Inclusivity is front and center of everything we do at Yammer. By introducing diverse skin tones for Yammer reactions, we hope you can feel a deeper sense of representation while interacting in new Yammer.
How to change skin tone preferences on the web
You can change your skin tone preference at any time in settings for new Yammer.
You will also see a teaching bubble, to help you discover the skin tone settings, one time while you are using Yammer. Clicking the Try it now button opens up the Skin tone choice dialog box, where you can pick a skin tone preference. To change your skin tone preference later, see the settings panel.
If you want to dismiss the teaching bubble, click on the X. After you interact with it once, it will not show up again.
Manage skin tone settings
You can change your skin tone preferences at any time through the Yammer Settings panel.
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Click the Settings gear icon on the suite header, which opens up the settings panel.
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Click Choose skin tone for reactions to open the skin-tone dialog box.
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Choose a skin-tone preference, then click OK to save your preference.
How to change skin tone preferences on mobile
In the mobile Yammer app, you can access Settings by clicking on your avatar and/or initials on the top right corner of the screen. You can click the Reaction skin tone option to open up a set of skin tone options to choose from.
How do my skin tone preferences show up when reacting?
Skin tone preferences when choosing a reaction
After you have a skin tone preference, hovering on the Like button triggers the reaction picker. Here you can see your skin tone preferences show up on the Like and Thank reaction icons. When you react by using Like and Thank, the action bar (where you choose whether to react, comment, or share a conversation) and the summary view reflect your skin tone preference. The summary view aggregates all the reactions to a conversation.
Action Bar underneath a conversation with selected skin tone if you react using Like or Thank
Summary (aggregate) view underneath conversation with skin tone preference if people react using Like and Thank
Note: If you have not reacted using Like or Thank, or don’t have a skin tone preference set, we use the generic, non-realistic yellow color—the color that Yammer has previously used for reactions—to aggregate reactions in the summary view
Can I see the skin tone preferences of other users?
To see who has reacted and how, you can click on the icons or the count at the bottom right of the post, or at the top right of the comment. When this dialog box opens up, you can see the reactions used and the skin tones (or lack of skin tone) associated with these reactions. Similarly, when you react, other users can see your skin-tone preference in the dialog box.
FAQ
Q: How did Yammer choose which skin tones are available and why don’t my skin tone preferences apply to face emojis?
Yammer aligned with standards established by the Unicode Consortium, by using the skin tones on the Fitzpatrick scale. Here’s where you can read more about the skin tone standards. As the standards evolve, we will continue to seek input and listen to feedback on this feature.
Q: What happens if I don’t want to pick a skin-tone preference?
A: Choosing a skin-tone is optional. If you want to do it, we have the option available for you. If you don’t, your Like and Thank reactions continue to have the generic, non-realistic yellow color associated with it.
Q: Does my skin tone preference apply to even the reactions I have made in the past?
A: Yes, anytime you change your skin tone preferences, it applies to all your Like and Thank reactions, even the ones you have made in the past.
Q: Can I change my skin tone preferences more than once?
A: Yes, you can change your skin tone preferences as many times as you like. Just go to the Settings panel, click Choose your skin tone for reactions link, and then pick a preference.
Q: I picked a skin-tone, but now I want to go back to the generic, non-realistic yellow emoji. Can I do that?
A: Yes, you can absolutely do that. Just go to the Settings panel, click on the Choose your skin tone for reactions link, then and pick the generic, non-realistic yellow emoji as your preference.
Q: Will this feature be available for Yammer Integrations in Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint?
A: While the option to select a skin tone through the Settings panel is currently only available in the native Yammer web and mobile experience, once you pick a skin tone, your preferences appear in the Yammer integrations in Teams, Outlook and SharePoint.
