This includes standard features like access to internal communications built on integrations with SharePoint, Yammer, and other Microsoft tools.

Viva offers access to team analytics and an integration with LinkedIn Learning and other training content providers - including the likes of SAP SuccessFactors - as well as what Microsoft calls Viva Topics for knowledge sharing within a company.

If you're like most employees, you know that your company spends a lot of money on internal communications and its accompanying intranet offerings -- and you then promptly ignore that in order to get actual work done.

Vole thinks that as remote work is here to stay for many companies, even after the pandemic and if even a small percentage of a company's workforce remains remote or opts for a hybrid approach, those workers still need to have access to the right tools and feel like they are part of the company.

Viva is powered by Microsoft 365 and all of the tools that come with that, as well as integrations with Microsoft Teams, the company's flagship collaboration service, and Yammer, the employee communication tool it acquired back in 2012 and continues to support.

Viva features something called Viva Connections for accessing company news, policies, benefits and internal communities (powered by Yammer), Viva Learning; and Viva Topics, which is knowledge sharing.