams.
What new features does Microsoft Yammer offer?
Over the last few years, Microsoft has been investing in the development and improvement of Yammer. It has added new functionalities and quality-of-life improvements for users. These updates include new social features, content moderation improvements, integrations with other productivity tools, and a better mobile experience.
Content moderation
A major update for Microsoft Yammer is the enhancement of its content moderation capabilities. Yammer administrators now have more control over the content that is published on the platform. They can easily remove inappropriate or unwanted content.
Social characteristics
Another of Yammer’s new features is the ability to add reactions to posts. Similar to Facebook, users can now respond to posts with a wide variety of emojis. This allows for greater expression of emotions and facilitates social interaction.
In addition, Yammer has also added the ability to assign tags to posts. This makes it easier to organize and search for content within the platform.
Interaction with the Microsoft 365 suite
Yammer’s integration with other productivity tools has also improved considerably. Users can now view and respond to Yammer posts directly from the Outlook mobile app. This allows for greater integration between Microsoft’s communication and productivity tools.
Microsoft Yammer has also been integrated with Microsoft Forms. This allows users to create surveys and questionnaires directly from the platform.
In addition, Yammer can improve transparency and visibility in the enterprise, as users can share updates about their work and keep track of what is happening in other departments.
However, to get the greatest benefits from Yammer, business leaders must encourage employees to use it and provide guidance and training on how to use it effectively.
It is also important to establish clear guidelines on the use of Yammer to ensure that employees use it appropriately and that no misunderstandings or conflicts occur.
Is Microsoft Yammer still a valuable tool?
In conclusion, Yammer has experienced an uncertain path in its evolution within the Microsoft 365 suite. Although the Redmond-based company has indeed managed to clear the doubts and offer a clear path for the future of the tool. The inclusion of Yammer in the 365 suite demonstrates Microsoft’s commitment to collaboration and communication in the business environment, and recent improvements and updates to the platform reflect that commitment.
Despite the growing popularity of messaging tools such as Microsoft Teams, Yammer remains a valuable tool for team communication and collaboration on large-scale projects. The ability to have open and structured conversations in thematic and specific groups is a unique feature of Yammer and one of its greatest strengths.
In addition, Yammer’s integration with other productivity tools and the enhancement of the mobile experience are important steps to keep the platform relevant in an increasingly mobile and connected world.
In short, the future of Microsoft Yammer is bright, and the updates and new features are a clear sign that the solution remains a key tool for fostering collaboration, transparency, and productivity in the workplace.