Are Intranets Becoming Communication Relics?

Intranets are supposed to be seen as the digital web connecting all employees, the centrepiece of a creative framework catering to the requirements of a widespread workforce…

…and yet sometimes, intranets have the reliability of a faulty car engine. Sometimes a company intranet can only take you so far. Some people refrain from using their intranet altogether. In fact, in a survey carried out by Prescient Digital Media, the number of intranet participants came in at an astoundingly low 13%.

• 31% of respondents stated that they don’t use their intranet full-stop.

Now, there may be a variety of reasons as to why your intranet is letting the side down, but these may be among the most prominent issues.

• Seat Glue – If we’re going to fully enjoy the benefits of a company intranet, ideally we need to be face-to-face with a computer screen. Not such a problem if you spend your working days glued to your seat. But for employees whose jobs require them to be out and about, they’ve got to find the time to get behind a desk to get the internet online. And even then, you can only afford to give up so much time before it starts hampering productivity.
• Hit and Miss With Remote Workers – The whole point of an Intranet is to connect with your workforce. That should include workers based at remote locations. Some may not have the luxury of easy access to Wi-fi, which means any news they NEED to hear could fly right over their heads.
• Long-Winded Log-Ins – When we log into Facebook or Google, we expect the process to take no more than a few seconds. But some intranets have an extensive login process, meaning that employees have to jump through no end of online hoops to get there.
• Little Room for Creative Input – No one’s asking employers to surrender the keys to the kingdom, but content produced on a company intranet is not always to an employee’s tastes… probably has something to do with the fact that employees have seldom input into what goes online. Only those who work closely with management have the luxury of posting intranet-based content.

Intranets have had their moment in the sun, but if we want to keep the workforce engaged, we may need to rely on a new chain of communication, one that rectifies many of the points listed above and allows employees a more inclusive role in internal communications. Mobile Intranets are a much more inclusive way to to communicate and engage with employees vs the traditional intranet. 

Push notifications are a game changer – the customised employee app enables you to reach everyone, anywhere at anytime with any content. Deliver current news or safety updates,  employee rewards or recognition programmes… direct to their smartphones. It also acts as a central location for other employee centric functions, and as a two-way communication tool. Find out more here or request your demonstration today.