Executive Summary and Main Points
Rajesh Jha, Executive Vice President of Experiences + Devices at Microsoft, adopted innovative technology for interactive organizational communication within a large employee base. Their approach leverages Ask Me Anything (AMA) events and live events in Viva Engage, which enhanced dialogue and engagement. Key innovations include the integration of AMAs with upvoting prior to live events, the union of live streaming with community engagement, and the use of visual media to promote events. Strategic communication and moderation measures were implemented to ensure effective dialogue and responsiveness to employees’ inquiries.
Potential Impact in the Education Sector
The adoption and success of interactive platforms like Viva Engage can bolster engagement in Further Education, Higher Education, and Micro-credentialing. It enables leadership to connect transparently with faculty, staff, and students, fostering a culture of inclusiveness and open dialogue. The use of AMAs and live events can facilitate peer learning, enhance administrative transparency, and create opportunities for strategic partnerships across global educational institutions. Additionally, it reinforces the trend towards digitalization, offering scalable models for hybrid events conducive to an increasingly distributed educational ecosystem.
Potential Applicability in the Education Sector
These technological developments offer numerous applications in the education sector: virtual town halls for university leadership, enhanced community engagement through AMA sessions in e-learning platforms, and interactive webinars for professional development. The tools can facilitate student-faculty interactions, offering a more dynamic online learning experience and enabling real-time feedback. Incorporating moderation and upvoting mechanisms can streamline student queries and prioritize discussion topics. Institutions can also leverage these capabilities to support alumni networks and engage in knowledge exchange with global partners.
Criticism and Potential Shortfalls
While the transparency and engagement tools present significant benefits, they are not exempt from potential pitfalls. There exist concerns regarding the digital divide and the impact on inclusivity, as access to advanced technologies might not be evenly distributed globally. Over-reliance on digital platforms could also diminish the value of face-to-face interactions, crucial in educational settings for nuanced understanding and relationship-building. Furthermore, the anonymous submission feature, while promoting openness, might lead to ethical challenges, misuse, or impact the quality of discourse. International case studies, varying in technological adoption, highlight differing results, stressing the need for context-sensitive implementation.
Actionable Recommendations
Educational leaders are recommended to pilot AMA and live events at a small scale before expanding to larger audiences. Institutions should create clear policies around moderation and anonymous submissions to uphold discourse quality. Training should be provided to ensure faculty and staff are competent in leveraging these tools to maximize engagement. Consideration should be given to hosting hybrid events to merge the benefits of in-person and digital communication. Finally, continuous feedback mechanisms should be put in place to measure efficacy and inclusivity, making adjustments as necessary to suit the diverse needs of international education communities.
Source article: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/viva-engage-blog/learn-from-microsoft-best-practices-for-engaging-employees-with/ba-p/4056235