Is your intranet package providing as much value to your teams as it should? If productivity levels are stagnating, it might suggest that your chosen intranet solution is in trouble and in need of an upgrade.
There are many common reasons why intranet platform projects fail, including lack of leadership buy-in and a poor user experience. However, it’s important to be on the lookout for less obvious causes of company intranet software failure, in case one of those is the culprit.
An example of an often overlooked issue is a fragmented intranet. These are intranet systems that contain loads of different apps that don’t quite fit together, providing a mishmash of individual intranet tools that hinder productivity rather than a unified employee intranet software that aids it.
Indeed, our Remote Work in the UK 2021 report revealed that 30% of employees said they urgently wanted more streamlined technology instead of fragmented apps. Rather than using lots of disjointed intranet applications – which are known to negatively impact performance, increase distractions, and lead to security risks – teams want all-in-one intranet packages that provide everything they need to do their job in one place.
Before we take a look at the reasons why all-in-one intranet packages are better value for your teams, let’s define the differences between an all-inclusive intranet and separate intranet applications.
All-in-one intranet packages contain interconnected software tools that are accessible from the same location. This may include your standard business intranet software apps like document management libraries, knowledge sharing capabilities, and intranet company news feeds, as well as business productivity tools such as project management, workflow automations, and e-forms. These apps can be used on all devices including desktop, mobile, and tablet.
Most all-in-one intranet packages – including Claromentis – also have the option to easily integrate with third-party applications, such as Google Drive, single-sign-on (SSO) providers, and social media platforms, either out-of-the-box or with a single line of code.
Individual intranet applications, as the name suggests, work separately from each other. These may be similar in functionality to apps found in all-in-one intranet packages, but the major difference is that they don’t interconnect. Instead, each intranet application is produced from different vendors, is accessed on an individual basis, and has its own login credentials. For example, you might use Dropbox to store your company files, and then Google Calendar to manage meetings.
Some features might be available as intranet mobile applications, or limited to desktop only, depending on the vendor’s product capabilities. Similarly, some apps might have the option to integrate with third-party solutions. This is not guaranteed, however, and the ease of integration will vary per vendor, with some requiring technical resources to implement.
Now that you know the differences between all-in-one intranet packages and separate intranet applications, let’s look at the benefits of using an all-inclusive intranet.
According to research reported in Forbes, workers who are suffering from app overload are wasting 32 days a year by toggling between different apps 10 times an hour. That’s a shocking loss of time, productivity, and, ultimately, cost.
All-in-one intranet packages mitigate the need to constantly navigate separate workplace apps, because everything is accessible from a central location. Less time is spent finding and entering the correct login details for each app, because users only need to login once (or not at all if the intranet is integrated with an SSO provider).
Imagine you’re in charge of processing vacation requests. Without an all-inclusive intranet package, you’re at the mercy of using a myriad of different apps to achieve what should be a simple process. You’ll likely be using email to receive vacation requests, then a separate employee database to check their holiday allowance. You’ll need to find out who their line manager is and then contact them to get the green light. You might use spreadsheets or an individual holiday planner app to enter the dates requested. And you mustn’t forget to let the employee know if their holiday request is approved!
All of that sounds exhausting, but with an all-in-one intranet package at your disposal, you can streamline the process so that you’re approving a team member’s holiday request in just a few clicks. All the information you need to do so is at your fingertips, including holiday allowance, working hours, and team calendars. The whole process would take a couple of minutes, tops, and all parties involved would automatically be notified at each stage.
The same study reported in Forbes revealed that 31% of workers lost their train of thought when toggling between apps. And according to research by Gloria Mark, professor and workplace expert at the University of California, Irvine, it takes the average person 23 minutes and 15 seconds to recover from an interruption and resume their workflow. These frequent distractions quickly add up, and it’s any wonder that people actually get any work done!
You can reduce distractions by choosing an all-in-one intranet package that’s designed to maximise focussed work. For instance, teams can access all the files, communications, and productivity tools they need to complete a task or project within one centralised intranet package, rather than having to access multiple apps to achieve the same thing and getting distracted in the process.
What better way to fully appreciate the benefits of all-in-one intranet packages than to see them in action?
Below we take a look at some all-inclusive intranet application case studies.
A prime example of intranet applications being used in their all-in-one format can be found in innovative tech company Boost.ai’s intranet.
(Source: claromentis.com)
With many external delivery partners on their books – including Accenture, Deloitte, and KPMG – Boost.ai use their all-in-one intranet package to provide their stakeholders with a comprehensive onboarding portal. As well as being able to share knowledge and training materials, Boost.ai can also push important announcements to partners about upcoming webinars and product release dates, all within the same system.
UK-based training provider Apprenticeship Connect used to rely on multiple systems and complex processes to manage their recruitment efforts. Now, thanks to their all-in-one intranet package, they’ve been able to transform their internal recruitment operations into a streamlined and easily trackable process.
(Source: claromentis.com)
Using built-in e-forms and workflows apps, candidates can submit their applications via their intranet, as well as access supporting materials such as company perks and organisational structure. Hiring managers can keep track of the interview and selection process, and upload onboarding documents once they’ve made an offer.
CanWel is one of North America’s largest distributors of construction and renovation materials. They have hundreds of stakeholders across twenty locations, so it was vital to have an all-in-one intranet that could keep everyone connected.
(Source: claromentis.com)
CanWel’s intranet package provides easy access to HR forms, training materials, and communications. With one central source of truth to work from, teams are able to save time from searching through multiple layers of emails and document libraries to find the data they need.