5 Essential Steps to Get the Best Mobile Intranet App

An intranet mobile application facilitates information flow by giving employees the digital tools to find corporate information and engage with their colleagues no matter where they are.

The global pandemic of 2020 has had a major impact on business and people’s everyday lives. Mary Meeker points out in her Coronavirus Trends Report that the technology sector is having its moment in the sun. She states that the most successful companies are being led by planners with “short- and long-term visions” for where they want their enterprises to go. One important decision these planners are making is around whether to launch a mobile intranet app for their employees – many of whom may be working from home.

1. What are the Benefits of a Mobile Intranet App?

What is an Intranet App?

An intranet mobile application facilitates information flow by giving employees the digital tools to find corporate information and engage with their colleagues no matter where they are. The mobile Intranet app allows people to find and exchange ideas quickly and easily on-the-go via a handheld device.

Mobile Intranet Benefits for Companies

How can your company benefit from a mobile Intranet? Consider the following:

— Seamless Collaboration Between Office-Based and Deskless Workers

In the modern work environment, many projects are completed in teams. It’s quite common for a team to be made up of members who are based at different locations, including deskless workers. The latter may be people who are working from their home or from the field. With a mobile intranet, they can connect and collaborate with their colleagues in real time, regardless of their physical location.

— Lower Travel Costs

Field workers can use the mobile intranet app to access needed documents and attend meetings remotely. They do not have to go to the office or waste time and expense to attend meetings in person – unless their attendance is absolutely necessary.

— Productivity Gets a Boost

Many workers are not in front of a desktop computer during the day. For these workers, being able to access an intranet mobile application on a tablet or a smartphone is critical to doing their work.

— More Effective Customer Service

Give your customer service reps access to the intranet. They can use it to look up information required to track orders and answer customer queries. The representative will likely always have their smartphone close by, which means they can access the company Intranet quickly when they need to.

— Employees Can Bring Their Own Mobile Device

Give your employees the option to use their own mobile devices when accessing the company intranet. Workers can choose an iOS or Android device they feel comfortable with. This can save you the expense of providing new mobile devices for everyone on your team.

— Improved Corporate Culture

The company intranet can also be used for social purposes. Many people are already familiar with using their mobile devices for keeping up with various news outlets and social media sites. When they find something they feel is “shareable,” they click on it to let other people know that the content will provoke a reaction. Employees can share industry news, positive human interest stories (and occasional cute cat videos) to build a sense of camaraderie among team members.

Workers may even want to try incorporating fun activities such as holding an unofficial “Who Has the Cutest Pet Contest?” and invite participants to upload photos of their companions to the company intranet. The intranet can also be used to check in on fellow employees during the pandemic and provide colleague-to-colleague support during this challenging time.

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2. What is the Purpose of the Intranet App?

An intranet (or a digital workplace) has the capability to assist your business in several ways. Here are the main benefits to keep in mind:

1. It is an important communication tool within your organization

For many employees, simply being able to keep up with the volume of work-related email is problematic. There is no way to rank the importance of the messages received; a policy change from the company CEO is given the same degree of importance as a message about an employee social event, for example.

The online platform allows messages to be prioritized and sent to specific work groups. With an in-app or a push notification, intranet users can be notified of important information at once.

2. It delivers quality content to users anywhere, anytime

When used to its best advantage, an intranet app is much more than just a virtual space to dump information. It should be a place where users place various types of up-to-date content to assist company decision makers, as well as users who need answers to questions.

Remote employees working in different time zones or on the road can get access to company documents when they need them, even if they are making a request outside of the head office’s standard working hours.

3. The intranet app automates several business activities

Intranet solutions are not just about consuming information. The company intranet is also a place where employees can go to find tools to complete tasks. For example, electronic forms can be distributed via the intranet for a variety of activities including training, compiling reports, and applying for new positions within the company.

The result is all employees have access to training and employment opportunities . When standard forms, such as vacation requests or expense reports can be submitted electronically by all workers (no matter where they happen to be located), they can be processed more quickly.

4. It is a part of the company culture

The intranet relies on managers and employees to contribute content for everyone in the company. It’s up to those who use it to ensure that what is being posted is fresh, accurate, and relevant. New hires should be encouraged to share some personal information about themselves and their background so that their colleagues can get to know them. It’s a good way to “break the ice” when starting work at a new company. Sharing information about a previous job or a hobby can potentially lead to new opportunities later.

3. Features to Look for in a mobile intranet app

Which mobile intranet features should you focus on? Consider these ideas.

Connects All Workers From One App

The workplace has changed and not everyone associated with the company spends equal time in the office. It’s not uncommon for a worker today to spend some or all of their time working remotely. These workers are just as much a part of the company as those who spend all of their time in the office.

Look for a mobile Intranet that will connect everyone by using the same productivity suite, such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. The intranet itself can be used as a source for training materials, best practice tips, and FAQs to help employees navigate the software.

Private and Group Chat Options

Not every message that employees share on the company intranet is meant for all workers to see. An employee may want to send a question directly to their manager, for example. Managers should recognize that not everything they discuss with their team members is meant to be repeated to the group.

This is what private chats are for. The group chat is a key feature when looking for a communication app, since team members can ask questions and get advice about tasks they are working on in real-time.

Integrates with Existing Company Software

Ideally, you want to choose a mobile intranet app that mirrors the processes your company already has in place. Managing information on the intranet via mobile should be as frictionless as the experience employees have become accustomed to on their desktop.

Employee Directory

Give your employees a platform to share their area of expertise with their colleagues. A searchable online employee directory is a convenient way for managers and workers to find the help they need for specialized projects. It can also be used when a colleague needs to get a question answered in-house and does not immediately know who to turn to.

Employee Recognition Center

The company intranet is a great place to post messages recognizing employee achievements in their professional and personal lives. Let employees know the company stands behind them in all their endeavors.

Communities of Interest

Communities of interest encourage employees to connect through shared interests or hobbies. These communities are designed to be purely social. The community posts links, videos, and texts on topics the community would find interesting, amusing, or educational. This virtual “water cooler” is a way for deskless workers to get to know their colleagues on a personal level without having to set foot in the office.

Communities of Practice

Encourage your employees with expertise in specific areas to share their knowledge in communities of practice . It’s an opportunity for them to increase their reputation as an expert in their field.

Includes Push Notifications

The best intranet mobile apps keep all users up to date with push notifications. These real-time announcements are sent out to smartphones when employees must be notified of something quickly. They are not designed for everyday internal communication. They are best used to communicate urgent messages like updates from the company CEO or instructions about what to do in case an emergency occurs.

4. How to Create an Employee Intranet App?

Now that you have discovered the benefits of having an employee intranet app, and the features to look for when choosing one, here’s how to create one.

1. Choose the best mobile intranet app provider

Take your time and do your homework before making a decision. You’ll want to find a company with experience with mobile access company Intranets. If you have any special requirements, such as content in multiple languages, be sure to mention them up front to ensure the company you are considering can meet them. See the list of vendors in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Intranet Packaged Solutions. 

2. Customize the structure and design

The provider you choose should be able to show you an intranet mobile app template to give you an idea of what their product looks like. Once you have made a decision about which provider to work with, take time to choose a look and feel that fits your company specifically.

3. Create content for the intranet

You won’t be able to launch the intranet without content. This is the point where you and your team will need to make choices about what types of content you want to feature on the intranet’s home page. You will also need to make a plan for updating the content regularly so that it does not become stagnant.

4. Come up with an engaging name

Since your intranet is a living document, it should have a brand. Perhaps one of the first functions should be to run a contest to choose a name for the intranet. Ask employees to submit suggestions and then vote. Enter the names of all participants into a draw for a fun prize as a way of saying, “Thank you.”

5. Provide training for all employees

Once the intranet is up and running, provide training for all workers on how to use it properly. Give employees choices about the format for their training. Some people prefer to read text, while others like to watch videos. Others might need more hands-on support before they feel comfortable using the intranet. Give all employees the option of asking someone for help if they get stuck.

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5. How to Measure Mobile Intranet Adoption?

Why implement a mobile intranet app unless you can track whether or not it is giving you good value for your investment? If you want to determine how well it is working for your business, here are some ways to track its effectiveness:

Higher Sales

One of the benefits the company intranet can give your team is better information, which can potentially lead to higher sales. It can definitely help with customer service and encourage loyalty on the part of existing customers.

Increased Productivity

Since the intranet makes it easier for employees to collaborate on projects, work should be completed in a timely manner. Workers have a place to find forms, documents, white papers, etc. They also know where to look for experts within the company to help them when needed.

Cost Savings

The intranet delivers savings in several areas that may not be immediately apparent. Employees should be spending less time finding information. The company should be spending less money on paper and toner along with other environmental benefits.

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