Creating Meaningful Employee Engagement Using Viva Connections and SharePoint Framework
Digital platforms change how you talk and work with others. Viva Connections and SharePoint Framework give you tools to create Engaging Employee Experiences that make work more fun. You get one place to find what you need fast. You see news and updates that fit what you like. You can join talks with your company and feel like you belong. Developers like you can add new things to these platforms to help people.
Personalized Feeds and Targeting
Community Building
Key Takeaways
Viva Connections puts all the information together. This helps employees find news, resources, and tools easily in one spot.
Fun Employee Experiences help people feel better at work. This makes workers happier and helps them get more done.
Custom dashboard cards give special information to each person. This makes work feel important and fun for everyone.
Mobile-friendly designs let employees stay in touch anywhere. This keeps everyone connected and interested in their work.
Regular updates and feedback keep the digital workplace fresh. This helps employees feel like they belong at work.
Engaging Employee Experiences in the Digital Workplace
Why Engagement Matters
You want your job to feel lively and connected. Engaging Employee Experiences help you feel important and part of the team. Digital tools let you talk with coworkers and share ideas. You can learn new things and find information easily. These tools help you join company events. Research shows digital skills make you more engaged at work. You feel more excited when you have good tools and support.
Here is a table that shows how digital workplace tools help engagement and productivity:
You see better teamwork and quicker learning when your company uses digital platforms. Studies show that feedback and training in digital skills make you happier and more motivated.
Common Challenges
You may run into problems when trying to make Engaging Employee Experiences. Old technology can slow you down and make work tough. Many people feel stressed when they have to learn new tools. Sometimes, companies struggle to match their brand with what employees really feel. Communication can be hard when new systems come quickly.
Here are some common challenges:
You need easy-to-use tools and clear messages to fix these problems. When you feel noticed and get feedback often, you stay more engaged. Companies that care about fairness, freedom, and shared values make better digital workplaces for everyone.
Viva Connections and SharePoint Framework Overview
Viva Connections Essentials
Viva Connections helps bring your company’s digital world together. You get one place to find news, resources, and tools. You see updates that matter to you. You can join team conversations easily. Viva Connections works inside Microsoft Teams. You do not need to switch apps. The dashboard shows different things for different groups. This makes it easy to find what you need.
Here is a table that shows the main features of Viva Connections:
SharePoint Framework Basics
SharePoint Framework lets you build custom solutions for your workplace. You can make web parts and dashboard cards. These work on many devices. You can design new layouts and quick views. This makes information easy to see. Developers use SPFx to add features to Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and Planner. This helps you work faster. You see the right information at the right time.
You can use new visualization and quick view options for better design.
SPFx supports custom Adaptive Card Extensions for Viva Connections.
Responsive web design makes sure your solutions look good on any screen.
SPFx works across Teams, Outlook, and Planner, making your work smoother.
Integration Benefits
When you use Viva Connections with SharePoint Framework, you get a strong platform for Engaging Employee Experiences. You can access emails, documents, meetings, and company news in one place. This saves time and helps you focus on work. Your company can use one design and brand for all tools. Everything feels connected. Regular updates keep your data safe. Updates also improve how the platform works.
Tip: Many companies have seen higher engagement and faster onboarding after using Viva Connections and SharePoint Framework together.
Extending Viva Connections for Custom Solutions
Custom Dashboard Cards
You can make your Viva Connections dashboard better by adding custom dashboard cards. These cards help show the right information to each person. In 2024, there are new ways to use Viva Connections. Now, you can use bots with SharePoint Framework (SPFx). This lets you build things that work with the dashboard. You can also bring your Microsoft Teams bots into Viva Connections. You can build features on the server or on the client.
Custom dashboard cards often use Adaptive Cards. These cards let you show data in a fun and easy way. Many companies use cards like these:
Production Schedule cards show tasks and due dates.
Inventory Alerts warn when stock is low.
Quality Reports share important numbers.
Live Chat Queues give updates for customer service.
Course Progress Dashboards track training.
Executive Scorecards give leaders important facts.
You can make your own cards by following these steps:
Start with Microsoft Viva Connections in your Microsoft 365 tenant.
Use your web development skills to make custom web parts.
Build custom application customizers for more features.
Make Adaptive Card Extensions for interactive cards.
You can also use ready-made third-party Adaptive Cards. You can find community samples, join calls with others, or visit the SharePoint store and Microsoft AppSource for more apps.
Tip: Always make cards for a certain group of people. Use short and clear words for button labels. Make sure your cards look good in both light and dark themes. Use icons and short labels like "View tasks" to help users. Check color contrast to keep your cards easy to use.
Here is a table of best ways to make dashboard cards:
You can learn more by looking at community samples and joining calls with other developers. This helps you find new ways to make Engaging Employee Experiences.
Mobile Experience
You want your dashboard to work well on phones. Viva Connections gives you a mobile-friendly experience. This helps employees stay connected anywhere. The mobile app has three main tabs: Dashboard, Feed, and Resources. You can change the dashboard for different groups. Each person sees what matters most to them.
Making the mobile experience better can help employees feel more engaged and happy. AI-powered intranets, personal content, and new page templates make the mobile experience more fun. Colorful and interesting content on phones makes people read and use your dashboard more.
When you design for mobile, remember these points:
Make it the main place to find company resources.
Help users finish daily tasks quickly and easily.
The mobile app works well with Microsoft Teams. You can get to your intranet from the Teams app. This makes it easy to stay updated and finish tasks anywhere.
Note: Always test your dashboard cards on phones. Make sure buttons are easy to tap and text is easy to read. Use audience targeting to show the right content to the right people.
By focusing on custom dashboard cards and a strong mobile experience, you help make Engaging Employee Experiences. This keeps everyone informed and involved.
Building and Branding with SharePoint Framework
Personalization
You can make your SharePoint look like your company’s brand. Personalization lets employees feel special and noticed. When you change digital spaces for people, they care more about work. This makes work feel important and fun. Companies that care about employee experience do better:
Companies with great employee experience are 12 times more likely to grow their yearly revenue by over 20%.
Organizations with very engaged workers get 21% more profit and 17% more work done than those with less engagement.
Bad employee experience can make people stop caring, which costs the world a lot of money in lost work.
You can change SharePoint by talking to different teams to see what they need. Making your site match your company’s culture helps people feel like they belong. Giving special training helps everyone learn new things and use all the features. These ideas help you make Engaging Employee Experiences that help your company win.
Custom Web Parts
You can make custom web parts with SharePoint Framework for your team. These web parts let you add new tools and features to your site. You should use good steps to make your web parts work well:
Think about what you want before you start building.
Use the right tools, like SPFx and Visual Studio Code.
Make it easy for people to use and understand.
Test your web part on phones and computers.
Use SharePoint’s style so everything looks the same.
Keep data safe and protect private information.
Use version control, like Git, to track changes.
Custom web parts help you share information fast and make jobs easier. You can build dashboards, forms, and cards that fit your company’s needs. When you use SharePoint Framework, you give employees tools that help them do their best work every day.
Real-World Scenarios and Best Practices
Success Stories
You can see how companies use Viva Connections and SharePoint Framework to make work better. Many groups build dashboards that show news, tasks, and resources together. Employees find it easy to join talks and share ideas. Some companies use custom cards to track training or show live updates. Others use mobile dashboards so workers stay connected anywhere.
Let’s see how these changes help people. You can measure success in different ways. Here is a table that shows what companies check:
One company used Viva Connections to share news and updates with all workers. They saw higher NPS scores and better teamwork. Another group built custom dashboards for training. Employees finished courses faster and felt more confident. When you use these tools, you help people feel part of the team. You create Engaging Employee Experiences that make work better.
Adoption Tips
You want everyone to use Viva Connections and SharePoint Framework. Start by making it easy for people to find what they need. Use dashboards that show news, tasks, and resources. Give clear instructions and training. Ask employees to help pick topics and share ideas.
Here are some tips from experts and case studies:
Let all employees help organize topics. This makes everyone feel involved.
Use AI to sort and show information. People find answers faster.
Make it easy to search for experts and resources in SharePoint.
Keep dashboards simple and clear. Use short labels and helpful icons.
Test your site on phones and computers. Make sure everything works well everywhere.
Tip: You can ask for feedback often. Use surveys or quick polls to see what people like. Change your dashboard based on what you learn.
You should avoid common mistakes. Some companies think new tools will fix everything. You need to plan and train your team. Keep your homepage fresh and up to date. Watch how people use your site. Archive old content so things do not get messy.
Here are some pitfalls to avoid:
Do not let your homepage get outdated. Update news and resources often.
Check site metrics to see what works and what needs fixing.
Set rules for adding and removing content. This keeps your site clean.
Invest in good training and clear site design. Help people learn new features.
Note: When you focus on good communication and easy-to-use tools, you help everyone stay engaged. You build a workplace where people feel valued and connected.
You can make work more interesting for employees by using Viva Connections and SharePoint Framework. Set up your dashboard, teach your team, and always update your site.
"Using these three tools needs a good plan. You should design how information is set up, help workers learn, make clear rules, and keep everyone involved."
"Viva Connections is the main way to reach your employee experience. It puts news, chats, apps, tasks, and resources all in one place. People can do their work and see updates without leaving Teams."
Try new ways to grow your platform and make special tools. Work with business leaders to improve your workplace:
Teams share ideas and support each other.
Everyone works together to make new and better things.
FAQ
How do you add a custom dashboard card in Viva Connections?
You start by using SharePoint Framework (SPFx). Build an Adaptive Card Extension. Deploy it to your SharePoint site. Add the card to your Viva Connections dashboard. Test it on both desktop and mobile for best results.
Can you use Viva Connections on your phone?
Yes, you can. Viva Connections works inside the Microsoft Teams mobile app. You see your dashboard, news, and resources. The design fits small screens. You stay connected anywhere.
What skills do you need to build with SharePoint Framework?
You need basic web development skills. Learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Knowing React helps. You use Visual Studio Code for coding. Microsoft provides guides and samples to help you start.
How do you keep your dashboard content fresh?
Update news and resources often. Use audience targeting to show the right content. Ask for feedback from users. Remove old or unused cards. This keeps your dashboard helpful and interesting.
Can you connect Viva Connections with other Microsoft 365 tools?
Yes! You can link Viva Connections with Teams, Outlook, and Planner. This lets you see tasks, emails, and meetings in one place. You save time and work smarter.