Introduction
It is a known fact that in today's Offices and Businesses, a real need is felt for an online platform that can be used to connect with their employees. Two good examples of notable online platforms that can be used for the same are Microsoft Yammer and Facebook Workplace. Both of these are designed with the same purpose in mind.
The real reason to own either of these apps is that both of them help perfectly streamline collaboration at the Office, even when their teams may be in different places. It helps to have the right platform, i.e., either of the two Microsoft Yammer or Facebook Workplace. Both of these online platforms allow both colleagues and teammates stay on the same page when it comes to business developments. Yammer and Workplace offer three things: Instant Messaging, Enterprise Social Networks (ESN), and Collaborative Platform.
Yammer and Workplace are both really good enough and have different features hence choosing between them would really depend on the kind of collaborative tool you are interested in. Facebook Workplace is considered best for companies that already use Facebook for their content promotion. One of Facebook Workplace's best features is that your new account will never have any connection to your Facebook Profile!
Facebook Workplace also has many useful functions like a newsfeed, audio and video chat, groups, and events that the network can use at work/business. Remember that Workplace functions using the domain name of your business email. Microsoft Yammer, on the other hand, has a number of great functions. One of the most obvious is it's ability to connect people; Not only that, a group of people, even from multiple departments, can be arranged into organized groups or teams. It also allows communication with many organizations from a single location.
One of Microsoft Yammer's great bonuses is that it also allows people to use hashtags and mentions. Overall, it is a system that leads to an increase in the engagement rate.
Yammer vs Facebook Workplace
At one time, Microsoft Yammer was addressed simply as Yammer and was founded by Adam Pisoni and David O' Sacks. The online social media tool for Office and Businesses alike was then bought by Microsoft.
Microsoft Yammer is a private enterprise social networking solution allowing employees to collaborate securely over time and distance. It also provides a single secure platform on which companies can share information, resources, and business applications. (www.getapp.com)
Facebook Workplace has something unique, i.e., the familiar interface that Facebook users know and love. It is also a simple yet secure way for people to share knowledge, work together and build connected communities (www.getapp.com)
On the other hand, Microsoft Yammer is a software that also offers a number of useful functions such as file sharing, team channels, unlimited storage place, and reporting features. Another useful function of Facebook Workplace is that it has its very own version of Facebook Live, which is really wonderful for sending out a message to your entire business team in real-time.
Remember also that there is the Standard version of Facebook, which is Workplace, and the premium version. Some of the additional benefits that go along with the paid-for premium version are extra features like API's for custom integrations, single sign-on, and IT monitoring. It is also completely ad-free.
The main difference between both these online platforms is that Microsoft Yammer is said to make the onboarding process a little more complicated; While it doesn't apparently provide a free trial period, Facebook Workplace is said to offer a four-month trial period.
Consider then all the less notable differences between both software that have not been mentioned above in the following table.
Difference Between Yammer and Facebook Workplace in Tabular Form
| Parameters of Comparison | Microsoft Yammer | Facebook Workplace |
| Significance | Some of the functions of Yammer include chatting, texting, and meetings for business | online platform that helps people share their knowledge and wisdom online |
| Year of Invention | Microsoft Yammer is said to have been developed in the year 2008. | This is said to have been developed in the year 2014. |
| Parent Company | Microsoft Corporation owns Yammer | Facebook Workplace is owned by Facebook or Meta. |
| Founder | Adam Pisoni and David O' Sacks are the founders of this online platform. | Meta Platforms (which consists of a group of people) developed this system. |
| Uses | Microsoft Yammer helps increase and enhance cultural connections. | The Facebook Workplace provides access to video calls, live events and live video tools. |
What is Yammer?
Yammer is a web application that allows for social networking and is considered a part of the Office 365 package. It was initially created by a company called Geni, for people to communicate in the workplace. Yammer was doing so well at one point that it was launched into a company of its own in the year 2008. It was ultimately acquired by the company Microsoft in the year 2012. It was later added to Office 365 suite in the year 2014 and is being used by more than 70% of fortune 500 companies all over the world.
Microsoft Yammer is part of Office 365 groups, which in turn facilitates the use of Microsoft Outlook, which can be linked to a plethora of other Office 365 apps. In a way, it helps to bring together the Office 365 suite quite seamlessly which prevents other users from missing notifications about important updates.
Yammer is often thought of as the Facebook of the workplace. In this 'Facebook', instead of casual friends there are colleagues, no ads can be seen other than corporate reminders, and there are constant updates to questions posted about upcoming events, and as a troubleshooter for problems posted by colleagues and office mates.
Some of Microsoft Yammer's useful features include: The ability to post on behalf of other users, for, eg. a senior who wants their assistant to post for them. Another useful Yammer feature is the ability to follow conversations based on a specific topic. This will help to stay in touch with conversations and posts about any given topic. Yammer Emails have also got a beautiful and very presentable look in MS Outlook.
Yammer Basic is said to be the Free version, whereas the paid version is also called Yammer Enterprise. Much like its counterparts Slack and Facebook Workplace, you get access to a lot of features like the capability to send private messages, join groups, and share pictures and videos that can be used for work-related purposes, of course.
Yammer is a social networking service that is designed with communication across the Enterprise in mind! Companies seem to have a natural affinity for Yammer since it's setup process is somewhat easier: It is also known to add value to organizations in general. Posting to a Yammer Group is considered as fast as and more effective than relying on an email service in an organization to ask about a certain 'Z'. It's so obvious that Microsoft Yammer can also be used by a company's Department heads to oversee their respective Departments' Yammer Groups. In this way, Microsoft Yammer can help things move speedily.
The software also makes it easy for other employees to provide their suggestions, ask questions and respond to them using its online platform that prioritizes certain files such as images and other documents. Microsoft Yammer also allows for easy showcasing of Departmental achievements. It also allows for the responsible employees' efforts to be recognizable, of course, since they did something good! With this great software, Departments can make simple protocols for such achievements as well as for the updates overseen by them. This ensures that not only do all the other employees stay updated on what the teams are busy with, but they are also aware of who is making the initiatives move in the right direction and what is slated to happen next.
If that's not enough, Microsoft Yammer also helps in another great way- it helps keep workers entertained-yet- connected! The software can be set up in such a way that allows for safe collaboration with customers, contractors, and other companies.
If that's not enough, the software also helps communicate with the external realm of the organization, which includes colleagues you hardly ever interact with through the use of a special feature called Yammer Communities.
What is Facebook Workplace?
Facebook Workplace was developed initially by a meta developer. It is known to be a collaborative tool that allows employees to post, comment on those posts, video chat, and create groups with their fellow teammates (for the purpose of discussing business-related topics), among other things.
Using software like Workplace, Facebook assists companies in making their own internal social networks. In short, Facebook Workplace is an internal social network that can be used for a company's employees to communicate with their respective teams using the internet. Remember that Facebook workplace can also be used by Businesses. Like many other software, it has a standard version which is free, and a premium version which is the paid version.
The features of Facebook Workplace include live Videos, Groups, NewsFeed, Search, Reactions, and Trending Posts. Workplace also includes a dashboard that allows a glimpse of analytics, single sign-on, integration, and identity providers that can be used to combine Facebook's technology with the company's own IT systems.
Some of the advantages of using Facebook Workplace are: It ensures that colleagues and teammates at the office are accountable to one another. It also somewhat increases the visibility of projects and also streamlines communication in general. Companies can use Facebook Workplace to post live videos. These videos can be used to communicate company-wide information. Workplace can also be used to discuss specific tasks. It is also easy to track all past messaging and communication between colleagues by searching Workplace history.
Facebook can also help to test new content or ideas for ads. If your team wants feedback on a new Instagram post or wants to post a new video ad on Facebook in order to promote content, Facebook Workplace can be used to gain feedback from the entire team.
The thing to note is, everything about Facebook Workplace, from posting content like photos and videos, taking part in a private chat between members (or, in this case, colleagues), and interacting with colleagues' posts by commenting on them, is completely reminiscent of Facebook.
Difference Between Yammer and Facebook Workplace in Points
- While Microsoft Yammer was developed in the year 2008, Facebook Workplace was developed in the year 2014.
- Microsoft Yammer was developed by Microsoft Corporation, whereas Facebook Workplace is owned by Meta Platforms.
- David O'Sacks manage Microsoft Yammer and Karandeep Anand is the manager of Facebook Workplace.
- Examples of companies that are clients of Microsoft Yammer are IKEA and Johnson & Johnson, whereas companies like Whitehall Resources Ltd. and Zimmerman Advertising LLC are known to use Facebook Workplace.
- Microsoft Yammer has no trial period, while Facebook Workplace has a four-month free trial program.
Conclusion
Businesses, firms, and other institutions use online platforms or programs to contact their employees. Both Microsoft Yammer and Facebook Workplace are two online platforms that are among the most popular. Both platforms have different release dates and are managed by different developers.
You might be wondering which is the right collaboration tool for your business/office. If your teammates are less technology-savvy, then using Facebook workplace might be considered the right option. It is also important to consider your budget, as the paid version will give you access to all the required features.
