Intranet benefits are often unknown to many businesses, but those who have utilised modern day intranets enjoy streamlined operations, a consistent organisational culture and are more connected with their workforce.
A recent survey found that employee satisfaction increased by 47% after implementing a new intranet software and 45% of employees state it is easier to collaborate with coworkers through new intranet tools.
In this blog we will be taking you through how a modern day intranet can do wonders for your business, by exploring:
- What is an intranet?- With Video Overview
- Do companies still use intranets?- With Video Overview
- Top 3 Benefits of an Intranet: Video
- 16 Intranet Benefits to Help your Business Succeed
What Is an Intranet?
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You may have have asked yourself "What is an Intranet?". There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding intranets, so lets firstly outline what it actually is.
An intranet is a private enterprise network designed to empower employees. When used correctly it facilitates communication, collaboration and optimum employee performance. It serves a broad range of purposes and uses, but generally speaking, an intranet is used to engage and support employees.
Employees can typically use this internal network to:
- Connect to one another
- Collaborate on projects
- Send messages
- Share documents
- Access policies and company updates
- Request time off and more
Recommended Reading 📖: Your Intranet Business Case [Step by Step Guide + Template]
Do Companies Still Use Intranets?
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Yes, if anything they have become an increasingly integral business tool for the ever evolving workforce. Keeping employees engaged and productive is paramount for businesses, which is why an intranet is so useful.
Top 3 Benefits of an Intranet: Video
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16 Benefits of an Intranet to Help Your Business Succeed
According to Gallup, highly engaged business units saw a 41% reduction in non-participation and a 17% increase in productivity . However, the same study found that a staggering 85% of respondents were not engaged at work, showing both the strong output that comes with a connected workforce, but also the trouble businesses can have achieving this.
We have produced a handy guide on the benefits that a modern intranet solution can provide to organisations of all sizes.
Boost Employee Engagement
More and more businesses are realising the value of an employee engagement. In conjunction with Aldi, Oak developed the MyAldi solution which focused on connecting its 41,000 users, many of whom are deskless employees. Taking a mobile-first approach and integrating a social network hub, the app has boasted a 90% engagement rate since and demonstrates how a modern intranet solution can provide connectivity and accessibility for the entire workforce.
Increase Employee Reach
A seamless UX and accessibility is key when wanting your employees to use your intranet, particularly with some deskless workers who do not have a company email, or younger members of the workforce where an easy-to-use mobile app will be more intuitive. An implementation of Oak solutions allowed Five Guys to onboard new staff remotely and exchange critical business updates to the relevant workforce. The ease of a mobile app saw 99% of users accessing their intranet through their Android or smartphone and a 68% user growth.
Perfect Your Business Processes
Document management systems provide a centralised area of access eliminating loss of data or documentation as a result of human error. OEC have utilised Oak’s easy-to-use document management tool, which made the transition to remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic far more seamless. Using the drag and drop function, workers could easily save into the centralised document source, meaning everyone had the access to the same information with real-time updates.
Track and Monitor Employee Engagement and Happiness
Feeling like your employees are happy is one thing, but until you can back this up with actual feedback or data, it can be guesswork with heightened risk. Employee engagement surveys are a simple way to gage the feeling among your staff, but Oak’s solution also provides data-driven insights in the form of Pulse surveys and a built-in analytics function to present the results. This will give further insight into how workers feel about different aspects of their role.
Decrease Staff Turnover Rate
We’ve established that a happy workforce is a more productive one. Gallup research also showed that "engaged and thriving" employees are 59% less likely to look for a new job within the next year and with the added costs of staff attrition, a business can ill-afford a workforce with low morale. Improved engagement with a multi-location or deskless workforce can be achieved through social hubs, where employees can discuss common interests and a timeline to celebrate each other's landmarks, birthdays etc.
Better Connectivity
For nearly every need an employee faces at work, an app or tool has been designed for it. Modern intranet brings them all together into one central location, enabling the digital workspace. With 76% of office workers not wishing to return to the office full-time post-pandemic, implementing technology that facilitates lines of communication and connectivity are essential to future proofing your business.
Shared Knowledge
Centralised document locations and chat features built into social hubs, make an intranet the perfect way to share departmental and interdepartmental knowledge across your entire organisation. Social hubs also increase visibility of experts and leaders in the organisation making it easier to connect with the wider business and creating a funnel of knowledge.
Reduces Paper Use
Being environmentally sustainable is now high on many business agendas with 44% of business owners believing that becoming more environmentally sustainable is important for the future of their business, according to a Lloyds Bank survey. An intranet can greatly help businesses cut down on paper waste with digital copies. Not only does this improve your business’ carbon footprint, but it also saves you money on paper and ink expenditure.
Better Connectivity Across Distance
From a purely logistical point of view, intranets are excellent for keeping long-distance colleagues in the loop. With remote workers able to access the intranet from afar, this makes collaboration in one central hub much easier for them and other multi-location teams that work on the same projects. The intranet links different offices across different time zones, and perhaps more importantly, makes those employees not based in offices feel just as much part of the business as those in the main headquarters.
Reinforces Your Brand and Values
An intranet provides you with many avenues for putting your company front and centre. Your intranet will allow you to publicly recognise your employees for their hard work and living out the company values. With Oak’s timeline feature you can also share news articles or announcements that are relevant to your organisation values. A company intranet is essential but you must choose the best one for your business.
Simplified Employee Onboarding
A great company intranet simplifies employee onboarding. New hires can use it to find their feet easily and get to know their colleagues and company in a much more relaxed environment. They will be able to easily access all documentation relating to new starters, up-to-date organisation charts, information on their peers, and a news hub that provides information and insights into the culture of the company.
Boosts Employee Recognition
Recognition of work plays a key role in the employee experience.Something as simple as a ‘well done’ or a ‘thank you’ can make a world of difference. A staggering 62% of UK workers admitted they are rarely appreciated by their boss. At Oak, we understand that employees are at the heart of any business. So, we work with some of the world's largest companies to boost their engagement, allowing them to work better as one.
Provides Organisation
Intranets with a clear and dynamic organisation provide clarity on the shape and set-up of your company. Other intranet features, such as individual bios or profiles, add layers to this clarity and help employees understand the roles and responsibilities of individuals throughout your business.
Improves Company Culture
Intranets facilitate shared culture through news feeds, social hubs and recognition tools, which can contribute to the company culture by directing leadership, but also vice-versa. Oak’s hubs are a perfect way for those in the business to communicate company vision, but can also make adjustments based on employee feedback from Pulse surveys.
Increase Employee Productivity
A survey found that collaborative teams perform at a rate five times that of a non-collaborative team, so equipping employees with the tools to break down geographical, time-bound and information barriers is important. These issues can be rectified by centralised access to information and communications tools like chats and department community hubs built into your intranet.
Streamline Processes
Inefficient processes can cost employees up to 26% of their working day, with outdated technology one of the factors behind this. An efficient document management process will empower your workforce, ensuring they have a manageable workload and do not have to cut corners in order to meet deadlines. Oak is designed to find whatever you need instantly, helping your employees save time and be more productive.
