Why don't employees engage with your Intranet?
About 14 years ago, when I lived in London, I was engaged by a global drinks manufacturer who employ over 30,000 worldwide. A high profile, Hollywood A-lister celebrity was visiting their factory and their Communications team thought this would make an excellent story for their global corporate Intranet.
Preparation is key
Before the visit of said A-Lister, days were spent preparing the content.
More days were spent capturing and editing the content.
Even more days were spent preparing their SharePoint Intranet, getting things ready and 'just right' for the inevitable flurry of visitors that they envisaged hitting the site.
Questions were even asked if the servers could cope with THAT MANY people they expected to visit the Intranet site. These were, after all, the days of 'on premises' servers. (They could by the way!).
And when everything was perfect... we hit publish.
And we are live!
The news story was front and centre of the home page.
Hurragh!
So.... we waited for the visitors to arrive.
And waited some more.
We got some visits but no more than the steady flow that were already visiting the Intranet daily.
The inquisition
Two weeks later, a confused Communications team met to ask the question.
"Why didn't anyone visit the page with the A-Lister... we thought THOUSANDS would want to read this".
Curious to know the real answer, I did what I do and started asking some random employees in the plush ground floor cafe.
"Why didn't you visit THAT page?"
There were a few "Oh.... I saw that... that was cool" and "Yeah... he was awesome in movie x"
But.. want to know what almost everyone said?
"HOW does that help me do my job?"
What’s Really Going On?
Think of the Intranet as a giant, old-school library with books thrown everywhere.
You need just one book to ace your project, but finding it?
Good luck.
That's how it feels for most employees when they're trying to use their Intranet. It's supposed to help but ends up being a wild goose chase.
When you're grinding at work, you're on a mission to find the fastest, easiest way to get stuff done.
You're not alone.
It's human nature to want to work smarter, not harder.
But when the Intranet is a complete state, it's more of a roadblock than a shortcut.
The Disconnect
The teams behind the Intranet have good intentions, but there's a gap between what they think we need and what we actually need.
It's like they're throwing darts blindfolded, hoping to hit the bullseye.
Enter Digital Workplace tools
This is where the game changes in 2024.
These tools are like the ultimate cheat codes for making an Intranet that doesn't just take up digital space but actually makes your employees workday smoother.
Together, Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Teams and Power Platform can transform an Intranet from a digital ghost town into a bustling city of information and productivity.
They make it easy to find what you need, work together, and automate the boring stuff. It's about making the Intranet not just useful, but indispensable.
Chuck in Copilot and we are going to see some amazing boosts in productivity.
The Real Deal
Employees want an Intranet that's a launchpad for their work, not a black hole of information.
By leveraging Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Power Platform, companies can create a digital workspace that's not just functional but essential.
It's about cutting the fluff and delivering the goods—making work less about the grind and more about the groove.
So, to the bosses, Communications teams and technology wizards thinking about the next Intranet upgrade: start with what your team actually needs to complete their tasks.
Make it simple, make it smart, and watch as the Intranet becomes the go-to tool for getting things done.
With these tools, we're not just talking about a better Intranet; we're talking about a revolution in how we work.
No one cares about Tom Cruise!
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