Category: OKRs

Microsoft's Viva suite is being discontinued, and soon you'll see those familiar AI-powered topic cards vanish from your SharePoint pages. The automated knowledge suggestions that have been streamlining your team's documentation? Those are going away too, along with the OKR dashboards your managers check every morning in Viva Goals. Microsoft's decision to retire these key Viva components affects thousands of organizations that have embedded these tools into their daily workflows. For HR teams and knowledge managers, this means rethinking how you'll handle everything from new employee onboarding guides to quarterly performance tracking. The timing of this change comes as many organizations are scaling their digital workplace strategies. Your next moves - from preserving existing knowledge bases to selecting replacement tools - will shape how your teams collaborate and track progress in the months ahead. In this post, you’ll find out what’s happening with Viva, how it affects your team, and what steps you can take to prepare for the future. What’s Going Away and When? Viva Topics: A tool for organizing and sharing knowledge, retiring on February 22, 2025. Viva Goals: The platform for setting and tracking goals, retiring on December 31, 2025. These tools will no longer be available after these dates, but Microsoft’s shift in focus, especially towards generative AI, means you’ll need to find new ways to fill the gaps they leave behind. What is the Impact of Viva Goals Retirement? When a tool like Viva Goals is introduced to a company, it becomes a key part of daily operations. It’s not just software—it requires time and money to adopt. Let’s break down the impact for a company with 1,000 employees: Tool Licensing Cost: $12 per employee per month. 1,000 employees. Total cost per year $12 * 1,000 * 12 $144,000 IT Team Training: 5 people, 1 week of training. 1 week 5 days, so each person spends 5 days on training. Total 5 people * 5 days 25 days of IT training. Business Staff Training: 10 people, 2 weeks of training. 2 weeks 10 days. Total 10 people * 10 days 100 days of business staff training. Employee Training: 1,000 employees, 8 hours each. Total 1,000 employees * 8 hours 8,000 hours of employee training. Champion Support: 5 employees, 20 hours per month. Total per year 5 people * 20 hours * 12 months 1,200 hours of champion support. Summary: ActivityDetailsTotal Time/CostTool Licensing Cost$12 per employee per month.$144,000 per yearIT Team Training5 people spent 1 week learning how to manage the tool.5 weeks (5 people)Business Staff Training10 people spent 2 weeks learning how to use the OKR system.20 weeks (10 people)Employee Training1,000 employees spent an average of 8 hours familiarizing themselves with the tool.8,000 hoursChampion SupportA team of 5 employees spent 20 hours each month helping others with the tool.100 hours per month Total Impact: Annual Cost: $144,000 Total Time Spent on Training and Support: Over 8,125 hours for the company With the retirement of Viva Goals, all these costs and efforts may need to be repeated when adopting a new tool. Why Is Microsoft Making This Change? Microsoft is investing more in AI and other technologies, so it’s scaling back on tools like Viva Topics and Viva Goals. This isn’t just about getting rid of old software; it’s about making way for new, more powerful tech that can do even more for your organization. For HR teams like yours, this means it’s time to rethink how you manage knowledge, set goals, and measure performance. What Does This Mean for You and Your Team? With the upcoming changes to Viva Goals, many organizations that rely on this tool for goal setting and alignment will need to adapt. “Microsoft will continue to maintain Viva Goals’ availability, accessibility, and security through retirement. However, as of December 5, 2024, Microsoft will no longer invest in new feature development.” Team Microsoft What does this mean for you? 1. Knowledge Sharing Will Change Viva Topics has been a crucial tool in organizing and streamlining knowledge sharing across teams. Without new feature updates, maintaining the same level of efficiency in managing and distributing information may become more challenging. However, this transition presents an opportunity to explore alternative solutions that can better meet your evolving business needs. 2. Goal Setting Needs a New Approach Viva Goals has played a key role in aligning teams with company objectives and tracking progress. While Microsoft will continue to support Viva Goals until its retirement, the lack of new feature development means you will need to consider how to sustain alignment and measure performance effectively. You might be asking: How can you continue to ensure accountability and alignment with company goals when no new features are being introduced? Now is the time to explore solutions that can fill the gap and keep your team aligned and focused, even without modifications to Viva Goals in the future. What Should You Do Next? As Microsoft phases out Viva’s key tools, it’s important to consider integrated platforms that can help you manage multiple HR functions seamlessly. Peoplebox.ai stands out as an intelligent, all-in-one solution that powers everything from candidate screening to employee engagement, performance tracking, and career development. Its platform leverages GenAI to speed up the hiring process, matching candidates to roles in seconds, not weeks. Whether you need to set and track goals, conduct performance reviews, or gather actionable feedback, Peoplebox.ai integrates it all in a user-friendly platform. This allows you to drive talent management efforts while ensuring alignment with business objectives, all in one place. Why Peoplebox.ai? Streamlined Goal Setting: Set clear, aligned goals for individuals and teams to ensure everyone is moving toward the same business objectives. AI-Driven Hiring: Speed up the hiring process by using AI to match candidates to the best-fit roles in seconds. Comprehensive Employee Engagement: Gather continuous feedback with automated engagement surveys, performance reviews, and check-ins. Easy Integrations: Peoplebox.ai integrates seamlessly with your existing tools, such as your HRIS, ATS, and CRM systems, making it easy to adopt without disruption. Explore Peoplebox.ai’s capabilities through a Product Tour, or request a demo to see how it can help streamline your HR processes and prepare for the retirement of Microsoft Viva’s tools. How Can You Make the Transition Smoothly? 1. Evaluate Your Current Tools and Needs: How are you currently using Viva to streamline your HR processes? Which Viva features are critical to your team’s workflow and business outcomes? What are the most significant gaps you’ll need to address once Viva is retired? Which HR functions—such as performance management or employee engagement—will be most impacted by this change? Understanding the core functionalities you rely on within Viva will help you prioritize the tools that can fill those gaps and ensure you don’t miss out on key capabilities. Peoplebox.ai can seamlessly support everything from goal setting to performance reviews and AI-powered hiring, making it a strong choice for businesses looking for an integrated solution. 2. Select the Right Tools for the Future: Are your current tools future-proof in terms of scalability, security, and integration capabilities? How can your HR processes be enhanced through the use of AI, especially when it comes to hiring, performance tracking, and employee development? Will your new tools align with your long-term business objectives and growth goals? 3. Plan for Data Migration: What specific data needs to be migrated from Viva, and how will you ensure nothing is lost during the transition? Are the new tools you’re considering capable of importing and exporting data in formats that match your existing systems? Have you mapped out the potential challenges with data consistency and accuracy during migration? 4. Prepare Your Team for Change: How will you communicate the retirement of Viva and the adoption of new tools to your team? What training or resources will your team need to get up to speed with the new platform? How will you gather feedback from your team to ensure the new tools are meeting their needs? Making sure your team is fully onboard and prepared for the transition is key to a successful implementation. Peoplebox.ai offers an intuitive interface and training resources to ease the change process, ensuring your team can quickly adapt to the new platform. 5. Embrace AI for the Future: How can AI improve your hiring process, from resume screening to candidate matching? What performance insights can AI offer to help you make better, data-driven decisions about employee development? How will you measure the impact of AI on your HR operations, and what metrics will indicate success? AI is rapidly transforming HR processes, and by adopting Peoplebox.ai, you can make smarter, faster decisions with AI-driven insights. From automating candidate screening to continuously improving employee engagement and performance, leveraging AI helps you stay ahead of the curve in talent management. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q: What should HR teams do if they rely heavily on Viva Topics for knowledge management?A: It’s time to explore alternatives. Tools like Confluence or Notion can replace Viva Topics, offering enhanced collaboration, integration, and flexibility. Evaluate the specific needs of your team and choose a tool that supports knowledge sharing, content organization, and collaboration. Q: How can HR teams ensure they don’t lose valuable goal-setting data after Viva Goals is retired?A: Plan early! If Viva Goals has been key to your goal-setting and performance tracking, consider Peoplebox.ai to seamlessly manage OKRs and align team objectives. With its AI-driven platform, Peoplebox.ai allows you to set clear goals, track progress in real time, and integrate performance data all in one place. Plus, its flexible features support smooth migration of existing goal data, ensuring that your team remains aligned and productive. Q: Will Microsoft’s shift to AI impact other Viva tools, like Viva Insights?A: While Viva Insights is not currently affected, Microsoft’s AI-driven focus may lead to more powerful employee engagement and feedback tools. Q: What steps can HR teams take to ensure a smooth transition to new tools? A: To ensure success, HR teams should start by mapping out their requirements and choosing the right tools that align with their long-term goals. For goal-setting and performance tracking, Peoplebox.ai offers a powerful, integrated solution that will keep your teams on track even as you transition away from Viva Goals. Engage employees in the transition process with proper training, and ensure there’s a clear data migration plan to avoid losing important historical information.