If keeping your company connected and having a central hub for information and collaboration is on your agenda, an intranet portal is a great place to start.
You can broadcast information, store business files (and keep them up to date), and work on projects together without the hassle of emailing every time, making sure everyone is available for a call, or posting files into the ether and never knowing if anybody has read them.
In this guide, we’re going to explain what an intranet portal is, dive into some key features, and walk through the best solutions on the market today.
What is an intranet portal?
An intranet portal is a private network where staff in your company can come together to view important documentation, get updates on company news, and work together on shared files.
You get a ‘home’ screen with your most important information. These are often company announcements and shortcuts to frequently used documentation, like company handbooks and templates.
Basic features include news feeds, document hubs with version control, and self-service portals for things like holiday requests and checking internal job postings. More advanced employee intranet portals may also include more advanced features like employee surveys, town hall broadcasts, and even podcasts.
Key things to know:
- Private and secure: Only accessible to employees with a company username and login.
- Centralized platform: Everything you need is accessed via a single platform, with no need to switch between apps to access different components.
- Communication hub: Can be used for instant and asynchronous messaging, videos, and audio (in some cases).
- Collaboration space: Users can work on projects together, safe in the knowledge that updates are happening in real time.
- Knowledge repository: Stores key documents and information with version control.
- Employee self-service: Acts as the place where internal procedures happen, like filing sick leave or applying for promotions.
Why are company intranet portals important?
Having a centralized place for staff to get important updates, get up to speed with new procedures, and work on the right files together means your business moves through workflows in the most efficient manner possible.
Intranet portals reduce the friction of collaborating with other departments, risking using out-of-date templates, and falling behind on internal company matters.
Rather than relying on calling countless meetings or flooding inboxes with update after update, your company intranet becomes the place for any changes to be documented and stored.
When you introduce an intranet portal, expect to benefit from the following:
Enhanced communication and collaboration
- Centralized hub: Intranets act as a central communication hub, facilitating top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer communication. This ensures everyone has access to the same information, reducing confusion and promoting transparency.
- Streamlined communication tools: Features like instant messaging, news feeds, and forums enable quick and efficient communication, breaking down silos between departments and teams.
- Improved teamwork: Intranets provide collaborative workspaces where employees can co-edit documents, share ideas, and manage projects together, regardless of location.
Increased employee engagement
- Sense of community: Social intranet features like employee profiles, activity streams, and interest groups create a sense of belonging and connection among employees.
- Access to information: Easy access to company news, policies, and announcements keeps employees informed and engaged with the organization.
- Employee recognition: Intranets can be used to recognize and celebrate employee achievements, boosting morale and motivation.
Enhanced knowledge sharing
- Centralized knowledge base: Intranets serve as a repository for important company information, documents, and resources, making it easy for employees to find what they need.
- Knowledge management: Features like document libraries, wikis, and expert directories facilitate knowledge sharing and preservation.
- Improved decision-making: Access to relevant information and expertise enables employees to make informed decisions.
Streamlined business processes
- Automation: Intranets automate workflows for tasks like leave requests, expense reports, and approvals, reducing manual effort and saving time.
- Improved efficiency: Employees can access the tools and information they need from a single platform, eliminating the need to switch between multiple applications.
- Reduced paperwork: Digital forms and workflows minimize paper usage, promoting sustainability and reducing costs.
Increased employee productivity
- Quick access to information: Employees can quickly find the information they need through robust search functionality and intuitive navigation.
- Self-service tools: Empowering employees to manage their own tasks and access information independently frees up time for more productive work.
- Reduced email: Intranets can minimize reliance on email for internal communication, reducing distractions and improving focus.
Key features of a modern intranet portal
No two intranet portals are the same. Modern intranet portals have evolved far beyond static information repositories. They're now dynamic, interactive platforms designed to boost productivity, communication, and engagement.
Here are some of the key features of modern intranet solutions.
Personalized dashboards
- Tailored content: Employees see information relevant to their roles, departments, and interests, increasing efficiency and engagement.
- Customizable widgets: Users can personalize their dashboards with widgets for news, tasks, calendars, and more.
- Targeted announcements: Important updates and announcements can be targeted to specific user groups.
Internal communication tools
- Instant messaging & chat: Facilitates quick communication and collaboration between individuals and teams.
- News feeds & announcement boards: Keeps employees informed about company news, events, and important updates.
- Employee forums & discussion groups: Provides spaces for employees to connect, share information and ideas, and discuss work-related topics.
- Blogs and vlogs: Enables leaders and employees to share insights and perspectives.
Collaboration & document management
- Document libraries & cloud storage: Provides a central repository for storing, sharing, and accessing documents.
- Co-editing & version control: Enables multiple users to work on documents simultaneously while tracking changes.
- Online workspaces: Offers dedicated spaces for teams to collaborate on projects, share files, and manage tasks.
Employee self-service
- HR & benefits portals: Allows employees to access and manage their personal information, benefits, and payroll details.
- Leave requests & approvals: Streamlines the process of requesting and approving time off.
- Expense management: Provides tools for submitting and tracking expenses.
- Policy & procedure access: Makes it easy for employees to find and access company policies and procedures.
Social networking features
- Employee profiles & directories: Helps employees connect with colleagues and learn about their skills and expertise.
- Activity streams: Provides a real-time feed of company and employee activity.
- Interest groups & communities: Allows employees to connect with colleagues who share similar interests.
Mobile accessibility
- Responsive design: Ensures the intranet is accessible and user-friendly on any device (desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones).
- Mobile apps: Provides dedicated mobile apps for convenient access to intranet features on the go.
Powerful search functionality
- Enterprise search: Enables employees to quickly find the information they need across the entire intranet.
- Faceted search: Allows users to refine search results by categories, departments, and other criteria.
- Intelligent search suggestions: Provides relevant search suggestions as users type.
Integration with other systems
- Seamless integration: Connects with other business applications like HR systems, CRM, and project management tools.
- Single sign-on (SSO): Allows employees to access multiple systems with one set of login credentials.
Security features
When choosing an intranet portal software, prioritize data protection and privacy with features like:
- Access control: Role-based permissions to ensure that sensitive information is only accessible to authorized personnel.
- Authentication: Strong password policies, multi-factor authentication, and secure login protocols to prevent unauthorized access.
- Data encryption: Encrypting data both in transit and at rest to protect against data breaches.
- Regular security audits: Conduct regular audits and vulnerability assessments to identify and address potential security risks.
- Compliance: Ensure compliance with relevant security standards and regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).
How to implement an intranet portal: 5 key steps
Now you’re up to speed with what an intranet portal can do for your business, you might think it’s time to jump straight in. But before you even think about shopping and implementation, you must strip back your search and start by laying out exactly what you’re trying to achieve and how you’re going to get there.
1. Define objectives and goals
Business needs
Start by clearly defining what you aim to achieve with your intranet portal.
What are you trying to improve?
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Process efficiency
- Employee engagement
It might be one or all of these. Make sure you have a clear view of the overarching business needs before you implement any old intranet solution. What you’re trying to achieve will significantly impact the type of intranet you need and the provider best suited to providing it.
Specific goals
They say what gets measured gets managed. If you rush into any new technology without targets, KPIs, or metrics to track, you won’t know if it’s been a success when it comes to reviewing in a year’s time.
Set measurable goals for your intranet, like increasing employee satisfaction, facilitating onboarding new hires, reducing support requests, or improving knowledge sharing.
All these are tangible and can be measured using internal NPS surveys or counting up the number of tickets, requests, time to onboard, etc.
Stakeholder alignment
Ensure that key stakeholders (management, IT, HR, etc.) are aligned on the objectives and goals.
Without all stakeholders at least knowing about the project, you shouldn’t move forward. In an ideal world, you get buy-in from every stakeholder. Once they’re on side, it becomes a lot easier when it comes to implementation and adoption.
2. Identify your target audience
Employee needs
Conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups to understand employee needs, preferences, and pain points:
- What information do they need?
- What tools would be most helpful?
- What can they not live without today?
- What’s their preferred method of communication?
- What causes the most delays in their day-to-day role?
User personas
Create user personas to represent different employee segments and their needs.
For example, senior HR users may all need access to approve leave requests, update company handbooks, and collaborate on compliance documentation. Likewise, project managers will need to collaborate with change managers, C-level staff, and program managers so they must have cross-department access for chat, file sharing, etc.
With these personas, extract specific needs and match them to your business requirements document. Your output will be multiple employee segments with specific needs they need from day one.
Accessibility
Accessibility extends to requirements outside of the visible and obvious. Consider the needs of all employees, including those with disabilities, remote workers, and non-desk workers.
Consult your HR team to ensure you cater to everyone’s needs, rather than making assumptions about places of work, preferences, and special requirements.
3. Choose the right intranet platform
Cloud-based vs. on-premises intranet
Decide whether a cloud-based or on-premises solution is best suited for your needs, considering factors like cost, scalability, and IT resources.
If you’re in a closely governed industry with strict legislation for data storage, you may need to choose an on-premises deployment. This often comes with extra setup costs, more maintenance, and challenges when you need to scale up or down.
Outside of these verticals (like finance and legal), there’s little holding you back from choosing a SaaS intranet platform.
Here, you benefit from:
- Cost-effectiveness: Predictable expenses in an OPEX licensing model.
- Increased productivity: Smartphone-esq usability leading to more efficient usage.
- Feature-richness: News feeds, FAQs, forums, announcements, polls, analytics, to name but a few.
- Scalability: Simple to scale up and down in line with your business decisions.
- Business insights: In-depth analytics provide a holistic view of usage and productivity.
- Custom integration: Bolt onto core systems like Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, etc.
- Reduces workload for IT teams: No installation, no maintenance, and less admin.
Features and functionality
Evaluate different intranet platforms based on the features they offer, ensuring they align with your objectives and user needs.
The best intranet platforms host a plethora of features. So much so that it’s confusing and time-consuming to wade through entire feature sheets. Make it your priority to check off your most important needs (using your MoSCoW matrix) then explore blue sky requirements.
Did you know you can host your own podcast on Workvivo’s intranet? Take a tour of Workvivo’s intranet features!
Vendor reputation and support
Research providers thoroughly, considering their reputation, customer support, pricing, and track record.
At Workvivo, we’re confident our customers enjoy our platform.
It’s safe to say the Workvivo platform is well thought of by users and market watchers alike.
Among our G2 Summer 2024 Awards are:
- Leader - Employee Engagement (Summer 2024)
- High Performer - Employee Engagement (Small Business) (Summer 2024)
- Momentum Leader - Employee Engagement (Summer 2024)
- Users Love Us (Summer 2024)
- Best Relationship - Employee Engagement (Summer 2024)
- Best Usability - Employee Engagement (Summer 2024)
- Easiest To Use - Employee Engagement (Summer 2024)
- Best Estimated ROI - Employee Engagement (Summer 2024)
In fact, since being acquired by Zoom in 2023, we’ve even been recommended by our competitors.
Following Meta’s (Facebook) decision to discontinue its employee engagement platform, Workvivo was named the preferred migration partner for Workplace from Meta.
4. Content strategy and information architecture
Content audit
As the majority of your intranet will be content, it’s important to get your house in order before you migrate existing documents to a new platform.
Conduct a thorough audit of existing content to identify what needs to be migrated, updated, or retired. You might find it useful to use the MoSCoW scoring system here once more.
Content management plan
Develop a content strategy that outlines the types of content you'll create (policies, news, notifications, resources, employee directories, etc.), how it will be organized, and who will be responsible for it.
Establish a process for creating, updating, and managing content. Assign roles and responsibilities to ensure content stays fresh, relevant, and accurate.
Without this, you’re leaving the door open to a free for all in your intranet, causing a roadblock for users who need important information quickly.
Information architecture
Create a clear and intuitive information architecture that makes it easy for employees to find the information they need. Use intuitive navigation, categories, and search functionality.
Identify super users who will volunteer to test usability before your new intranet portal goes live. This gives you the opportunity to get real world feedback from the users who will be searching and uploading every day.
5. Training and adoption
Once you’ve gathered requirements and chosen your intranet platform, you might be raring to go. There’s just one more key step to make sure you check off before you roll out to the rest of your company: training.
Admin training
You need your IT and HR teams (and anyone else who may have admin rights) to be wizards when it comes to back end changes in your intranet.
Fortunately, most configuration is drag and drop or uses intuitive interfaces not too dissimilar to other apps you’re used to using every day. Market leaders of intranet portals all provide online videos, documentation, and self-service help portals to get up to speed.
Employee training
In a perfect world, there shouldn’t be much need for employee training. With intranet providers investing so much into the design and usability of their platforms, you get built-in tutorials and video onboarding to help you get to grips with things easily.
For users who aren’t as adept with technology, set up group workshops and offer ongoing support and resources/tutorials to help employees with any questions or issues they may encounter.
Feedback mechanisms
Gather feedback from team members to identify areas for improvement and ensure the intranet meets their needs. You might choose to do this via an employee poll (on your new intranet portal) or in person during collective meetings.
The top 5 intranet software and solution providers to consider
1. Workvivo
Workvivo is a market-leading SaaS intranet that goes the extra mile when it comes to user engagement and collaboration.
Rather than focusing on documents and storage, Workvivo is an employee experience platform that acts as the digital heart of your company. It’s designed for both desk-based and frontline teams, giving them a seamless workplace experience.
Key Features
- Peer recognition: Celebrate team and individual achievements through public shout-outs and awards.
- Community-centric: Social feed and collaboration spaces make it easy to stay connected, share information, and work more closely together.
- Internal content creation: Stream and share podcasts, video clips, town halls, etc.
- Asynchronous communication: Company newsletter templates, chat areas, activity feeds, etc.
- Extensive integrations: 50+ integrations and a comprehensive API framework.
- Analytics: User onboarding, activity usage, content engagement, and governance KPIs.
Strengths
- Engagement that works: Proven adoption rates, driven by a user-friendly, mobile-first design.
- Comprehensive solution: Combines communication, engagement, analytics, and intranet in one seamless intranet platform.
- Unique features: Live video, podcasts, peer recognition, and emotional connection tools create a true sense of belonging.
- Seamless integrations: Works effortlessly with Microsoft, Zoom, Slack, and popular HR systems.
- Measurable ROI: Boost employee engagement, retention, and productivity with visible results.
Weaknesses
- Not ideal for developers who wish to build their own intranet. Workvivo is a complete SaaS intranet solution ready to go out of the box.
- Users of an older generation may not use all features and need some coaching for complete adoption.
Most Suitable For
Organizations that prioritize culture, need to unify desk and frontline workers, and want an engaging, easy-to-use solution that employees love.
2. Unily
Unily is a Microsoft-dependent overlay that mimics SharePoint. Unily aims to connect those without a regular seat in the office to the rest of your business.
Key Features
- AI-powered intranet: Uses generative AI to create and suggest content.
- Raft of analytics: Custom or out-of-the-box dashboards to monitor activity.
- Broadcast email newsletters: Reach all users without a complex email program.
- Built-in publishing tools: Create blog posts and landing pages in-house.
- Employee journeys: Build and track potential career paths for all types of staff.
Strengths
- Strong alignment with Microsoft products, including advanced search and integrations.
- Familiarity for organizations already using Microsoft tools like SharePoint.
- Encourages competition and camaraderie with gamification and recognition modules.
Weaknesses
- Highly dependent on Microsoft infrastructure, making it redundant for organizations already using SharePoint.
- Poor mobile app functionality compared to other leading intranets.
- Limited frontline focus considering its target audience.
Most Suitable For
Large enterprises with extensive IT resources looking for a SharePoint alternative focused on content management.
3. Simpplr
Simpplr leverages AI to personalize the intranet experience and prioritize employee engagement. Its goal is to provide a simpler (get it?) intranet experience that doesn’t overwhelm employees with information and updates that may not be relevant to them.
Its AI engine analyzes user preferences to deliver targeted content. This means employees only see information relevant to their roles or interests.
By personalizing the intranet experience and providing data-driven insights, Simpplr is a good choice for organizations seeking an intelligent approach to intranet communication and content management.
Key Features
- Employee onboarding tools.
- Automated issue resolution.
- Templated, no-code configuration.
- Employee rewards and recognition.
- Analytics to measure the effectiveness of communication efforts.
- Integrations with apps like SharePoint, Google Drive, and Dropbox.
Strengths
- Good for federated search and content management for IT-centric companies.
- Simple and easy-to-navigate platform for basic use cases.
Weaknesses
- User interface feels corporate and outdated.
- Lacks frontline engagement features and mobile usability.
- Limited ability to drive emotional connection or organic engagement.
Most Suitable For
Simpplr is valuable for companies with a large and diverse workforce. The personalized news feed takes the hassle out of manual filtering to find what’s relevant and important.
If there's a fear of negativity in your business, take advantage of sentiment analysis to gauge the perception of your business.
4. LumApps
LumApps caters to enterprises with complex needs by offering a large suite of features for content management.
It comes into its own when businesses want a customizable platform that they can tailor to fit specific requirements. By configuring LumApps from the ground up, you can grow your intranet for internal comms as you see fit.
Key Features
- Customizable dashboards, role-based access control, and a composable intranet experience.
- Multilingual support (30+ languages).
- Advanced security features like continual backups and API penetration testing.
- Integration with enterprise apps like Workday, Salesforce, and Microsoft Teams.
Strengths
- Strong integration with Microsoft and Google ecosystems.
- Suitable for IT-led enterprises seeking alignment with productivity suites.
Weaknesses
- Poor mobile experience (3.3 and 3.8 app store ratings vs. Workvivo's 4.9 and 4.5).
- Heavy reliance on third-party integrators for implementation, complicating deployment.
Most Suitable For
The level of customization and scalability available with LumApps make it a good fit for large organizations with geographically dispersed teams or those with strict security and compliance requirements.
There is a flip side to this, however. The complexity of the platform that suits large enterprises might not be ideal for smaller businesses with simpler needs.
5. Staffbase
Staffbase is a SaaS intranet solution with a focus on multichannel employee experiences. Its goal is to provide a single pane of glass for staff to monitor and participate in all internal communications.
Key Features
- Core intranet: News feeds, training portal, and onboarding in one place.
- Employee app: Internal NPS, company podcast, and location-based news.
- Employee email: Internal email with branding and personalization options.
- SMS: Send urgent messages to employees out of office.
- Digital signage: Display key announcements on shop floors, waiting areas, etc.
- Microsoft 365: Integration with Microsoft Azure, Teams, Viva Connections, SharePoint, and Outlook.
Strengths
- Historically strong in mobile for frontline workers, with branded app options and onboarding journeys.
- Focused on operational functionality for large frontline teams.
Weaknesses
- Features can feel fragmented, leading to complex implementations and inconsistent user experiences.
- Complex implementations and transactional customer support.
- Focus on multichannel can lead to too much information and overwhelming interfaces.
Most Suitable For
Enterprises with large frontline workforces looking for a mobile-first solution focused on basic operational functionality.
Simplify communication and drive engagement with Workvivo
Ask yourself these three questions:
- Are your employees overloaded with emails?
- Do they miss critical updates?
- Wish cross-department communication was better?
If you answered yes to any or all of these, you need Workvivo.
Our modern employee experience platform empowers organizations to overcome these common internal communication challenges and create a thriving digital workplace.
With Workvivo, you can:
- Cut through the noise: Deliver targeted announcements, share company news, and facilitate meaningful conversations across your organization.
- Break down silos: Connect teams, encourage collaboration, and create a sense of community across departments and locations.
- Recognize and motivate: Celebrate employee achievements, gather feedback, and create a culture of appreciation.
- Empower your employees: Provide easy access to information, resources, and self-service tools, boosting productivity and efficiency.
When Hickory’s Smokehouse started to use Workvivo, it saw a huge change in how frontline and office-based staff collaborated. Not only has Workvivo become the one-stop shop for all things Hickory’s, it also provides new users with an “authentic, exciting, welcoming, and user-friendly” experience.
It’s onboarded 2,820 of its 3,000 employees; with 86% of them active every single month. Since launching Workvivo in October 2023, there have been over 2.5 million impressions on the intranet portal.
Workvivo means that people don’t go unnoticed. People are doing a lot of good things at Hickory’s. Workvivo gives us an opportunity to shine a light on this and to celebrate it. Workvivo enhances our culture.
— John Welsh, Managing Director of Hickory’s Smokehouse
Ready to set up your intranet portal? Book a demo!
