How to Design a Modern Enterprise Intranet

Many enterprise intranet are weighed down by long consultations with stakeholders and expensive custom development. They end up being admin-heavy and fall far behind the UX and security curve.

Centralizing announcements in a single environment makes them easier to publish and archive. Also, it eliminates redundant work. It can also help people find colleagues in directories and collaborate on files.

It is a platform for communication

With long-term remote work arrangements increasing, a modern intranet can be a central communication hub for the whole company. It can also help employees collaborate and share information in real time, eliminating email overload. This reduces the number of questions asked to subject experts, saving time and improving productivity.

A well-designed intranet can also make onboarding easier for new employees. For example, it can include easy-to-access documents and a dynamic news hub that lets workers stay up to date with current projects, company culture, and company goals. It can also have up-to-date org charts, rich bios of coworkers, and an employee directory.

Moreover, an intranet can facilitate collaboration by providing tools and features that promote teamwork. These tools can include a virtual workspace where employees can communicate and discuss shared interests. It can even host project teams, allowing them to work together on complex projects. The intranet can also connect with corporate systems to enable connected workflows.

A good intranet solution should have features that allow companies to share and publish their content easily. This can include document sharing and version control. Some systems even offer features that allow users to track who has viewed and read particular content. It should also support collaborative projects through the use of project dashboards and task lists. Finally, it should also have tools that allow for more structured feedback, such as surveys and polls. This can improve employee engagement and loyalty, which in turn increases company performance.

It is a platform for collaboration

A successful intranet is a platform for collaboration and communication, but it should also support strategic organizational goals. To achieve this, it’s important to involve your people in the planning process and understand what they want their intranet to accomplish. Ask them what their top priorities are, and make sure the tools and modules you choose align with those goals.

In addition to providing a single place for all team communication and information, a company intranet can help improve operational flow with workflow automation, document management, and online collaboration features. It can also help employees work remotely by enabling them to access company documents, resources, and files from anywhere. This centralized repository makes it easy for workers to find the information they need and helps reduce wasted time searching for documents.

Moreover, a well-designed intranet can boost employee satisfaction by helping them feel included in the company culture. This is especially true for remote workers, who often struggle to feel connected to their colleagues. To overcome this challenge, you can use the intranet to promote social engagement through team chat features and activity walls. Additionally, you can encourage workers to share their stories and experiences on the intranet through blogs and personal profiles. You can also reward employees who are using the intranet frequently by recognizing them on your company homepage.

It is a platform for learning

A modern intranet is a platform for learning and development. It provides employees with the tools they need to perform their jobs effectively, and helps them share knowledge and resources. The platform can also help companies retain employees and create a sense of camaraderie. Employee retention is a key issue in most companies, and it is essential for the long-term health of the company. The solution is to offer an intranet that is easy to navigate, and provides employees with a place to commiserate with fellow workers.

A good intranet should include a search function that allows employees to find what they need quickly and easily. It should also include a feature that makes it easy to update content, and ensure that the information is reliable. This will save time and energy for the employees. The intranet should also be integrated with other tools and systems to facilitate collaboration and a unified workplace.

Traditional intranets often live on a single site and require access via a VPN or other means, which is not practical for frontline employees. These types of platforms can be difficult to use, especially when employees need to find information on the go. A newer, purpose-built intranet offers a better user experience and enables employees to connect with their colleagues and leadership. It can also support a more collaborative and flexible work style.

It is a platform for information management

A modern intranet enables employees to access the information they need from anywhere, on any device. It uses encryption and strong password policies to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information. It also monitors traffic to detect and stop malicious activity. In addition, it uses IPS and IDS systems to protect against attacks. It should be integrated with other business systems, like CRM software and project management tools. It should offer an intuitive user experience and deliver trusted answers to workers when they need them.

Intranets that allow subject matter experts to create and maintain their own knowledge databases help eliminate silos of information within the organization. This helps reduce the time and energy required to locate and share information that is relevant to employees’ daily work routines, such as lunch menus, staff directories, vacation requests, or payroll accounting information.

Moreover, it can provide a more interactive user experience and encourage teamwork. This can be achieved through the use of instant messaging and social features, which are essential in today’s workforce. Similarly, a modern intranet provides the ability to collaborate on documents and files. It can also help increase productivity by providing a single point of truth.

When choosing an intranet, look for one with features that support your company’s unique needs. For example, if your business is highly distributed, you should choose an intranet that allows you to distribute news top down and at the same time encourage worker participation by integrating collaboration tools. You should also look for a vendor with a good reputation and responsive customer support.