Microsoft Viva – An Overview

Microsoft Viva is an employee experience platform that is designed to improve collaboration, communication, learning, and well-being within an organization. It was launched in 2021 and Viva is integrated with Microsoft Teams. It is comprised of four main components: Viva Connections, Viva Insights, Viva Learning, and Viva Topics. Each of these modules addresses different elements of the employee experience, working to foster a more connected and engaged workforce.

An Overview of Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint, conversely, is a robust content management and collaboration platform that has been around for nearly two decades. It allows its users to create, store, and manage documents, collaborate on projects, and build intranet sites to share information within their organizations. Microsoft SharePoint integrates with other Microsoft products like Office 365 and can be tailored and customized to meet a significant range of business needs.

ROI Considerations for Implementing Microsoft Viva:

• • Enhanced Employee Engagement: Microsoft Viva’s focus on the employee experience translates to higher engagement and productivity, which can ultimately lead to increased revenue and reduced turnover costs.

• • Improved Knowledge Management: Viva Topics uses AI to automatically identify and organize valuable company knowledge, which reduces time spent searching for information and increasing overall efficiency.
  • Streamlined Learning: Viva Learning centralizes training resources, making it easier for employees to access and complete relevant training. This can lead to higher skills proficiency and better performance.
  • Employee Well-being: Viva Insights offers personalized recommendations for better work habits and well-being, leading to a healthier, more productive workforce in your organization.

ROI Considerations for Utilizing Microsoft SharePoint

• • Cost Savings: SharePoint is usually more cost-effective than Viva, particularly for smaller organizations with more limited budgets.
  • Customization: The flexibility of SharePoint allows for significant customization to match unique business processes, which can often result in improved workflow efficiency.
  • Document Management: SharePoint excels at document management and collaboration, with features like version control, co-authoring, and approval workflows that can save your organization time as well as reduce errors.

Conclusion – Microsoft Viva versus Microsoft SharePoint – Which to Choose?

When evaluating the ROI of investing in Microsoft Viva versus Microsoft SharePoint, it is critical to consider your organization’s specific needs and objectives. Microsoft Viva provides a comprehensive employee experience platform that is designed to improve engagement, collaboration, learning, and well-being, while Microsoft SharePoint is a powerful content management and collaboration tool that can be tailored and customized to fit various business processes.

If your organization wants to emphasize employee engagement, knowledge management, and well-being, Microsoft Viva may provide you with a higher ROI. If cost-effectiveness and customization for specific workflows are your main concerns, Microsoft SharePoint may be the better choice. Ultimately, understanding your company’s requirements and goals will allow you to make the most informed (and best) decision.

Curious about implementing Microsoft Viva or Microsoft SharePoint for your business?  Contact 6th Street Consulting today to schedule your free consultation.

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What’s the Difference Between the Two?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a comprehensive security solution that helps organizations protect against a wide range of threats, including malware, viruses, and phishing attacks. It also includes features like device management and data loss prevention.

Office 365 E5, on the other hand, is primarily a productivity suite. It includes features like email, calendar, and contacts. However, it also includes some security features, like advanced threat protection and information rights management.

So which one should you recommend to your clients? It really depends on their needs. If they’re primarily concerned with productivity, then Office 365 E5 is the way to go. However, if security is their main concern, then Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is the better option.

What Comes With Each?

Office 365 is a cloud-based productivity suite that includes a variety of tools for businesses, such as Exchange Online for email, SharePoint Online for collaboration, and Azure Active Directory for identity and access management.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a comprehensive security solution that helps protect your business against a wide range of threats, including malware, viruses, and phishing attacks. Defender for Endpoint includes advanced features like next-gen protection, detection, and response capabilities.

Key Differences to Note

One key difference between the two is that Office 365 does not include any endpoint security features, whereas Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is specifically designed to help protect your business against endpoint threats.
Another difference is that Office 365 is primarily a productivity suite, while Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is primarily a security solution. This means that the two products are designed to meet different needs for businesses.

Choosing Between the Two

As a business consultant, it’s important to be able to recommend the right Microsoft product for your client’s needs. In this blog post, we’ve taken a look at two of the most popular options: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Office 365 E5. We’ve compared and contrasted their features so that you can make an informed decision about which one is right for your client.

So, what’s the bottom line? If you’re looking for a comprehensive security solution that includes endpoint protection, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is the way to go. If you’re looking for a productivity suite that includes email, collaboration, and identity management tools, Office 365 is the product you need. Trying to decide which one is right for your business? Contact our team of experts today and we’ll be happy to help you make the best decision for your business’s needs.

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The New Commerce Experience will change how partners purchase Microsoft online services including Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Dynamics 365, and Windows 365. Microsoft defines the change as follows

The new commerce experience in CSP is a multi-stage, multi-year transformational journey to deliver a simplified engagement experience that benefits both Microsoft partners and customers.

Essentially, Microsoft seeks to change the way you purchase licenses, with the aim of reducing complexity and offering up cost-saving incentives for longer-term commitments. The new system essentially reduces the pre-existing array of options available and adds additional features to the CSP.

Key Changes to Microsoft NCE

One of the key changes will be moving to subscription-based service which can be over three different durations: monthly, annually, or tri-annually. Here is a breakdown of the different subscription options available to you.

• Monthly. This subscription sees a 20% price increase on current subscriptions and allows for upgrades for mid-level products. Downgrades however will not be permitted. This subscription will be billed at the start of each month.
• Annual. This subscription has no price increase, and payments can be made annually or monthly. Again, upgrades are available, but downgrades remain prohibited.
• Tri-annually. Again, there is no price change, upgrades are available not downgrades are not. Billing can take place monthly, annually, or upfront. The incentive behind the three-year subscription is to protect partners from potential price rises as this rate will be locked in.

Further to the above change, Microsoft will also be increasing the average price of applications and bundles by around 15%. This essentially means that regardless of your subscription method partners will be paying more for Microsoft services and this has naturally found discontentment amongst partners.
Microsoft has sought to justify the application and bundle price rise on the basis that the new value reflects the innovation and improvements to applications, most of which have been immune from substantial price rises. Until now.

The important dates

Here are the key dates that you will need to be aware of;

• January 10th, 2022. The New Commerce Experience launches, and promotional incentives are released.
• March 1st, 2022. All new and renewing subscriptions must now be purchased through the US. Legacy CSP customers will be able to finish their existing subscriptions.
• June 1st, 2022. Legacy CSP customers must now renew the NCE plan to continue their subscription.
• October 1st, 2022. The NCE must now make all purchases and all partner incentives and rebates are removed.

Additional benefits and features of NCE

These additional features will be available from March 2022.

• Home Use Program (HUP) allows employees of organizations who use Microsoft online services to receive a 30% discount on the purchase of certain Microsoft 365 offers.
• Multi-Geo allows organizations to store data in the various geo locations that they have chosen.
• Hybrid Use Benefits (HUB) allows organizations to further capitalize on their Microsoft investment.

Pros and cons of the New NCE

As mentioned, not all of Microsoft’s partners have welcomed the change, arguing that they have not had sufficient time to meet the new qualifications and do not consider it to have been well explained. There also appears to be an underlying thought process that the change benefits Microsoft considerably more than it does its partners or customers. To help you decide on what the change means for you here are some of the pros and cons of the US.

Pros

• The monthly plan remains incredibly flexible and ideal for companies with high staff turnover or seasonal workers and requirements.
• You can upgrade subscriptions during the month.
• You can lock in an annual or tri-annual rate, meaning you will not be affected by price rises. This can also help with company budgeting. 20% cost saving on annual and tri-annual subscriptions.
• NCE makes it easier to try new products, and utilize free trials and add-ons.

Cons

• The monthly subscriptions incur a 20% price rise.
• You cannot decrease or downgrade subscriptions mid-term.
• Owing to the rising cost of applications, you will inevitably be paying more for Microsoft.

Cancellation period

Finally, it is worth touching on the cancellation period, For any new seat-based subscription orders there will be a 72-hour cancellation and adjustment period. This provides partners with sufficient time to make post-purchase changes or corrections to orders.

We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available from Microsoft regarding MCE.

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In this post, we explore how this Microsoft offering can help your business thrive as we enter the hybrid working era. We discuss some of the pandemic-related working arrangement problems that it solves and how it is enabling businesses to thrive in this new environment.

How Viva Insights Works

Viva Insights offers two broad categories of services:

1. Insights that employees can use personally to let them know how they are progressing with their workflows
2. Manager insights that provide leaders with overviews of their teams.

Personal-level employee insights create recommendations that allow employees to find more balance at work. The software produces a weekly digest, showing users how they spent their time with recommendations for how they can better use it in the future. It also collects feedback on how the worker is feeling, allowing them to correlate their emotions with work, conditions, and hours. Microsoft is even considering adding guided meditation options to help prepare workers’ minds in the morning for the challenges that lie ahead.

After collecting information, Viva Insights generates “actionable recommendations.” These are things that employees can do to improve both their work and wellbeing. Suggestions come from research for trusted sources on best practices.

Manager insights are for managers and leaders. The goal is to provide a dashboard of metrics that they can use to make better managerial and business decisions. The service collects information on things like employee engagement and organizational resilience and, again, provides actionable insights.

How Viva Insights Is Helping Businesses to Thrive In The Hybrid Working Era

Viva Insights is helping organizations adapt to the hybrid working era in multiple ways.

• Oversight over issues that employees face: Viva Insights allows managers to collect data concerning the unique problems thrown up by hybrid working. It also gives managers better visibility of how employees are using their time.
• Improved employee wellbeing: Recent surveys suggest that 90 percent of employees believe that home-working has had a negative impact on their performance, with 34 percent reporting feeling burned out. Viva Insights gives managers a better sense of employee wellbeing and actionable strategies they can use to improve it.
• Enhance understanding of hybrid working productivity: As we enter the hybrid era and jobs become more knowledge-based, it is becoming increasingly difficult to quantify productivity. Viva Insights provides helpful metrics and suggestions that make measurement easier, both while workers are at home and in the office.
• Improving the return-to-work: Viva Insights can provide employers with data that will assist them as people return to the office several days per week. Helpful information could include new employee expectations and tools to compare at-home and in-office productivity levels.
• Better cultural cohesiveness: During the pandemic, companies became less cohesive because of physical separation. Viva Insights offers both data and guidance on how companies can improve relations, even when workers are not commuting to the office.

In summary, Viva Insights is a powerful tool for the new hybrid working environment. Being cloud-based, it is easy to deploy. Considering a move to Microsoft Viva? Contact 6^th Street Consulting today to learn more about how we can help your business thrive in the hybrid work era.

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The employee experience should focus on the well-being of each team member, providing empowerment, connection, and growth. They should also create both a sense of purpose and focus on each employee, tying into the buy-in needed.

Employee Experience Platforms use a number of components that are essential for ensuring happy, loyal employees, who are necessary for a successful business. These include:

• Growth and Development

In order to give employees opportunities for growth and development, the platform must offer interactive and engaging learning, training new employees and progressing others, as well as providing the coaching employees need for advancement.

• Communication

Seamless communication is key to an effective organization. Employee Experience Platforms provide streamlined communication tools, making announcements, news, events, and shared information available for all.

• Wellbeing

The well-being of the whole self of each employee must be a top priority. An Employee Experience Platform will provide tools and resources that focus on the physical, mental, emotional, and financial wellbeing of each employee.

• Communities

Building a strong, connected community is essential when creating a loyal team. With the Employee Experience Platform, you can focus on diversity and inclusion, create a number of interest groups where people can connect with one another, and work on developing a cohesive team.

• Knowledge

The continual advancement and increase in knowledge of each employee provide a sense of purpose and success. Every employee needs to feel valued and purposeful in their position in order to be content and work towards the progress of the business. With access to content, projects, experts, and more through the platform, team members will be able to focus on their knowledge and growth, boosting their mental health and helping them do a great job.

• Insights

Accurate analytics offer necessary insight into the employee experience, which enables you to make changes as needed. The platform should have a place for employees to provide feedback, thoughts, and fill out surveys, which can help to build a better workplace.

• Company Resources

The Employee Experience Portal can provide employees access to all of the tools and resources used by the company. This includes payroll, apps, IT, and other workplace services. Being able to access all of the important information in one simple place streamlines things, creating a more user-friendly experience for employees.

Why Use an Employee Experience Platform?

With an Employee Experience Platform, you can create the employee experience that you need in order to build a loyal team. Businesses need their team of employees to have buy-in and to be proud of their place of work. That’s why they need a platform that streamlines everything, including communication, learning, and processes.  The more on-board the team of employees is, the more seamlessly the business runs. Keep your team focused, growing, and content, by providing them with everything they need in one single, simple platform.

Microsoft Viva- The Employee Experience Platform You Need

When you are looking for an Employee Experience Platform, look no further than Microsoft Viva. This cohesive platform combines all of the essential components; growth, development, communication, wellbeing, community, knowledge, insights, and company resources, to create the experience your employees desire.

With Microsoft Viva, learning is simple and fun, communication is a breeze, and business is organized. Your team will be ready to take things to the next level

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Microsoft Viva Connections

One of the major issues facing companies during the pandemic, and in the broad sphere of remote work, is the lack of connection among team members. Companies are doing everything they can to make teams feel like teams, as opposed to a set of disparate and far-flung individuals, but this is a large challenge with very few solutions. Microsoft’s Viva Connections plans to answer this challenge, however, by offering a single-place gateway for the digital workplace.
The software is built to simulate multiple points of interaction, from town hall meetings between employers and employees to other communities built with the idea of camaraderie in mind. The software will provide a feed of information which helps connect other apps and software to Microsoft Viva. The content found on the platform can even be adjusted based on roles in the company, so employees always have the information and resources they need.

Microsoft Viva Insights

The pandemic has also led many workers to feel burned out and dispassionate about the work they do. Viva addresses this through Insights software, which is designed to give employees their time back through innovative solutions. It offers personal wellbeing advice to every member of your team using Workplace Analytics and MyAnalytics, streamlining the information through Microsoft Teams.

The software considers the type and urgency of the projects team members are working on and will schedule breaks for them to destress and refocus their mind. The software will be integrated with Headspace to help employees find their own time and work in their own manner to bring about efficient and effective work no matter what project is being worked on. 6th Street consulting can help your business integrate this component of Microsoft Viva with no hassle and in optimal time.

Microsoft Viva Learning

In the modern age, information is one of the most important resources available. Viva Learning was designed to help companies develop a culture predicated on knowledge and learning, to help them retain talent and keep up with the pace of a rapidly evolving world. Viva Learning was designed specifically to meet the needs of employees who have said that they would stay with their current employer if such a culture of learning and personal development was established.
The software allows employees to easily discover and share everything related to their occupation and current projects, from training courses to microlearning content. Viva’s central hub is instrumental in helping employees share resources with each other and educate one another on more efficient and practical methods to accomplish the work they are currently doing.

Microsoft Viva Topics

Finally, there is the issue of redundancy of information within companies. Microsoft ran a poll and found that employees spend approximately seven weeks per year trying to search for or recreate information which exists elsewhere in the company. This time is usually intensely tedious and distracts from the tasks at hand daily. Viva Topics was made to combat this problem, allowing employees to search for and find information more easily within their company’s database.
The software uses a highly advanced AI to organize content within the company and is sophisticated enough to sort this content into relevant categories, such as “projects,” “products,” “processes,” and “customers.” When your employees need to search for prior information, they will be able to find it at a snap of their fingers thanks to Viva Topics.
6th Street Consulting can help your company integrate this technology for your employees and keep you on the path toward innovation and quality service at a breakneck pace.

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