Discover the Benefits of Organizational Messages

Working in an IT department, you're always making changes and doing things. However, the plethora of platforms that allow you to communicate these things are also constantly changing as well as expanding. One feature I have discovered in the Microsoft 365 admin center is the ability to send organizational messages. If you haven't already, I highly recommend looking into how organizational messages can positively impact your org-wide communications. In this post, I will talk about this feature and how you can get the most out of it.

What is Organizational Messages?

Organizational Messages in Microsoft 365 are targeted, branded communications delivered directly within Microsoft apps and Windows environments. They help organizations share timely updates, onboarding guidance, policy changes, and training resources—right where users work. With customizable visuals, audience targeting, and performance tracking, these messages ensure important information reaches the right people at the right time. 

You probably use a variety of org-wide communication mediums such as Viva Amplify, Engage, distribution lists, newsletters, and the like. However, organizational messages help to target that small percentage of people who despite all these tools you may have, still somehow don't see the messages. Organizational Messages puts the things you need front-and-center through the following methods:

• Notifications area of Windows 10/11
• Taskbar area of Windows 10/11
• Teaching popover within the Teams app
• Windows spotlight on the login screen

Why use Organizational Messages?

1. Send communications directly: Forget buried emails or overlooked intranet posts. Organizational Messages appear directly in Microsoft 365 apps and Windows interfaces—like Outlook, Teams, and even the Windows lock screen. This ensures your message is seen without disrupting productivity.
2. Target specific groups and roles: With Microsoft Entra ID integration, you can tailor messages to specific groups based on department, role, location, or other attributes. That means no more one-size-fits-all announcements—just relevant, personalized communication.
3. Deliver Branded, Professional Messages: You can customize messages with your organization’s logo, colors, and visuals to maintain brand consistency. It’s a polished way to reinforce your identity while keeping employees informed.
4. Share Timely, Actionable Information: Whether it’s a new software rollout, a compliance reminder, or a welcome message for new hires, Organizational Messages let you schedule communications for key moments. It’s a smart way to keep everyone aligned and up to date.
5. Track Engagement and Improve Strategy: Built-in analytics let you monitor message delivery and user interaction. These insights help you refine your communication strategy and ensure your messages are landing effectively.

In a sentence or less, for IT folks like us, this is an absolute godsend. How I haven't heard about this earlier is beyond me, but now that I have become familiarized with it and played around with it, I want to help you get the most of it.

How do I get started?

Establish what messages you will send. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a solid communication strategy is when it comes to organizational messages. When you first use this tool, you'll probably be like me and want to run wild with it. However, if you're doing this in a production environment this is a big no-no. First, establish what messages you will send by department and contexts. For example:

• IT Department - has several uses for Organization Messages such as:
• Adoption of new workplace tools and enhancements
• Onboarding of new employees and experiences
• Tech updates such as software and security
• Training and learning opportunities for technologies
• Other - for the things that don't fit into these bills.
• HR Department - also have several uses for Organizational Messages such as:
• Sustainability messages to keep it green
• Training opportunities and compliance training
• Other - for things such as updating timesheets, sending in leave requests, etc.
• Facilities - can use the urgent message feature in Organizational Messages to relay info quickly or just send messages regularly:
• Training opportunities and compliance training
• Other - for announcing maintenance, closures, and the like

Furthermore, you will want to sift this down further by department and start with a baseline of different messages such as maintenance, training opportunities, or timesheets. This feature can be effective, but can also hinder workflows, so you want to establish what you'll send and do not be afraid to be particular of what you will and will not send. I recommend starting with the following for each department:

• IT Department
• Announcements for maintenance and planned outages
• Adoption messages 
• Tech updates and software updates
• Urgent messages for incidents that impact services
• HR Department
• Reminder for timesheets and leave requests
• Reminder of holidays and office closures
• Facilities
• Announcement of maintenance and planned outages
• Urgent messages for incidents that impact services

Next, you'll want to establish how you want to present these Organizational messages. Luckily you have a few options such as sending notifications, pop-ups on the taskbar, Windows spotlight, and messages in Teams. You can use all of them, but I recommend sticking to one or two to prevent overloading people unless it is an urgent communication.

Once you’ve mapped out your communication strategy and aligned it with departmental needs, the real work begins. Organizational Messages aren’t just another tool—they’re a strategic asset. When used thoughtfully, they can transform how your organization communicates, reduce noise, and ensure that critical information reaches the right people at the right time. Start small. Pilot your messages with one department, gather feedback, and iterate. This helps build trust and ensures your communications are seen as helpful—not intrusive. Use the built-in analytics to track delivery and engagement. If a message isn’t landing, tweak the timing, wording, or audience. The goal is to be informative, not overwhelming. Organizational Messages are powerful, but with great power comes great responsibility. Avoid overuse, and always prioritize clarity, relevance, and timing.

What's next?

Now that I have given you a brief overview on Organizational Messages, next, I will be showing you how you can integrate this with tools such as Power Automate and the like to keep your office or campus updated with external information. Until next time!