Intranet: The future of internal communication
Is your company's internal communication as effective as an elephant in a china shop?
Top-down? One-way? Is a lot done via emails? One-to-all communication? Without employee engagement?
If you can nod yes to just one of them, then it's time to wake up and explore the possibilities for improved internal communication. Because it can be done differently and better way. The intranet is the future of internal communication - although many would argue that a dusty old intranet is a thing of the past.
And yes, there are a lot of dusty intranets out there. Intranets that aren't internal communication platforms, but more just a place to store personnel policies etc. Intranets that are not used by either management or employees. Intranets that are a relic of the past and are neither intuitive nor meet the needs of the digital employee. Intranets where it is almost impossible to find anything useful. Intranets that don't have built-in features that we know from various social platforms, such as news feeds and workgroups.
But it doesn't have to be that way!
Yes, of course we're biased as an intranet provider! But, our 225,000+ users speak their own language - and tell us how their Colibo intranet has truly optimized their internal communication and brought their business closer together across borders.
2. Choose the right channels:
- Use a combination of channels to reach all employees.
Intranet, info screens, mobile, team meetings, 1:1 conversations - find the optimal combination for your business.
- Intranet: Use the intranet to share news, policies, guides, documents and other important information. Make sure the intranet is user-friendly and updated with relevant content.
Tip: create groups so that each employee only gets relevant content tailored to their work or interest area, such as the product group, sales team or running club.
- Info screens: Place info screens in strategic areas to display important news, updates and reminders. Reach employees who would otherwise not have access to internal news via a computer or even a mobile - for example in production units and the warehouse
Tip: Use visually appealing content and change the content regularly to keep employees interested.
- Mobile: Enable employees to access internal communications via mobile devices. This is especially important if you have frontline employees who don't have access to a computer - for example, employees in the social and healthcare sector or in transportation and logistics.
Tip: Use an app or a mobile-friendly version of the intranet.
- Team meetings: Hold regular team meetings to discuss projects, progress and challenges.
Tip: Make meetings concrete with an agenda and end with specific tasks that need to be addressed or solved before the next meeting.
- 1:1 conversations: Have regular 1:1 conversations with employees to give feedback, answer questions and build relationships.
3. Keep communication relevant
- Only share what is relevant to the individual employee. Avoid unnecessary information overload and one-to-all communication.
- Segment information based on employee roles, departments and interests.
Tip: with Colibo you can create groups to ensure the right segmentation of the content you send out
- Ask employees regularly what information they find useful.
Tip: Use surveys, polls and focus groups to gather feedback.
- Be aware of different communication styles and preferences.
Tip: Adapt your communication to whether you're speaking to a large group or a single person.
With Colibo we can build community around different groups. Colibo brings together everyone and the right people in the right places. You're not just in a big network, you're in your own department and the groups that are relevant to you. It's about professional community and getting the content that's relevant. For example, our board now has their exclusive area for communication and file sharing. They had to use email and Sharepoint before, but it wasn't nearly as intuitive or easy to collaborate in as Colibo. Colibo's platform centralizes everything and we lacked that before.
- Lisa Skjold Slothuus, Communication Consultant, Dansk Firmaidræt
4. Be consistent
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Communicate regularly. Employees need to trust that they'll get the information they need, when they need it.
5. Use a user-friendly intranet
- Forget about the file repository. Think intranet as a platform for dialog, news and collaboration.
- Make sure the intranet is easy to navigate and use.(Tip: Use a platform with an intuitive interface, clear structure and search functions. With Colibo, you get a news feed similar to what you know from other social media platforms. This makes it easy for employees to scroll through the latest news).
- Update the intranet regularly with fresh content(Tip: Involve employees in creating content for the intranet).
- Use intranet features to promote collaboration(Tip: Use workgroups, chat features and document management tools).
6. Make information easily accessible
- Streamline the intranet search function. Make sure employees can easily find the information they need.
- Use relevant keywords, categories and tags.
- Make it easy to filter search results.
- Create an FAQ page with answers to common questions(Tip: Make sure the FAQ page is up-to-date and easy to find).
7. Use technology to your advantage
- Technology should make it easier for you to communicate - not more difficult. So replace the sea of internal emails with an intranet platform to share news and create a platform for dialog.
- Use AI to be more efficient - with search functions, chat and text generation, AI can make your life easier. At Colibo, we're working hard to implement various AI tools that can make your life easier.
Bonus tip:
- Use humor and creativity in your communication. It can help make it more engaging and memorable.
- Celebrate successes and recognize employee efforts. It can help boost morale and motivation.
- Be a good role model for effective communication. Show employees how to communicate openly, honestly and respectfully.
By implementing these tips, you can create an internal communication culture that fosters collaboration, innovation and success.
Remember: Internal communication is an ongoing process. It requires continuous effort and adaptation to ensure that communication is effective and engaging for all employees.
If you have any questions or want more information, feel free to contact us.
