As the adage goes, there are no dumb questions. Sometimes you make it well into adulthood before you know how to poach an egg, or check the oil in your car. In the tech world, those kinds of questions are as valid as they are common. How do I insert a picture here? How does ‘the algorithm’ work? What is an intranet?
While we can’t teach you how to poach an egg in this blog (but never say never), we can certainly fill you in on that last question. We’re in the business of building superior intranets that bring your employees together, and that starts by explaining exactly what an intranet is and whether your organisation needs one.
Let’s start with the basics.
An intranet is an organisation’s internal communication platform. It’s here that you communicate, share news, information (e.g., policies, documents), post important updates, and collaborate. The major difference between intranet and internet lies in the word ‘private’. The internet is a public network that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere. An intranet cannot be accessed without an invitation or login information. Most organisations have an internet and intranet presence that serves different purposes; a customer-facing website versus an employee portal.
When designed well, intranets offer employees streamlined access to the information and tools they need to do their jobs. Some of the most popular intranet platforms used worldwide include Microsoft SharePoint, Confluence, and even WordPress occasionally.
Even though there are popular platforms, your intranet setup will be unique to your organisation. Intranets come with their own suite of features and add-ons, layout and design options, and navigation processes. It’s the combination of these best of breed technologies that increase overall productivity across your organisation.
The goal of the intranet is to increase productivity, communication, and collaboration. For many employees, the intranet homepage is their first port of call when they start their workday. It’s here that they can view organisation updates, like company updates, hiring news or calendar events. Navigation should have pride of place and be easily accessible and simple to use. Quicklinks to essential pages, like payroll, policies, and documents, should be prioritised so employees can jump to what they need.
Intranets can connect with communication platforms – e.g. Microsoft SharePoint and Teams connect to streamline collaboration. This marriage of intranet technologies allows employees to operate effectively throughout the day with everything they need in one location.
Organisations can benefit from having an intranet in many ways. Firstly, it’s worth noting that intranets can be implemented into organisations of all sizes, no matter where your team is located in the world. If your team operates in the digital space then a customised intranet is guaranteed to make their life easier. This happens with
Now that the mystery has been solved, you’re probably keen to get started. If you’re going to complete the build in-house, here are our top tips to ensure the process is smooth and everything your intranet should include has been considered.
If you’d prefer to outsource your intranet build, Propelle is your perfect match. We work closely with organisations to design SharePoint intranets that are user-friendly and effective. Tell us how you want to work and we’ll make it happen.
