What is a modern intranet?

Today's modern intranet is a dynamic, social, and collaborative platform that powers personalized communication and drives employee experience initiatives. A modern intranet can be accessed from anywhere and any device where the employee has internet access.

Current intranet software is cloud-based and can be accessed by all company members without needing software downloads.  

In the 90s, the intranet was mostly used for top-down communication. It was simply a tool to communicate information from top management to the employees. Plus, you could only access it from the company network.  

Basically, you had to be physically in the office in order to see anything on the company intranet.  That's no longer sustainable when so many employees work remote, hybrid, and on the frontlines.

Now, intranets are all about communication among coworkers. The tool allows for social networking, commenting and discussions, and employees can create their own posts.

Do I need a cloud-based solution?

The cloud-based intranet uses remote servers instead of on-site servers.  A cloud-based intranet allows employees to access information from any device and any location.  

Additionally, cloud-based solutions remove the need for on-site maintenance costs and time-consuming backups. Everything is managed remotely and only a high-speed internet connection is required.

With a cloud-based intranet, upgrades are streamlined. If a company needs to add employees or increase content bandwidth, it’s a simplified process.

Is an intranet still relevant for companies?

Email has always been the primary means of communications, and it remains that way for most organizations. It is an effective method of communication as it creates a trail of communication and prevents misunderstanding. Instead, modern intranets provide a way to send targeted and personalized messages.

There are many business applications of an intranet like managing documents, automating workflows, social networking, and collaboration. As such, they can play a crucial role in enhancing internal communication, knowledge management, and productivity.

The modern software features enable employees to connect, collaborate, and engage with their colleagues, especially in remote work environments. By promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing, intranets contribute to a more cohesive and informed workforce.

Intranet platforms can be customized for your company with personalized content, customizable dashboards, and integration with other tools. This allows businesses to create a true workplace hub that aligns with their unique communication and collaboration requirements.

Want even more reasons it's relevant? Here's a list of 35 benefits for enterprise organizations.

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What are the benefits of a modern intranet?

It makes information accessible

Traditionally, intranets served as knowledge bases and content management systems. However, finding information is still tedious for organizations with gigantic databases. Research shows that employees spend up to 30% of their time each week searching for information at work.

Intranets are safe platforms for sharing documents, announcements, and company policies, so all employees can easily find the latest information. This minimizes the chances of miscommunication and fosters transparency across departments.

Efficient collaboration

Communication is at the heart of collaboration. Teamwork requires several levels of communication and feedback in the planning, strategizing, implementation, and execution stages. These lines of communication are multiplied by multiple teams and stakeholders are involved.

Modern intranet solutions enable teams to integrate seamlessly with different collaboration and communication tools, leading to enhanced productivity. For example, if an organization communicates via Slack for instant messaging and collaboration via Jira, an employee experience platform like LumApps can integration these collaboration tools into your intranet. Organizations can also build their own integrations using a Software Development Kit (SDK).

Increases employee engagement

Institute for Employment Studiesdefines employee engagement as "a positive attitude held by the employees towards the organization and its values."

In traditional offices, managers and HR professionals try to increase engagement by posting bulletins on the break room board. An intranet platform is a more effective at internal communication and is an elaborate employee engagement tool.

Instead of blast emails or digital discussion boards, encourage employees to like, comment, and interact in different ways. This form of engagement strategy is also easier to measure and iterate on.

Builds transparency

Having a transparent organization is one of the most effective ways to build job satisfaction among employees. Most employees want to feel a sense of purpose and belonging.

A modern intranet encourages transparency by hosting messages from leadership teams, HR and department managers in one centralized place. Employees can access information on demand, when they need it.

Enhances productivity

A modern intranet centralizes productivity tools. Productive software and chat tools are connected through pre-made connections or custom-built API solutions. With a single dashboard, employees don’t need to have several tabs open or constantly navigate between tools.

Modern intranets help IT teams tackle technology challenges. They do this by providing a combined knowledge base, an improved search feature, and a support hub homepage.

Additionally, IT departments gain a productivity boost. An intranet can include AI features to help employees solve their own IT or HR requests.

Reduced employee churn

A modern intranet can significantly reduce employee churn by promoting communication, transparency, engagement, recognition, and professional development. It fosters a sense of belonging, improves engagement, and empowerment among employees, which are essential factors in retaining talent.

Modern intranets can simplify onboarding materials so it's easier for new hires to ramp up and understand their roles. This minimizes the chances of early departures due to frustration or confusion.

You can build an onboarding center that employees can use to follow important milestones and trainings they should complete. Integrate video management to help employees onboard more quickly.

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How to improve internal communication with an intranet

A modern intranet serves as a powerful tool for enhancing internal communication and sharing company news. By creating a centralized digital workplace, it streamlines collaboration and sharing information.

Intranets facilitate real-time communication through instant messaging, video training, and discussion forums. This enables remote or dispersed teams to collaborate seamlessly, boost productivity, and reduce communication barriers.

Additionally, modern intranets offer personalization features, allowing employees to tailor their content feeds and receive information relevant to their roles. This ensures that every individual can stay informed without being overwhelmed by irrelevant updates.

Improving internal communication with an intranet is a direct and effective way to enhance collaboration and information sharing within your organization. Here's how to do it:

1. Centralized Information Hub: Create a central database for important documents, policies, and announcements. This ensures that all employees have access to the latest information, reducing the chances of miscommunication.
2. Real-time Updates: Leverage real-time communication features through instant messaging, discussion forums, targeted internal campaigns, and news feeds. This allows employees to stay informed and engaged, even if they work remotely.
3. Personalized Content: Offer customizable dashboards and content feeds, so employees receive information relevant to their roles without feeling overwhelmed.
4. Collaboration Tools: Integrate collaboration tools like video conferencing and document sharing within the intranet. This makes it easy for teams to work together, regardless of their physical locations.
5. Feedback Channels: Create feedback mechanisms within the intranet to allow employees to share ideas, concerns, and suggestions. This fosters a culture of open communication and continuous improvement.

By implementing these strategies, your intranet can become a powerful tool for improving internal communication, strengthening employee engagement, and ultimately, driving your company's success.

What are the main features of an intranet?

1. Cloud support

A modern intranet system should be cloud-based. As discussed earlier, it has numerous advantages over the traditional physical server system. Some of these benefits are backup, real-time content management, and zero location limitations.

The biggest advantage? You can easily access it from anywhere, no need to download software.

According to an Accenture Future of Work Study, 63% of high-growth companies have a hybrid workforce. With a cloud-based intranet system, employees connect and collaborate from anywhere.

2. Integrations with existing business apps

A full-featured intranet system integrates seamlessly with business-critical tools that employees use everyday. An employee experience platform such as LumApps includes deep integrations with Microsoft and Google. Modern intranet should also feature integrations with tools such as Okta, Slack, Zendesk, and other apps.

3. Security

A well-secured intranet system will protect your company information from unauthorized access or leak of confidential information. A secure intranet enables administrators to assign varying access levels to specific content and actions.

4. User-friendly content management system

A content management system enables users to create, store, share, consume, and interact with the content of various forms. With an efficient CMS, modern intranets empower creators and managers to update content without advanced technical skills. In addition, the CMS should have smooth integrations with other platforms and sources like Google and Microsoft.

5. Employee recognition and rewards

A modern intranet not only allows employees to say “thank you” and “congrats,” via comments - it makes it easier to identify and recognize outstanding team members. When a significant achievement deserves company-wide recognition, use the modern intranet to share the success story company wide.

6. Employee directory

Include an employee directory and link it at the top of your site. Your employee directory should be searchable by name, title, team, and more.

7. Mobile App

Your intranet should be mobile compatible and/or include its own mobile app. A mobile app is an easy way for all employees to access the information, no matter what device they use.

8. Integrates with your existing collaboration suite

Choose an intranet provider that integrates with your existing collaboration suite. For example, if you use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, you can use these existing logins.

On Google Workspace? LumApps is the only intranet recommended by Google. Book a demo to see why thousands of Google customers calls LumApps home.

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How to create a successful company intranet

To create the best company intranet, you must have a thoughtful and organized process. Here are 4 steps for success:

1. Choose a steering committee or internal champions

A steering committee consists of members from different departments to make the implementation process is thoughtful and effective.  The steering committee should create a governance plan and to ensure the project meets cross-department goals and objectives.

2. Set clear objectives

General goals for an intranet project typically include collaboration, communication, and knowledge sharing. However, each company has specific goals and metrics to track. Set these objectives at the beginning to provide a standard for measuring success after deployment.

3. Training

After selecting the best modern intranet software for your organization, training is key for adoption and the employee experience. Each member of the steering committees should commit to training members of their department. Every employee must get familiar with the specific functionalities of their jobs.

4. The launch

The launch should be a special occasion to ensure that employees quickly adopt the new intranet software. Creating an official event for the launch creates a buzz, stirring up excitement and curiosity.

It's important to encourage adoption early because some employees may not want to change. This might be especially true if you're replacing an existing intranet.

After the launch, be sure to check the Intranet best practices to follow.

Integrating the Modern Intranet into Your Digital Workplace

The Evolution of Intranet Architecture

The architecture of modern intranets has evolved beyond simple internal websites to become the backbone of digital workplaces. This architecture supports a range of services from content management systems to advanced collaboration tools, ensuring that information is not only accessible but also interactive and engaging. The flexibility and scalability of this architecture mean that intranets can grow and adapt with your organization, seamlessly integrating new tools and technologies as they emerge.

Intranet Access: Bridging the Gap for Remote Workers

In this age of remote work, ensuring that all team members, regardless of their location, have equal access to important information and resources is paramount. Modern intranets provide this access through cloud-based platforms that enable remote workers to stay connected and informed. This democratization of information fosters a more inclusive work environment and helps to maintain a cohesive corporate culture, even in a dispersed workforce.

Modern Intranet & Digital Workplace: More Than Just a Private Network

A modern intranet is at the heart of the digital workplace, offering a centralized platform that encourages employee interaction, collaboration, and engagement. By integrating social media elements, intranets have transformed into vibrant communities where employees can share ideas, celebrate achievements, and connect on a personal level. This social aspect of the intranet encourages a sense of belonging and can significantly enhance the employee experience.

Sharing Information and Improving Employee Communication

The sharing of information is streamlined within a modern intranet. By utilizing content management systems, organizations can ensure that all employees have access to the latest updates, policies, and resources. Moreover, these platforms enable targeted communication, ensuring that relevant information reaches the appropriate audience without overwhelming everyone with unnecessary messages. This targeted approach improves communication efficiency and effectiveness across the organization.

Modern Intranets: Facilitating Collaboration and Employee Recognition

Collaboration tools integrated within modern intranets allow team members to work together more effectively, regardless of their physical location. These tools support everything from project management to brainstorming sessions, making it easier for teams to achieve their objectives. Additionally, features that facilitate employee recognition, such as kudos boards or shout-out posts, play a crucial role in enhancing morale and motivation.

Intranet Software: Enhancing User Experience and Engagement

The user experience of intranet software has seen significant improvements in recent years. Modern intranets are designed with the user in mind, featuring intuitive interfaces, personalized dashboards, and mobile compatibility. This focus on user experience boosts engagement, as employees are more likely to use and benefit from a platform that is easy and pleasant to navigate.

The Role of Intranets in Performance Management and Employee Retention

Modern intranets contribute to performance management by providing tools for goal-setting, feedback, and recognition. This supports a culture of continuous improvement and personal development. Furthermore, by improving communication, collaboration, and employee satisfaction, intranets can play a key role in retaining top talent. A well-designed intranet signals to employees that their employer values their contribution and is invested in providing them with the best possible work environment.

Conclusion: The Intranet as a Catalyst for Business Outcomes

In conclusion, the modern intranet is a versatile tool that supports a wide range of business needs, from improving internal communication and collaboration to enhancing the overall employee experience. By providing a centralized platform for information sharing, social interaction, and recognition, intranets can significantly impact employee engagement and satisfaction. As companies continue to adapt to the changing workplace landscape, the role of the intranet as a cornerstone of the digital workplace is more critical than ever.

LumApps leads the way in this arena, offering a comprehensive intranet solution that is not only a repository of information but a dynamic platform that fosters a connected, engaged, and productive workforce. Through its innovative features and integrations, LumApps intranet stands as a testament to the power of modern intranets in driving business success and transforming the way companies operate.

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