The launch of SharePoint gave Intranet portals a much wider acceptance among organizations.
This happens as SharePoint have much readily available out of box features that revolve around document management, search, and collaboration. SharePoint minimizes efforts required to locate content within SharePoint sites as well as in other external content sources. Yammer is a social engagement tool integrated with SharePoint that can reach out to users in a personal and insightful way.
Organizations using SharePoint based “Intranet Portals” suffer from low user adoption. Numerous reasons exist for same but the main reason which comes into the limelight is that Intranet as a platform is failing in User Engagement.
Low user adoption results from difficult navigation schemes, unmanageable search results, and dull and non-interactive content management. This creates confusion and frustration among users leading to low usage. However, these issues are not purely technical but revolve around stuff like shared understanding, change management, technological configurations, and design of intranet.
5 SharePoint intranet key features:
To overcome these issues and to increase user adoption for Intranet portals, below mentioned 5 features play a key role.
- Navigation: Please do ensure that employees are able to find what they desire in the least possible steps. If employees are unable to locate content, they are looking for then their interest in intranet will be at stake. Along with quick navigation make your navigation structure clean, consistent and easily understandable.
- User Experience: Employee rate this factor as the highest contributing aspect for user adoption. Intuitive, smooth and responsive user interface helps one to navigate and utilize resources effectively.
- Content Search: Content search should be reflected in simple navigation. Information search process should be quick and easy. There are many ways to incorporate a robust search facility into your Intranet. Find the solution that best fits your solution and ensure the results are accurate and thorough.
- Engagement Widgets: These widgets are the utilities that employee uses to connect with other employees, peers or superiors. Whether it’s an Idea board app, directory app, social media app, sharing, and blogging apps, and many others; they form a day-to-day routine of employees. Including them in Intranet Portal will provide motivation to the user to stay connected and come back to know more and engage.
- What’s Happening: One of the simple concept which is often overlooked or not maintained in Intranet portals. A good intranet should dedicate an area for latest updates happening in an organization and this area should be updated regularly. If Organization news becomes stale or not updated, employees perceive that Intranet is not so important and lose their interest in same.
We consider above features to be key ones which contribute to user engagement. Though, there are many others, and we are excited to know which one are helping you to engage your employee more. Do comment on your preferences and features.
Are you looking for Digital Workplace with the right mix of Intranet and Instant Apps, we can assist you to get one. Get in touch now for your custom needs.
