Yammer @ Griffith: 38 Ways to Yammer

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Here are some actions you can take to make the most of Yammer.

Word of advice: Yammer is as awesome as you make it. Collaboration starts with you.

1. Ask for feedback. Tell everyone what you’re working on or an idea for which you want

feedback.

2. List your expertise in your bio so people know what you do beyond the job title listed in the

GU Phonebook.

3. Share interesting links to research, articles, info-graphics, etc.

4. Post something fun. Help people loosen up when the stress is high.

5. Upload a PDF to gather comments and feedback.

6. Start a page and edit the document together in real-time (or on your own schedules).

7. Post an event or meeting - it only takes one click to RSVP. This can save an administrative

assistant from having to sift through emails and count responses.

8. Tag posts and documents with topics so people can search for them later.

9. Start a poll to get some immediate feedback (what to order for lunch, when to hold a

meeting, what course of action should be taken on a project).

10. Post an idea. See what ideas build from it in the replies.

11. Ask a thought-provoking question. Or share a question already asked. (I asked my

colleagues "What is a thought leader?" and got some great responses.)

12. Ask when you don't know who to ask. One colleague had a question, but didn't know who

to email or even which office to approach. Several helpful responses answered her question

quickly. This process a lot less frustrating than calling around different offices, searching on
Adapted from the MIT Yammer Guidelines available at http://connect.mit.edu/blog/37-ways-mit-

uses-yammer

 
 different websites, or sending several emails in an effort to reach someone who might know

the answer.

13. Answer questions. When you see a question, try helping out.

14. Thank someone. Their manager might see it.

15. Praise someone for a specific achievement. The Yammer praise feature is a great form of

recognition because it is visible to everyone in the team.

16. ‘Like’ a post to acknowledge you’ve read it and are on board.

17. Start a private Yammer Group for a team or project.

18. Start a public Yammer Group (public = Griffith University Staff-only) for a job function or

role group relevant across the University. Hint - Don't create a new group until you have

searched first. a similar group may already exist.

19. Join an interest group that spans across the University. Yammer is clear: it displays the

admin for each group.

20. Participate in all-company discussions: now you can work out of your silo.

21. Follow someone. Network outside your department!

22. Finally learn the name of the colleague you took too long to introduce yourself to, or forgot

the name of, without the awkward asking-the-name-again part.

23. Introduce yourself in person more easily to a colleague you’ve never met: “I’ve noticed you

on Yammer!”

24. Connect with people in different departments with similar job titles, project types, or

interests – people you would not have met otherwise!

25. Learn. Watch how others work, read their ideas, and follow experts.

26. Send a private message. Discuss an idea one-on-one with someone outside the group

setting.

Adapted from the MIT Yammer Guidelines available at http://connect.mit.edu/blog/37-ways-mit-

uses-yammer

 
27. Reduce emails: hold a discussion on Yammer. It will show up as one thread that can

collapse rather than several separate emails.

28. Give updates. Yammer allows you to be more transparent with your team and keep them in

the know without them feeling like their inboxes are over-burdened.

29. Discuss within groups. Save email filtering and categorising time by using Group

discussions.

30. Forward newsletters without the forward. Instead of forwarding an interesting html email

(eNews eg. inTEL) from a subscription, click on "can’t view this email" at the top of the HTML

design to be taken to the web version and then link to the web version of the newsletter in

Yammer. No more email with awkward indents.

31. Find files quickly. Files are all stored within the files tab so you don’t have to search

through your email for that attachment again. All files are automatically stored together.

Phew!

32. Follow a document. Click on "follow" next to a document and be able to know when a

newer version of that document is uploaded.

33. Tag someone in a discussion to alert them that you need their participation.

34. Post a powerpoint presentation to promote discussion underneath the whole presentation.

Colleagues can also comment on individual slides. No more emailing presentations back and

forth!

35. Photos. Post a photo from a relevant event. You can also post info-graphics, visualizations,

charts, graphs, etc.

36. Link to a video. YouTube videos play right in Yammer instead of taking you to the YouTube

site. I have used this for posting Lynda.com training videos from their YouTube channel.

37. Meeting Notes. Post your meeting notes and allow people to ‘like’ to acknowledge they’ve

read them. Less silence from the team (“did they actually read it?”) or lots of “ok” or “thanks”

Adapted from the MIT Yammer Guidelines available at http://connect.mit.edu/blog/37-ways-mit-

uses-yammer

 
 responses as separate emails. Also, team members can comment right below the file – no

extra messages to take up inbox space.

38. Real-time report-backs. Keep report-backs ‘real-time’ by posting to the relevant group or on
the Company feed from the event you are attending, links and presentations.  

Adapted from the MIT Yammer Guidelines available at http://connect.mit.edu/blog/37-ways-mit-

uses-yammer