A Goldmine at Employee's Hand: Viva Learning
A few years ago, I first explored Viva Learning. For various reasons, I forgot about it—until now. Recently, I decided to reevaluate it, and I had an amazing experience rediscovering this tool.
Viva Learning is part of the Microsoft Viva Suite, designed to bring all kinds of learning opportunities to employees. It works as a stand-alone application or integrates seamlessly into Microsoft Teams. Whether you prefer using it within Teams or separately, the experience remains fantastic.
The goal of this article is to introduce (or reintroduce) you to Viva Learning. If, like me, you’ve overlooked it, now is the perfect time to bring it back into your workflow.
Why Viva Learning Stands Out
The standard package of Viva Learning offers a range of ready-to-use features that benefit employees. It provides access to Microsoft Learn training modules and LinkedIn Learning courses, allowing users to track their progress, resume courses, and save valuable content. Personalized course recommendations ensure relevant learning opportunities. Users can quickly find training materials by searching with keywords or selecting tags, making learning easy and accessible with just one click.
Viva Learning integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Teams, enabling employees to access training without leaving their workflow. This integration supports continuous learning while maintaining productivity. Employees can explore courses that match their career goals and stay updated with industry trends and essential skills. Additionally, the platform allows users to organize their learning by tracking completed courses and storing bookmarked resources, ensuring they can easily resume training and stay engaged.
Viva Learning provides a personal dashboard where users can manage all their learning activities. They can track completed courses, ongoing training, and bookmarked resources. With all learning materials organized in one place, staying on top of professional development becomes effortless.
No Administrative Overhead
From an administrator’s perspective, setting up Viva Learning is simple and hassle-free. All the essential features are available by default, meaning there is no need for complex configurations or additional setup. The only requirement is to assign the correct license to users and enable the service within Microsoft 365. Once this is done, employees can start using Viva Learning immediately.
A common question is whether a special license is needed. The answer is no. Viva Learning is included with several Microsoft 365 and Office 365 plans, so many organizations already have access without realizing it. Employees with the following licenses can use Viva Learning without any extra cost:
Microsoft 365 E3, E5
Microsoft 365 F1, F3
Office 365 E1, E3, E5
Office 365 F3
If users also have a Microsoft Teams license, they can access Viva Learning directly within Teams, making learning even more convenient. This seamless integration allows employees to engage with training resources without switching between platforms, ensuring a smoother learning experience.
Expanding Learning with Custom Content
By default, Viva Learning provides access to a vast collection of Microsoft and LinkedIn training resources, ensuring employees have a solid foundation for professional growth. However, organizations often have unique training materials tailored to their specific needs. To accommodate this, Viva Learning allows businesses to integrate their own training content seamlessly. By storing learning resources in SharePoint Online, companies can quickly make them accessible within Viva Learning, ensuring employees have all the necessary tools for continuous development.
This customization capability is particularly useful for internal training programs, compliance courses, onboarding sessions, or company-specific skill development. It ensures that employees receive training relevant to their roles while keeping everything centralized within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
Furthermore, if your company has a LinkedIn Learning subscription, it fully integrates with Viva Learning. Employees with a valid LinkedIn Learning license can access a wealth of professional development courses directly within the application. This eliminates the need to switch between multiple platforms, reducing distractions and improving focus. With a single interface for all learning resources, employees can easily track their progress, resume courses, and stay engaged with their professional development.
By combining Microsoft’s training catalog, LinkedIn Learning courses, and company-specific content, Viva Learning becomes a comprehensive learning hub that supports diverse training needs. This flexibility allows businesses to foster a culture of continuous learning while ensuring employees have access to the most relevant and up-to-date educational materials.
Wrapping up
With Viva Learning, you get a powerful learning management system that combines the latest Microsoft training resources, LinkedIn Learning courses, and your company’s own training content. Everything is available on a single platform, accessible to all employees, with minimal administrative effort. No complex setups, no additional management—just a seamless, feature-rich learning experience.
If you haven’t explored Viva Learning yet (or if you’ve forgotten about it like I did), now is the time to give it another look. It’s simple, effective, and packed with value!
References
Microsoft 365, Office 365, Enterprise Mobility + Security, and Windows 11 Subscriptions: https://cdn-dynmedia-1.microsoft.com/is/content/microsoftcorp/microsoft/final/en-us/microsoft-brand/documents/modern-work-plan-comparison-enterprise.pdf
Find the right Microsoft 365 enterprise plan for your organization: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/microsoft365-plans-and-pricing
Microsoft Viva plans and pricing: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-viva/pricing
Overview of Microsoft Viva Learning: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/viva/learning/overview-viva-learning