4 ways to create a magnetic, energetic intranet

A company intranet can be a gigantic waste of time—but it can also be a communication centerpiece that boosts employee engagement.

If your 2019 goals include launching, relaunching or reviving your intranet, here are four practical tips to create a vibrant hub:

1. Secure senior management buy-in and ongoing support.

Despite recent reports of declining trust in business leaders among employees, power and influence still flow from those at the top. The behaviors and words of senior leaders signal to employees what is (and is not) acceptable at work. Execs set the tone of your company culture, and they dictate which communication channels your company prioritizes.

For your intranet to survive and succeed, your leaders must see it as an important communication tool. They must also allocate sufficient resources to maintain it and consistently promote it.

2. Invest in a collaborative, integrated and seamless platform.

If your intranet is cumbersome, clunky or cluttered, it will quickly become a ghost town.

If your employees feel that the intranet is just “one more thing” to add to their many obligations, they won’t use it. They’ll go out of their way not to use it.