Viva Engage Rollout & Adoption
The client's name was omitted to respect privacy.
The Context
A mid‑sized software company wanted to rebuild a sense of connection after closing its physical offices during the COVID pandemic. With employees fully remote and morale slipping, leadership hoped Viva Engage could serve as a digital gathering place, but they weren’t sure about the approach, what it could do, or how to introduce it without repeating past mistakes.
What Was Really Going On
The organization wasn’t struggling with technology. It was struggling with clarity.
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Morale had dipped due to physical distance and a lack of shared spaces.
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Leadership feared “pushing” another tool after a previous in‑house platform failed and damaged trust.
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No one understood what Viva Engage was for, how it worked, or why it mattered.
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The client openly admitted they didn’t know what they were trying to achieve, only that connection was missing.
The real issue wasn’t adoption. It was purpose.
What We Did
We started by showing what Viva Engage could realistically do and trained the Communications and Marketing teams on both mechanics and strategy. A pilot group helped refine expectations before expanding to the full organization. We built a community structure, established a champions network, delivered a custom training video, and provided a long‑term roadmap that extended into Viva Connections and Viva Learning.
Outcomes
Leadership began participating consistently, the Communications team took ownership, and employees engaged with each other more often despite being fully remote. Conversations and idea‑sharing increased, the rollout expanded smoothly, and the final hand‑off was seamless thanks to a dedicated internal product owner.
Reflections
The project lasted longer than expected as the organization gained a deeper understanding of what Viva could do. Leadership sponsorship proved essential, and long‑term success depended on having a dedicated internal owner to sustain momentum after the rollout. It was incredibly fulfilling to contribute to the process of restoring balance to morale and bring people back together.
Client Testimonial
Rob Soto was instrumental in the successful implementation of our Microsoft Viva suite. From the outset, Rob collaborated closely with our team to thoughtfully define requirements, ensuring alignment with our goals and user needs. He presented us with a range of options and real-world examples that helped clarify our direction and inspire confidence in the process.
Rob’s support extended beyond planning. He played a key role in creating a professional training video that made onboarding seamless for our users. He guided us through a smooth rollout of the proof of concept and was equally hands-on during the final release, ensuring everything went off without a hitch.
Throughout the project, Rob demonstrated exceptional professionalism, deep product knowledge, and a collaborative spirit. He’s not only a subject matter expert but also a genuinely enjoyable person to work with. His contributions made a complex implementation feel manageable and even fun.