How a Modern Intranet Can Help You Work More Quickly, Smartly & Effectively?

In the past, intranets were often considered useless document repositories. To be sure, intranets have come a long way since their infancy. Today’s intranet is a bustling, ever-changing nerve center for business. In contrast to traditional libraries, which only store information in a static format, modern libraries are dynamic information hubs. In today’s business, hybrid workplaces, having access to information at any time is essential for keeping employees connected, sharing, and communicating.

Those who dismiss the modest intranet as an outdated technology would do well to reconsider. Everything you need to know about today’s intranets is covered here. Benefits and key features are outlined in this post. Read on to learn how today’s intranets can improve your productivity and efficiency in the workplace.

What is a Traditional Intranet?

The 1990s saw the introduction of traditional intranets. The intranet at the time was merely an internal website. The user experience seemed to have been almost an afterthought, and the content was frequently out of date and full of broken links. Here are a few features of conventional intranets that you can spot:

• On-site hosting in addition to custom setup and development
• Communication and information flow from the top down
• Limited chances for personalization or interaction
• Desktop UX and insufficient mobile optimization
• Inadequate search capabilities
• Limited scaling after the system went live, and there were a few updates to the software.

Working conditions were a nightmare of confusion and disorder. It’s no surprise that many companies’ intranets have devolved into dusty relics of the past.

Fortunately, today’s corporate intranet is something completely different. Let’s take a look at the advantages and features of contemporary intranets.

What is a Modern Intranet?

Intranets of today look and feel very different from those of the past. Users are the primary focal point of today’s intranets. The focus of today’s intranets has shifted to providing a better experience for workers. These are some of the most important characteristics that define modern intranets:

• Cloud-hosted, out-of-the-box intranet software, requiring minimal configuration and administration
• A boosted User Experience
• Personalization settings and interactive elements.
• Mobile-Friendly Design
• Functionalities and professional resources that extend beyond simple file-sharing
• Business application integration and portal access
• In-depth search options
• Flexible options for personalization, scalability, and adaptation to meet the specific requirements of your business.

Benefits of A Modern Intranet

The digital workplaces of today are especially suitable to modern intranets. Teams that formerly worked together in one location are much more likely to be dispersed. A contemporary intranet makes sure that employees have access to all the resources they need, no matter where they are. Additionally, it offers an enjoyable workplace environment that encourages staff retention. Modern intranets have many benefits, especially now that the Great Resignation is severely impacting businesses around the world. The following are just a few advantages of an intranet:

1. Increased Productivity For All Employees

The productivity of the workforce will increase. They can swiftly access data, finish administrative tasks, and exchange specific information via the Internet. With today’s state-of-the-art intranets, field employees, traveling staff, and telecommuters have full access to all of the same features as their office counterparts.

2. Advanced Communications

The focus of early intranets was on broadcasting company-wide announcements. However, the latest iteration does allow for seamless interaction in multiple directions. The use of social tools like blogs, forums, and team chat rooms gives employees a greater say in company affairs. #Timeout channels allow you to carry on conversations normally held in water coolers while away from them. Your mobile and remote staff feel included in the company culture.

3. Seamless Collaboration

The use of intranets in today’s workplaces greatly facilitates interaction and productivity. More efficient teamwork is enabled by business instant messaging, private project forums, and automated workflows. In addition, cloud services like Google Workspace, Office 365, and Salesforce can be integrated with modern intranets.

4. Sharing Knowledge More Quickly and Effectively

Modern enterprise networks are key to releasing latent knowledge within an organization. Likes, shares, #channels, and @mentions are all fun and interactive ways for employees to spread information. In addition, profiles link employees to one another and the knowledge base of the company.

5. Increased Levels of Employee Engagement

Modern intranets have a powerful feature called personalization. Clients can personalize their following, including trending topics, #channels, and colleagues. This capability enhances the usefulness of digital media and software. With their many features and customization options, modern intranets increase employee engagement.

6. Smooth Gateway Access

In today’s modern intranets, users only need to remember one login to access all of their company’s enterprise software. Employees only need one login to access Office 365, Dropbox, and Salesforce. The modern intranet eliminates the need for switching between applications and Windows. As a result of your employees’ increased efficiency, your company will benefit from increased productivity.

7. Cost-effectiveness

In the interest of cost reduction, many companies now use intranets. Modern workplace intranets eliminate the need for costly and time-consuming hosting and regular maintenance. Additionally, pre-built intranet themes simplify rollout.

8. Adaptability

Modern intranets can expand with your company, accommodating an infinite number of users and terabytes of data. Furthermore, the intranet service provider is continuously updating and bettering the product. With the software’s ability to be customized and personalized, it can be used in a wide range of applications.

9. Little to No Training Is Necessary

Modern intranets that excel in user experience have a design that is both familiar and simple to navigate. Employees generally learn the fundamentals quickly. And with just a little bit of instruction, they’ll be able to use every feature to their advantage.

Important Features of a Modern Intranet

Which features should you prioritize when purchasing a cutting-edge intranet? There are a plethora of service providers available. To add to the difficulty, there may be a plethora of alternatives from which to choose. Most top-tier platforms share characteristics with Creative Social Intranet The following are the six most important aspects of a contemporary intranet.

1. Personalization & Customization

A company’s modern intranet should serve as a reflection of the company’s identity. Be certain that you have the option to fully personalize your intranet down to the colors, logo, fonts, and CSS. Ensure that there are ways for employees to tailor the information they find on the intranet to their specific needs. Features that facilitate interaction among employees are also crucial. Employees have more say over the material thanks to features like follow-me functionality, activity walls, tags, and even emojis.

2. Mobile Optimization

Just making sure your cutting-edge intranet is mobile-friendly isn’t enough anymore. It also needs to be adjusted for use on mobile gadgets. Mobile intranets may differ in design from their desktop counterparts due to factors such as smaller screens and touchscreen interaction. However, it must retain the same system to work efficiently to ensure that frontline, mobile workers can stay productive and responsive.

3. Powerful Search Functionality

You should assist workers search for relevant data and information. It’s crucial to have access to a powerful search engine. The advanced search tools of today’s intranets make finding the specific data you need much easier. Staff can quickly and easily find the information they need thanks to previews and filters on search results.

4. Integration With Your Existing Enterprise Applications

A wide variety of tools for enhancing productivity in the workplace are typically built into today’s standard intranets. As an example of the kinds of resources you can anticipate, consider the following:

• Schedules for businesses
• Document and file sharing
• Newsfeeds
• Employee directory
• Networked communication and collaboration in business
• Polls & Results

However, workers will occasionally require the use of third-party apps to get their jobs done. Make sure your cutting-edge intranet communicates with the other software your business uses, like Google Workspace and Salesforce. Employees’ regular tasks will be simplified thanks to you. You will improve efficiency and teamwork simultaneously.

5. In-Depth Analyses

The amount of user analytics available on a conventional intranet is typically quite limited. However, current intranets feature a consolidated metrics dashboard. Everything a user does is recorded, no matter what medium or platform it took place in. These paint a detailed picture of the intranet utilization by employees. To further improve the intranet’s functionality, analytics can be used to evaluate the results of different business or communication projects.

6. Simple Navigation And An Impressive User Experience

The user experience (UX) is central to today’s intranets. This user interface is designed to be visually appealing and engaging. A minimalist design with quick loading times and intuitive navigation is also essential.

The quality of the user experience (UX) is essential for the success of your modern intranet. Enjoy the benefits of any demos or free trials before making a final decision on a piece of software. Verify that the user interface is truly mobile-friendly.

Guidelines For Picking A Modern Intranet Provider

One can choose from hundreds of up-to-date intranet service providers. Using the crucial characteristics we outlined, you can create a shortlist. Yet, the quality of your connection with the service provider is also crucial. Here are some suggestions to help you find the right service provider.

1. 24×7 Support

Considerable thought must be given to customer service before making a purchase. Creative Social Intranet is just one of many service providers that provide free, 24/7 assistance. Furthermore, we offer training and support for the period following the launch. To ensure that the available support is appropriate for your operations, it is important to read the fine print.

2. Proven Track Record

A company’s website with nothing but glowing testimonials isn’t enough. Find out what Capterra or Gartner, two impartial review sites, have to say about the provider’s reliability. You’ll get a thorough, no-holds-barred evaluation of the program here.

3. Exclusively Dedicated Design Team

Intranets today are built to be quickly and painlessly implemented. But there are times when both time and money are scarce. A specialized design service is provided by Creative Social Intranet. With the help of our professional intranet designers, we can create an intranet that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Simply going live is all that’s required. For more information about how to choose an intranet provider, read our informative blog.

Conclusion

Even if you’ve had a bad experience with an intranet in the past, you might be impressed by the extent to which software has come now. A modern intranet is more like an uncle or aunt to the older, more conventional networks. Modern intranets are lively and dynamic because they were made to satisfy the requirements of today’s workforce. They do vital work at the core of businesses, making sure employees feel appreciated and appreciated.

Modern intranets are well-liked by employees due to their automation of business processes, simplification of collaboration, and inclusion of social features. They will also have a positive effect on your bottom line. Greater efficiency and effectiveness in the workplace will have a positive effect on the bottom line.

So, you’re sold on the idea of a cutting-edge intranet, but what exactly should you be looking for?

• Functionality for individualization and modification
• Structured for mobile use first
• Powerful indexing system
• Utilization of well-liked cloud-based software
• In-depth analytics
• Simple interface and interesting design

And make sure you do your research before deciding on an intranet service provider. Read unbiased reviews written by actual customers. You need to ensure that the software performs as advertised and is straightforward to deploy and maintain. In addition, make sure the service and support provided by the provider are up to par with your requirements.

Talk to the helpful people at Creative Social Intranet if you’re looking for a cutting-edge intranet. Global businesses of all sizes use our state-of-the-art intranets hosted in the cloud. Check out the Creative Social Intranet free demo to see for yourself why it’s so highly regarded as intranet software. Using the cutting-edge Creative Social Intranet intranet, you can accomplish more in less time. If you want to talk, please do so right away.