In the past, Microsoft designed their technology to make employees as productive as possible. Microsoft tools like Teams, SharePoint and Office are built with great productivity features, which gets employees doing more in less time. 

Recently Microsoft has shifted gear slightly by investing in technology that focuses more on employee wellbeing. The pandemic helped fast-track this by showing how people work better when they are happier and have a better work/life balance. 

One of the significant products that Microsoft has released is Microsoft Viva, an employee experience platform. Here are four reasons why you should care about Viva. 

1. Happier employees are more productive

Several research studies have established the connection between employee happiness, employee engagement, and employee performance.

Viva helps create a healthy work environment, builds a sense of workplace community, and helps employees improve their work/life balance. These factors are significant to ensure employees feel valued, engaged and happy.

2. Retain your best people

Replacing employees is expensive. Advertising your company to future candidates, interviewing, onboarding, and training take many hours. This creates a high cost for your organization. 

Microsoft designed elements of Viva to improve employee wellbeing, ensuring your employees are engaged and happy, reducing the loss of a good person, knowledge and skills they take with them. 

3. Microsoft is investing in employee experience

Microsoft released Microsoft Viva in 2021 with four modules. Already in the last few months, they have added two more modules to Viva and a Dynamics integration product. Microsoft\’s investment in Viva should show just how important they think it is and how technology is shifting towards people. Keeping up with the changes in technology means keeping up with the changes in culture. 

4. Some of Viva already comes with Office 365

Many elements of Viva come with Office 365 licensing, so chances are you already have the technology in place. Viva Connections, Viva Engage and some features of Viva Learning and Insights come with Office 365, so you can use the technology you are already paying for.