What is intranet, and what benefits does it provide to your business?

What is intranet? 

Intranet is an internal network for colleagues to share news and knowledge. It is a protected digital space, meaning that only employees can access the intranet with personal usernames and passwords. They can use the intranet for a wide range of tasks, from coordinating sales pitches, to planning summer events or Christmas parties. 

What does this work?

Consider the intranet as the business’ internal web solution where access is restricted. In fact, the intranet shares much of the same functionality as the internet. They are built around the same technology and share the same data network, but the intranet is only used by employees who have access to the space. Not to mention that the intranet does not have the same functionality as the internet, such as online surfing through webshops or news. Instead, it is a closed and protected part of the internet.

The functionality of intranet

Intranet is used to spread information among employees. In fact, it was established as a communication channel for colleagues, which is why the intranet gained popularity among businesses. Today it has grown into a hub of information for administrative tasks as well. 

Generally we share the use areas of the intranet into three categories, which are knowledge sharing, planning, and communication. 

1. Knowledge sharing 

In the intranet you can share knowledge, news, files, and images with your colleagues, knowing that no one outside the business can find or see them. For that reason, it is an ideal place to share confidential information on clients, financial numbers, and personal information. 

2. Administrative and event planning 

The intranet is also an ideal place to plan events and schedule team meetings or teambuilding exercises. Invite colleagues to go out for lunch or schedule other nice events together, that not only strengthens the collaborative bonds, but boosts the culture at the workplace. In addition to such social events, you can coordinate administrative tasks like vacation and plan for professional workshops. 

3. Communication 

Closely intertwined with knowledge sharing and administrative planning, is communication, for which is the overarching characteristic of the intranet. Most forms of intranets have features such as chats or groups, where you can communicate directly to one person or a certain group of colleagues. Therefore, the intranet is a resource that encourages collaboration. 

In sum, the intranet is a shared digital space that will support and strengthen the other traditional ways of working together within the workplace.  

An intranet that encourages collaboration

An intranet should be user friendly and promote internal communication and collaboration among employees. Getynet Insider is an engaging intranet that does exactly that. Colleagues can create groups and share knowledge and experiences, while building on the existing culture in a new digital sphere. This will strengthen the collaborative bonds that exist between your employees. 

Common features in an intranet

Communicative channels 

Think of the intranet as a digital clipboard where employees can share news or important updates. Many intranets have the option to create various channels that are earmarked for different topics, which are chosen by an administrator. The administrator can be someone in charge of a certain client case or someone with a certain workplace responsibility, for example HR. 

Some channels are strictly to be used for professional communication, while others are used for sharing personal news. In these channels, you can find information on new sales and clients, or news about promotions or engagements. The latter provides personal information about colleagues which strengthens the bond between them. 

Groups and chats 

If you do not want to share all news with all your colleagues, you can create separate groups on the intranet. You can invite certain people from a certain department or project to join these groups. 

You can also lead one-on-one conversations with your colleagues on the intranet by taking advantage of the chat functionality. Here you individually plan stuff together or share images and files that makes your cooperation flow even better. 

Booking of equipment or meeting rooms 

Deal with all kinds of practical, administrative tasks in the intranet, such as booking equipment or reserving meeting rooms. In most cases you can also integrate the intranet system with other softwares you use. You can for example integrate the booking system with the Google calendar, so that people can track this directly when they are planning a meeting. 

Administration 

The intranet encourages seamless administration. What this means is that the intranet works as a central hub for communication and sharing information. It becomes a one-stop shop to structure, find, and share files, images, or documents. That way you – and anyone – can retrieve information that they need in order to carry out workshops or schedule vacations. 

Self-service 

Related to the latter, the intranet is a great place to register hours or expenses as well. You can do this yourself directly in the intranet, without relying on an administrator or other software. These self-service functionalities ensure that important information is stored securely, while also reducing the amount of administrative work that goes into filing for instance travel expenses. 

Why should I introduce an intranet to my workplace? 

Because it ensures seamless communication between coworkers, which by effect strengthens the collegial relationship between them. In addition, the intranet reduces traditional administrative costs by allowing employees to find everything they need in one place. 

By using intranet it is much easier to find the information that you are looking for. Employees can easily track down practical information about working terms or vacation plans, in addition to registering travel expenses or working hours. 

Not to mention, the intranet is a substantial tool if you want to build and maintain the culture in your workplace. Colleagues can knowledge-share in professional matters, while also sharing personal news if they want. Then the intranet helps to break down collegial or hierarchical barriers that exist in the workplace, which will have a positive effect on the daily operations in the company. 

Easily accessible 

The intranet has gone through a huge transformation over the past 20 years. Since it is an established technology, it is no longer reserved for big enterprises or corporations who are swimming in a deep pool of internal funds. Simultaneously with the increased demand and span of the intranet, it has become less expensive, both monetarily and administratively, to use for smaller businesses as well. Therefore, it is accessible for most businesses, independent of your size. 

The security surrounding user data and GDPR has also been tightened over the years. You can also access the intranet from smartphones or tablets, making it easily accessible on the go, whether you are running between meetings or working from home. 

Valuable tool in onboarding 

An efficient intranet, where administrative tasks are carried out and valuable knowledge and experience is shared, is a valuable tool for onboarding new employees. Here they will find key information that they are dependent on to succeed in their new role. It makes the introduction to the workplace much less daunting and provides a certain amount of security in the onboarding process. That is why the intranet proves to be an indirect tool in ensuring a cost-effective  workflow for new and existing employees. 

Try the intranet today 

Are you experiencing some collaborative challenges in the workplace, or are you drowning in an ocean of outdated knowledge or unstructured administrative tasks? Explore how an intranet that is interactive and easily integrated with your current set-up, can alleviate these challenges. Try the Getynet Insider today, and experience how you can improve the internal communications from day 1, making a difference in your employees day to day operations.