A Closer Look at the 10 Best Intranet Platforms Today

Maintaining a cohesive and engaged workforce is as important as it’s ever been. However, the collaboration tools used today to support employee communication and team collaboration are a little different than the tools and methods of yesteryear.

A modern intranet solution is one type of collaboration platform that can help encourage employee engagement and create a positive employee experience. 

To help you choose the best intranet software for your knowledge-sharing and internal communications needs, we’ll look at the most important features to prioritize and ten of the top intranet platforms – in no particular order – available today.

The rise of intranet solutions in modern workplaces

The modern workplace has evolved a lot over the past few years, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing shift to remote work as the major drivers. Today, 27% of US employees work remotely at least part of the time, and digital workplaces like intranet platforms have become more prevalent to support these remote workers.

In addition to helping companies transition to hybrid and remote work models, intranet solutions also play a prominent role in improving employee engagement. 

To help keep team members engaged and aligned toward common goals, more and more companies are turning to social intranet platforms with a focus on engagement and company culture.

Evaluating the best intranet platforms: Key features to look for

From an employee experience platform to a communication platform to a tool for document management, a company intranet can offer several helpful functions – but only if you choose a platform with the right tools and features. 

If you’re searching for an intranet solution that will empower your workforce to collaborate more effectively, be on the lookout for these key features.

Positive user experience and interface

Above all else, an intranet platform must offer an easy and enjoyable employee experience. An intuitive, user-friendly interface ensures that employees can use the platform without issue, which helps boost engagement and adoption rates.

Along with choosing a platform that offers an intuitive user interface, it’s also beneficial to look for features such as responsive design, which ensures the intranet works seamlessly across various devices, including desktops, tablets, and mobile phones.

Integration capabilities

Integrating your intranet platform with other business tools (like project management tools, CRM systems, HR tools, and productivity integrations like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Zoom, and other enterprise solutions) can help you create a more cohesive and capable tech stack for your company. 

Seamless integration allows for a unified digital workspace, which keeps employees from switching between multiple apps throughout their workday. This leads to increased efficiency and productivity across the organization while also helping prevent information silos.

Customization and personalization options

A good intranet platform isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it’s important to choose a solution that can adapt to your organization’s departmental needs. 

Offering personalized, on-brand experiences to your employees via the company intranet will resonate better than a cookie-cutter approach, helping boost employee engagement on the platform.

Real-time collaboration and communication tools

Improving internal comms is one of the primary purposes of an intranet platform, and any platform you choose should offer a nice selection of collaboration and communication tools. This includes instant messaging, video conferencing, tools for sharing files, and discussion forums.

Effective communication is one of the biggest keys to team productivity. By choosing an intranet platform designed to streamline internal communication with real-time collaboration tools, you can give your employees all the tools they need to collaborate more effectively.

Analytics and reporting

Many intranet platforms will offer tools to track key metrics such as user engagement, content effectiveness, and intranet performance. Your organization’s leadership team can use the intranet’s baked-in analytics and reporting tools to help refine communication strategies and iron out any issues impacting engagement/adoption.

The top 10 intranet solutions to check out

1. Workvivo

Workvivo is a powerhouse social intranet platform offering many features designed to maximize employee engagement and optimize internal comms. 

Boasting an industry-leading 90% employee adoption rate, Workvivo strongly emphasizes facilitating a seamless employee experience and allowing employees to interact in a convenient and enjoyable way.

The platform's culture-driven design, which includes features like employee recognition, feedback mechanisms, and social spaces, encourages employees to connect on a deeper level. Workvivo also provides robust analytics and reporting tools, enabling businesses to track usage and engagement effortlessly.

Thanks to deep integrations with a broad range of other enterprise solutions, Workvivo allows you to create a cohesive and interconnected digital workplace. 

If you’re looking for an advanced yet user-friendly intranet platform that offers all of the tools and features needed to keep team members informed, engaged, and aligned toward common goals, there’s no better solution on the market today than Workvivo.

2. Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint is a widely-recognized intranet platform that offers an impressive range of collaboration features. Thanks to its integration into the broader Microsoft Office 365 suite, it provides a comprehensive solution for document management, team collaboration, and communication.

While SharePoint offers excellent document management capabilities, it doesn’t quite match Workvivo's intuitive and user-friendly interface, nor does it offer the same level of focus on employee engagement and social interaction. However, it’s a fine platform to consider if file sharing and content management are your primary priorities.

3. Happeo

Happeo is a well-rounded intranet platform that strongly emphasizes its integrations with popular business tools and applications. These integrations make Happeo a great choice for any company looking to unify its digital workspace.

Happeo lacks some of the employee engagement and culture-building features offered by Workvivo, but its integrations and powerful automation and analytics features earn it a spot on our list.

4. Igloo

Igloo is an intranet platform known for its intuitive interface and customizable design options. It offers a range of features to facilitate efficient collaboration and knowledge sharing and features a design ready to use right out of the box.

One of Igloo’s only downsides is that its analytics features are a little limited compared to other options. Igloo also lacks the array of employee engagement tools offered by employee-centric platforms like Workvivo.

5. Jostle

If you’re looking for a basic intranet platform that prioritizes ease of use and affordable pricing, Jostle is a great option. Featuring a clean and intuitive user interface, Jostle focuses on simplifying employee communication and collaboration as much as possible.

While Jostle doesn’t offer the same suite of advanced tools you get with more robust platforms, it’s an ideal choice for companies wanting a smooth and easy introduction to the intranet experience.

6. Axero

Axero is a feature-rich intranet platform that emphasizes social interaction and collaboration. With a variety of tools for communication and knowledge sharing, Axero excels in creating a vibrant and engaged digital workplace that employees genuinely enjoy using.

Like Workvivo, Axero emphasizes employee engagement and social interactions. And while Axero may fall short of Workvivo’s analytics and reporting capabilities, it’s still a fine choice for creating a more social-focused intranet platform.

7. Staffbase

Staffbase is an intranet platform designed to enhance internal communication and engagement. Its mobile-friendly interface and dedicated employee app make it a strong choice for managing remote workforces.

Staffbase excels at mobile accessibility and user-friendly design. However, compared to more comprehensive platforms, some organizations may find Staffbase a little limited in terms of features and functionality.

8. Yammer

Yammer (part of the Microsoft 365 suite) is a social networking platform for businesses. It enables employees to connect and collaborate in a social media-like environment, helping strengthen the bond between team members and fostering a sense of community within the organization.

Yammer isn’t a traditional intranet platform, and it lacks many of the communication, document management, and analytics tools that more advanced intranet solutions offer. But when it comes to building a private social network for your company, it’s a top contender.

9. Unily

Unily is an intranet platform known for its modern and visually appealing design. It offers a range of features for communication, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing, all within a clean and streamlined interface.

Unily doesn’t offer the same emphasis on culture-building and employee engagement that you get with some of its competitors, but its modern design and ease of use make it appealing to businesses of all sizes.

10. Haiilo

Haiilo is an employee-centric intranet platform with an impressive range of features for boosting employee engagement and facilitating efficient collaboration. This includes multichannel communication tools, employee engagement surveys, and employee advocacy tools that make it easy for employees to share company content.

While Haiilo may not be able to match some of the more advanced features of Workvivo (such as its analytics and reporting capabilities), its employee-centric focus and streamlined design make it one of the stronger contenders on our list.

See for yourself why Workvivo leads the way for modern intranet platforms

An intranet platform is one the most effective tools a company can leverage for improving internal comms and boosting employee engagement – but the intranet solution you choose can make or break your company’s experience with this unique type of collaboration tool.

Thanks to an unmatched focus on the employee experience and an advanced suite of powerful yet user-friendly tools, Workvivo is the top choice on the market today for companies looking to build a fully customized social intranet.

Sign up for a free Workvivo demo today and see how we’re leading the way for modern intranet platforms.