Technology has changed the way that we do business inside and outside of an organization. Being able to set up a customized ecosystem for internal processes is essential. Internal communication and collaboration can be optimized thus driving profitability. An intranet or internal system for communication and other business processes can be beneficial. Workflow can be made seamless with the right system in place while the wrong system can lead to wasted time by staff.
The company intranet has changed immensely from its infancy. The change has gone from internal announcements posted on a digital bulletin board in the 1990s to company Wiki pages/document management. Below are just a few of the many ways using a company intranet can help your business run more efficiently and in turn become more profitable.
Internal Communication is Second to None
Communication is key especially when remote workers can be completing tasks from around the globe. Already, there are many micro tools designed to streamline specific types of tasks. For instance, if you want to learn how to record a screen and send to a coworker, you could use a simple Chrome plugin like Vinyard. If you want to schedule emails to be sent out later, a tool like Boomerang for Gmail would do the trick.
But project management systems can be tricky when it comes to having internal communication. The last thing a company wants is an internal conversation about a difficult client to be put in the wrong section which then notifies the client. Keeping all departments in sync is important especially for projects that involve a variety of employees. Even small things like articles to help make a process more efficient can be shared or tips to help improve productivity. Management can communicate and provide updates on personal productivity/statuses of projects. Management can also set goals internally that can allow an employee to see their progress in real-time.
Documents Can be Found Easily
The small nightmare that it is to find documents that could be from months ago is a reality for many professionals. The company intranet can be the place where these documents are stored. Plenty of companies store these on the cloud which can make it quite easy to search for a specific document’s file name. The ability to send over a contract immediately as the template is accessible provides ultimate convenience. A company handbook that is hosted online should also contain the process for finding certain documents.
Cut Down on Unnecessary Emails/Meetings
The sad truth is that there are far too many pointless meetings that could have been covered with a quick email. The company’s intranet can be the perfect place to create an announcement and tag only those people that it pertains to. The amount of time that is wasted on meetings is immense within certain organizations. Going over production numbers is a perfect example of something that can be handled by filling out a form in the company’s system. Notes can even be left if an employee was out sick or had other obligations leading to their production numbers dipping. Emails can be tough to find over the course of the year so inputting information under a certain project/client makes this far more convenient. Below are a few questions that can answer whether a meeting is necessary:
- Can this be covered with a short email that can be quickly referenced?
- Does the entire staff need to be a part of the meeting?
- Does the meeting address an immediate concern?
- Is the meeting the best usage of time during a busy week?
Onboarding New Employees
Startups and smaller companies might have a training process or onboarding process that is not nailed down. There is no better place to do this besides the company intranet as it consolidates the onboarding process. Being able to sit a new hire down to go through training rather than search for each new section individually will save time. The training process can be collaborative as people can add certain tips for a position that they wish they had been told about. Finding new hire paperwork can be done easily and there can be tasks set for onboarding that a new hire has to complete.
Increased Engagement Among Employees
A large number of employees are not engaged in the slightest with the company they work for. These employees would rather fly under the radar and collect their paycheck each month. Being able to recognize top performers and their efforts can help motivate employees. A shoutout can mean the world to someone that is really putting in extra effort or has increased the quality of their work significantly. Being able to see how others are performing in a department can also lead to a competitive nature among certain departments.
The organization of a business needs to be consolidated. This consolidation allows for ease of finding documents, streamlined communication, and the ability to hit project deadlines. Take the time to assess your current internal structure of the business as there might be some glaring aspects to improve. The efficient running of a business needs to keep productivity in mind. Working smart is better than working hard so make sure to work hard and smart simultaneously!
Michael Zhou is a Senior VP of Business Intelligence Development and has assisted the Fortune 1000 company with expertise in the web as a whole, including ground-zero marketing efforts that benefit both consumer and vendor. He is also contributor on Esprittoday.
Intranet stock photo by Wright Studio/Shutterstock
