It’s not an intranet – it’s SharePoint inertia 

‍

Did you know that the most commonly used intranet is not actually an intranet? Analysts agree. According to Gartner, Forrester, and Clearbox, SharePoint lacks the depth to meet intranet needs at scale and with a hybrid workforce. 

Clearbox reports: “SharePoint is not a ready-to-run intranet, it is a platform on which an intranet can be configured and there will be costs involved.” Forrester tells us that SharePoint needs to “prioritize the development of features considered standard in the intranet platform market.” Meanwhile, SharePoint isn’t even included in Gartner’s Intranet Packaged Solution Magic Quadrant, so they have nothing to say about it. 

Even though SharePoint isn’t an enterprise-ready intranet solution, a significant number of businesses rely on this tool to fulfill their intranet needs. 

Launched in 2001, SharePoint’s key functionality is file sharing with permissions and cloud access. According to its website, “You can use it as a secure place to store, organize, share, and access information from any device.” SharePoint was never designed to be an intranet with wide-ranging comms and collaboration functionality (while the suggestion that information is accessible “from any device” will be shown to be contentious). 

So why is SharePoint used like an intranet? The answer is habit—the inertia that seeps in when something is ‘good enough,’ and holes can be plugged for short-term relief. 

“Before defaulting to using SharePoint, companies need to carefully consider their objectives and the costs, not just of setting up but of running the intranet well over many years… Even medium-size enterprises can get into trouble because the first steps are easy, but the scaling up is not.” – Forrester 

Since it works in tandem with other Microsoft 365 tools, like OneDrive, Viva, and Teams, and is available ‘free’ as part of a Microsoft package (there’ll be more to say about that), SharePoint inertia has taken over in most enterprises, where it’s used by nearly 350 million people globally. 

‍

5 Common problems experienced by SharePoint users

Beyond its basic functions, each additional demand on SharePoint will likely require another customization or tweak, something that can’t be done by the people—C-Suite, HR, Internal Comms, or an individual employee—hoping to create a department microsite or company-wide meeting space, or just share an events page with a handful of teams. Keeping SharePoint at baseline requires dedicated support – resources that could be used for bigger and better things. What seems free at the point of purchase can ultimately cost a lot. 

SharePoint satisfaction is notoriously low. Studies show that upwards of 80% of users are disappointed with its capabilities. Stretched beyond capacity, SharePoint users report ongoing issues with:

• Lack of personalization 
• Limited access and scalability
• Poor UX and content management 
• Constraints on design and branding 
• Incompatibility with comms 

While there’s a lot that this software does well, such as document storage and sharing, SharePoint is categorically not an intranet. Remember, Forrester and Gartner already said it’s not. 

By comparison, a fully functional, modern intranet like LumApps, which integrates seamlessly with the Microsoft 365 family, including SharePoint (you can still maintain SharePoint for file storage!), encourages enterprises to look beyond their legacy programs to a brighter work future.  

LumApps is a Leading Intranet in the Gartner Magic Quadrant with a 0% failed implementation rate and A+ customer renewal rate. 

Let’s take a closer look at some common pain points. If any of these sound familiar, it might be time to look for a replacement for SharePoint. This article will how deep dive into how adopting a modern intranet, like LumApps, is leading a cultural shift away from make-do solutions to a future-ready employee hub. 

‍

Pain Point #1: Lack of Personalization

One of the biggest frustrations with SharePoint is this lack of personalization. The tool is non-profiled, which means there’s no capacity to create a unique experience tailored to the needs of each employee. And because SharePoint isn’t an intranet, even when it does align with other Microsoft apps, it never hits the mark to create a digital homebase that all employees can use, tailor, and contribute to with ease, no matter where they are. 

It may come as no surprise that the digital workforce spends up to 88% of each day managing comms—emails, texts, reports, and more. Most employees have experienced everyday overwhelm: the dreaded feeling when basic admin and comms eat up time and send your head into a spin. Legacy systems do not usually have personalization and autonomous streamlining capacities, adding to the overwhelm.  

SharePoint also doesn’t help with overwhelm. In fact, it contributes to digital friction, which is excessive time spent on tech and data management. SharePoint functions in connection with a series of apps, like OneDrive and Viva, each with its own assortment of tabs, windows, and interfaces that amount to a cumbersome and disjointed employee experience. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to look beyond all your open tabs to find a seamless work solution. 

The alternative? A personalized workspace and flexible workflow are pivotal ways for all your employees to feel seen and heard daily, whether they’re in the office, working remotely, or out in the field. 

‍Personalization = productivity 

What businesses need:

• An employee-centric home base 
• No digital friction
• Time management solutions 

‍

Solution: Personalization is our thing at LumApps

Ease-of-use that fosters engagement is paramount. That’s why we designed the LumApps personalized digital dashboard - so none of your employees get left behind or lose focus. This customizable dashboard is a feature of our industry-leading AI-powered solution, which instantly connects employees to a 360° and profile-based view of the latest news, business-critical updates, and conversations, with easy access to all tools, connected business apps, and community groups. 

‍

‍

‍

Plus, with this dashboard, employees can complete common tasks, like requesting time off, without having to leave the intranet.

There’s a reason that personalized communications top the list of LumApps’ ways to improve the employee experience. Done right, a personalized dashboard fosters recognition and reallocates time that can be used for creative, strategic, and growth initiatives.

‍

Pain Point #2: Access to a mobile app 

Nearly 80% of the global workforce qualifies as frontline workers who typically do not have access to a desktop computer. If you’re not using technology designed with remote and field workers in mind, you’re putting your business at risk. 

Research shows that poor communication at work leads to decreased productivity (40%), extended timelines (37%), and increased costs (32%). Despite this, most workers who aren’t in the office don’t have access to their company’s collaboration suite. 

Lack of communication breeds a sense of disconnection, which is a real business concern. When employees feel connected, they’re nearly 70% less likely to experience burn out, and 55% less likely to look elsewhere for job opportunities. Constantly replacing staff because you don’t have the right technology comes at a huge cost.

SharePoint is primarily a browser-based app 

A SharePoint license doesn’t offer multi-tenant use, so even if it comes ‘free’ with Microsoft 365, that’s only true to a point—each additional license costs a fee. 

According to their own site, “SharePoint is a browser-based app that you connect to through your web browser. If your organization has assigned you a license that includes SharePoint, you can sign in.”

The result is that remote and frontline workers cannot connect to their company. Managing complicated permissions and scaling SharePoint for remote use across devices requires tech specialists for constant upgrading and customization—another hidden cost of using this tool.  

‍

‍

Even if a company invests to scale by buying licenses for field workers, the SharePoint mobile experience requires an add-on or overlay, which you also need to buy. And even then, the SharePoint mobile experience is reportedly subpar, with user reviews describing it as “uncomfortable,” “virtually unreadable,” “horrific,” and “poorly supported.” 

The fact that SharePoint doesn’t work well with non-Microsoft apps and can’t connect with third-party apps—for project management, payroll, or anything else—is frustrating when you’re on a company computer, and next to impossible if you’re using a tablet or phone. Similarly, SharePoint’s well-documented search limitations make it difficult to navigate, which eats up time whether you’re on a company device or not.

‍

If “I didn’t hear about that,” “I can’t access it on my phone,” or “I don’t even bother trying to connect when I’m not in the office” have become regular employee refrains, it’s time to consider that SharePoint might be limiting your scope and growth. 

Solution: Connect all employees with LumApps intranet. Connection is our nature. 

LumApps is a modern intranet designed to be mobile-first and user-friendly for dispersed teams. It works across all browser, devices, as well as on our mobile app.

‍

‍

‍

LumApps connects all your employees, even if they don’t have a company email account. 

Because we’re platform agnostic, LumApps works well to scale with enterprise systems like Microsoft and Google, as well as third-party tools. Forbes reports that flexibility for remote working is an excellent opportunity to reach a wider talent pool. Providing connectivity across platforms that enables inclusive, flexible work experiences and project-focused autonomy is what we were designed to do. 

Our AI-powered search and hands-free functioning, including notes and translations, offer easy access to each employee’s dashboard containing vital comms and tasks, as well as micro-apps and company messaging—all with strong security. 

‍

Pain Point #3: Customizable knowledge sharing space

Nearly half of digital workers can’t easily find the information or data they need to do their jobs to a high standard. Lack of organization slows people down, and over time, it chips away at the enthusiasm and sense of autonomy that underpins productivity and talent retention. 

Beyond important daily tasks and document exchange, knowledge sharing is a cornerstone of digital transformation. That means providing digital spaces, like texting and message boards, where staff can engage in informal or targeted modes of communication that build relationships and encourages collaboration. Alongside personalization and mobile-first capabilities, effective knowledge sharing can transform a business once it decides to move away from legacy systems towards a powerful employee hub.

Fixing isn’t free
SharePoint is arguably at its best when it comes to digital document filing and management. What’s difficult is the upkeep—not only to the basic software, but for any customizations and updates required for your company to run effectively. And customization is almost always needed when it comes to SharePoint—this is a time-consuming, costly reality. 

As we’ve seen, despite its capabilities as a file-sharing platform, SharePoint fails at key aspects of knowledge sharing. It limits collaboration across silos due to complex integration, poor search, and usability with other tools—even Microsoft apps—while it doesn’t provide seamless access to data in the field. These are the unfortunate results of black-box functionality—and there isn’t a support network to help. 

Forrester reports: “Microsoft should enhance its customer adoption programs to be on par with those offered by specialized intranet providers. Improved guidance and support throughout the implementation and post-implementation phases would benefit Microsoft's customers.”  

‍

‍What businesses need:

• Flexible apps that integrate 
• Collaboration across teams 
• Personalized service 

If employees need to contact IT to manage basic functionality, or you’re working with an external partner to keep things humming, or worse, your ticket is stuck in an endless Microsoft support queue, SharePoint may not fit your business the way you need it to.  

‍

Solution: We believe in connections 

‍
Our solution comes with easy, out-of-the-box API integration, which makes a LumApps-powered intranet a secure place for information retrieval in the office or on the go. Direct access to every storage and message board your company uses, whether it’s Google, Microsoft, or something else, means employees can share and collaborate without stress or confusion. 

‍

‍

‍

Beyond this, LumApps' multi-site capability increases knowledge sharing by giving employees access to relevant, accurate information with smooth functionality. Our Communities of Practice help to harness internal expertise, while our Communities of Interest create a sense of belonging.

‍

‍

Our clients tell us that unifying communications is one of the top drivers for working with LumApps, especially when it comes to a hybrid, global, multi-language workforce. We apply this same dedicated communication to work closely with all our partners. The moment your relationship starts with us our support team will be on call.  We do almost everything in-house and we move quickly, no matter the size of your enterprise – that’s what comes with being an experienced intranet solution.  

Download our lookbook to see how LumApps integrates with Microsoft. 

‍

From SharePoint to Something Better: the Modern Alternative

How we interact with our workspace is a key to success. Everything from collaborative spaces and comfortable chairs to quiet rooms and agreeable lighting making the difference between satisfied employees and those with low productivity and one foot out the door. 

The positive effects of good design translate to the digital environment, where employees increasingly spend their workdays. As we’ve seen, key outputs of excellent design include an employee-centric digital dashboard and other personalized functionality, as well as AI-powered search, and multi-tenant, multi-site, mobile functionality. 

‍

‍

Branding also plays a huge role in a hybrid workforce. Consistent branding at work can motivate employees, leading them to “perpetuate the brand perception down the line” to clients, which can build trust, and in turn revenue, by upwards of 35%. 

‍

Pain Point #4: No sense of self or company branding

SharePoint suffers from anonymized design; there is little opportunity to integrate your company branding or any signature elements to create a unique and unified presence. It has no central hub where people can gather, no capacity to create a personalized workflow, and it is notoriously difficult to adapt to personal needs. The result is that your company identity comes second to Microsoft’s own. Unsurprisingly, Forrester scores SharePoint ‘below par’ for design. 

A lack of branding capabilities is another thing that Forrester calls up, saying SharePoint doesn’t enable “consistent branding across multiple tenants for organizations with complex structures.” Or as one web developer put it: “from a design standpoint SharePoint is pretty much stuck looking however Microsoft decide.” Even their new Viva suite is a waterfall of apps: generic Microsoft icons with vague hints at purpose. 

If you’re frustrated that Microsoft doesn’t take customer requests and does not offer a roadmap or branding freedom tailored to your business, this is because you’re not considered a partner by most legacy systems: you get what you get. 

‍

Solution: Good, fully customizable design

A message is only as good as its ability to reach its intended audience. Without push notifications to a digital dashboard on home screens and mobile, or dedicated options for sharing branded news locally or globally, your comms will fall on deaf ears. 

LumApps knows that design choices generate meaningful outcomes. A great intranet should be: 

1. Visible; simple and desirable for employees to access. 

2. Attractive; a visually pleasing and well-constructed interface to encourage use. 

3. Easy; with intuitive navigation, personalized content, and targeted notifications.

‍

‍

‍

‍

Alongside our customizable dashboards, LumApps works with companies to create dynamic branded digital environments that encourage sharing and connectivity. We do this with user-friendly navigation and organization and with modern design that’s human-centred and customizable. 

We can apply any aspect of a company’s branding to create a unified design concept for all employees at every level of access. Knowing that good design can positively impact employee motivation, the LumApps UX is elegant, accessible, and keeps workers readily engaged.  

Maintaining effective internal comms (IC) that break down silos is a major factor in a company’s success. Gallup tells us that feeling disconnected from an organization’s mission and purpose can decrease productivity. The role of IC is paramount: Gallagher reports that 78% of employees think internal comms are for “culture and belonging.” Brought together, a culture of belonging offers businesses a competitive edge. 

Hybrid working has vast potential for employee autonomy and networked collaboration, but it also requires a dynamic approach to communications—whether top-down, across teams, or one-to-one. A well-executed communication plan is a bottom-line issue that affects businesses and their clients. 

‍

Pain Point #5: Not meant for streamlined, multi-channel comms

A lack of focus on how messages are disseminated is one of the reasons that Forrester scores SharePoint ‘below par’ for its IC capabilities. This might be the main reason that enterprise companies consider looking for a replacement for SharePoint - investing in a quality communications effort. 

Communications Managers and various lines of business complain that they are not able to autonomously create pages, work communities, or media-rich content without the help of IT or SharePoint specialists. Similarly, internal comms professionals complain that Viva, SharePoint’s answer to its limited internal networking capabilities, does not enhance their capacity to circulate messaging that contributes to company culture or a sense of belonging. 

If someone in Comms or HR wants to share news across a company, SharePoint will limit their options to send notifications in both blanket and targeted ways. In fact, to ensure everyone sees it, they will likely have to recreate the same page for different internal sites or brands that are part of the same company. But an intranet is more than just publishing a page with some news in the hopes that the right people will see it.  

If “I thought that town hall was next week,” and “I didn’t even know we had an internal comms page,” are the type of thing your employees are saying, you’ve probably hit up against SharePoint’s limitations when it comes to comms and creating a culture of belonging. 

‍

Solution: LumApps intranet is build for the comms team to be autonomous

LumApps allows multichannel communications, targeted comms, and autonomous content creation to reach a local or global workforce. With secure video management and easy-to-use tools, we ensure that messaging gets to the right people in a personalized way so that they actually see it. 

‍

‍

‍

‍

LumApps intranet integrates with Microsoft Teams for an enhanced employee experience, allowing you to use existing logins and share updates across both platforms. That means you can broadcast news on a Teams channel, for example, quickly notify users of important content, and meet them where they are working.

The old-fashioned way of asking employees to visit countless internal sites to access information is being replaced with the employee hub, which allows for a high level of personalization and targeted communications for every user. That’s why we encourage our partners to think even beyond the idea of an intranet, towards the multifunctionality of an employee hub. Find out more about the power of employee intranets. This is the future, and we’re here for it.

‍

‍

‍

‍

Ready for a modern, all-in-one intranet solution? 

LumApps is a next-gen intranet and employee hub that’s designed to address workplace needs and motivators. We believe that a cultural shift is needed away from hole-plugging towards being nimble for the future. Away from clunky legacy beasts to agile, flexible solutions. We believe that the future of work is about integration, ease of use, and connectivity. 

When you move away from your legacy systems and embrace dynamic, forward-looking solutions like LumApps that adjust to your changing needs, you choose growth. 

Want to see how LumApps can enhance your company's communication efforts? Contact us today to schedule a demo.

‍