Farm Credit Canada demonstrates the power of Yammer done right

Talk to most people whose employers have implemented Yammer and they’re likely to just roll their eyes. Typical complaints range from “There’s nothing there” to “It’s just one more place we have to go—a complete waste of time.” Like most tools, though, Yammer can be a powerful asset when it’s used correctly. That is decidedly the case at Farm Credit Canada, which has won first place in the “Internal Social Network” category of Ragan’s 2018 Intranet Awards.

The networking and collaboration tool was introduced with specific goals and careful thought. Two types of groups are available: Official groups and employee-created groups. Unofficial groups include “Twinsies,” where employees share photos of colleagues who just happen to wear similar outfits to work on the same day. The group has nearly 350 followers who have viewed 238 posts and liked content 2,318 times; it has achieved more than 51,000 views in a single year.

Official groups show how Yammer can provide relevant information to employees rather than the one-size-fits-all approach that characterizes most intranets.

Some examples: The Genius Bar is the place where IT offers tips and tricks and answers user questions; it has 591 followers, 797 posts, 2,507 likes and more than 69,000 views a year. FCC Cares is where community investment and volunteer work are highlighted, attracting 472 followers, 665 posts, 4,662 likes and more than 73,000 read messages. Corporate Communications conducts “Yam Jams,” and connects employees with senior leaders through a group focused on Q&As with upper leadership. Yammer groups are also used to cross-post content from the intranet.

Congratulations to the FCC team of Jason Fiske, Twyla Selimos, Sarah Bultitude, Teri-Lynn Rogoschewsky, Kit Mazurak, Kendall Longtin and Trilby Henderson.