Intranet Management A complete glossary of internal communications and intranet lingo Trouble keeping up with evolving communications lingo in the workplace? Our glossary makes it easy to understand every related internal comms term and acronym. 13 minute read You might also like… Whitepaper Intranet use cases Whitepaper Award-winning intranets I was in a meeting the other day when the term GSC came up. I hadn’t a clue what it meant (sadly it did not stand for Gourmet Sandwich Club). I soon learned that it stood for Google Search Console—something I should know, but these days it feels like there is always a new word or acronym. And if you aren’t in the know, it can be hard to keep up! Then it occurred to me that in the world of internal communication and intranets, some of you are likely feeling a similar level of overwhelmedness. So, I decided to consolidate a bunch of our FUL (frequently used lingo) relating to intranets and internal communications. Some of these may be obvious, but in the spirit of “there are no stupid questions” I decided to include every one I could think of. AI content AI Content is defined as any content created by artificial intelligence, including but not limited to text, images, videos, and audio. All-hands meeting An all-hands meeting is defined as a regular, company-wide gathering where all employees, leaders, and stakeholders meet to discuss the most important company-wide matters. The name ‘all-hands meeting’ comes from the phrase ‘all hands on deck’ – a signal that requires all ship crew members to go on deck. The goal of this meeting is to share business updates, drive alignment around company mission and strategy, celebrate milestones, recognize achievements, and allow employees to ask questions. These meetings were traditionally held in person, but now typically include a virtual option. This helps accommodate deskless and remote employees. Asynchronous collaboration Asynchronous collaboration is defined as collaboration that isn’t happening live, with responses occurring intermittently. For example, an email sent, and then read 30 minutes later is asynchronous. Information hosted on your intranet is also asynchronous, because it is accessible to employees when they need it. Card sorting Card sorting is defined as a structured exercise that asks intranet users to sort a list of sample intranet content into logical groupings. It generally follows a content audit when building intranet navigation. Card sorting can be done online using software, or offline (in-person). During the exercise, a user is provided with a list of examples of intranet content. The user then sorts the items on the list into groups of related cards and labels each grouping. When a number of users have completed the exercise, the organizer compares the results to identify patterns and insights as to where similar groupings did and did not occur. Change management Change Management refers to the approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations to a desired future state. Communication during times of change is extremely important to ensure the success of an organization. Collaboration Collaboration is defined as two or more people working together towards shared goals. Collaboration is a deeply human activity, and no tool on its own can solve the problem of poor collaboration and non-collaborative behavior. For a deeper dive, and to learn more about the three different types of collaboration, read What collaboration really means. Corporate communications Corporate communications is defined as activities involved in managing both internal and external communications in a workplace This can include presentations, newsletters, media releases, investor correspondence, and more. The aim of corporate communications is to create a favorable perception amongst stakeholders the business depends on, such as investors, employees or the general public. Crisis communication Crisis communication is a strategic approach to corresponding with people and organizations during a disruptive event. When a crisis occurs, proactive, quick, detailed communication is critical; a crisis communication strategy, plan and tools, including an intranet, can ensure such communication happens. Customization (intranet) Customization refers to the flexibility of the overall intranet platform as it relates to adding in branding elements and other specifications. For example, a solution like Sharepoint is very customizable, which may benefit some organizations, but it might be hard to maintain without special skills. Conversely, a nonflexible intranet might be too rigid and may not allow for simple elements like branding. Digital employee experience The digital workplace experience (DEX) is defined as the sum of digital interactions between employees and their organization. It includes the hardware and software they use, the level of access and support they receive, and how the IT department works with employees to address issues. Digital workplace The digital workplace is a change in the mindset of an organization. It’s an understanding that the way we work today is different to how we worked when the term workplace was conceived, and that difference is driven by the evolution of technologies. It’s an understanding that work is no longer a place we go, it is a location-agnostic event that can happen at any time of day using any connected device. The digital workplace is all about how technology is transforming the type of work employees perform, as well as where and how work gets done. The digital workplace may be reliant on software but it must be supported by both people and improved processes, and governed by a set of policies and procedures. Employee directory An employee directory is an organized list of employees on your intranet that includes contact information, job titles, departments, and sometimes more detailed profiles. Employee portal An employee portal is a type of intranet focused primarily on providing employees with access to HR-related information and tools. This might include things like payroll information, benefits, training resources, and personal data management. An employee portal can be seen as a specialized section within a broader intranet, focusing on employee-specific needs, while an intranet encompasses a wider array of functions and tools for the entire organization. Extranet An extranet is a controlled, private network that includes external parties such as clients, partners, suppliers, colleagues, or vendors. The group typically shares common interests or objectives; for example, it could be an alumni group or a board of directors. It operates similarly to an intranet but also allows authorized external users to access specific resources, collaborate on projects, and communicate with internal stakeholders. Extranets are often used to streamline communication and collaboration between organizations and their external partners by enhancing efficiency, transparency, and productivity in business relationships, all the while maintaining confidentiality and data security. Governance Intranet governance refers to the policies and procedures for managing the creation, review, and approval of intranet content. A good governance process can help your intranet project by providing clarity around project goals, identify key stakeholders and their responsibility, and provide a framework to review, learn and improve your intranet over time. Information Architecture Information architecture is the structure and organization of all content on your intranet. It’s the foundation of a well-functioning intranet, and its goal is to help employees find information quickly and easily. It also helps create intuitive navigation paths that are easy to understand. Hybrid workplace A hybrid workplace is defined as a business model combining remote work with office work. It may look different among organizations, but it typically includes the onsite presence of a core group, while others are free to come and go as they please, within reason. It may be the same employees mandated to be onsite, or it could include a staggering of different people present on different days or times. Or, there may simply be specific days where employees are requested to attend in-person meetings. The hybrid workplace generally allows employees the opportunity to fit work around their lives, rather than structuring work around fixed hours logged into an office. For many employees (and employers) it’s an optimal balance of productive work with reduced stress and less commuting. Internal communication Internal communication is the overarching view of how a business communicates with, and to, their employees. Internal communications Internal communications is defined as the process of aligning employees to company strategy by systematically informing, influencing, motivating, and engaging people at all levels of the company through the one-way and two-way channels—digital and physical—that are most relevant to each employee. Ready to see these terms in action? Download our guide for real-world examples of award-winning intranets. Download now Intranet An intranet is defined as an internal website that helps employees get stuff done. The more formal definition of an intranet is a private, secured network that only authorized users within an organization can access, and helps streamline workflows, enhance collaboration, and centralize information. Knowledge base A knowledge base is a centralized repository of information that stores structured data, documents, articles, FAQs, tutorials, and other resources. It acts as a reservoir of knowledge, accessible to employees, customers, or any stakeholders seeking answers to common queries or solutions to specific problems. Knowledge management Knowledge management is defined as the process of creating, sharing, and managing the knowledge within an organization. It is based on the theory that an organization’s most valuable resource is the knowledge of its people. Knowledge management in the workplace involves collecting and curating collective employee knowledge, and applying that knowledge to achieve specific goals. It is about ensuring that employees have the knowledge and information they need—where they need it, when they need it, and in the format they need it. Knowledge management is critical because it establishes an environment where employees can create, learn, share, and leverage intelligence together for the benefit of the organization. Knowledge sharing Knowledge sharing is defined as the process of exchanging ideas, insights, best practices, lessons learned, and expertise between individuals or groups within an organization. It involves tapping into the collective wisdom of individuals within an organization and making it accessible to all. The objective of knowledge sharing is to ensure that valuable knowledge evolves into a shared resource that drives innovation and problem-solving. Onboarding portal An onboarding portal is a centralized hub (sometimes on an intranet) where new hires can access company information, training materials, and tasks to complete during their onboarding process. Organizational chart An org chart (organizational chart) is a diagram that displays the organizational structure as well as relationships and reports. It is an excellent way to gain an immediate perspective of all the people within the organization and their roles. Understanding organizational hierarchy is important—not just for employees, but for an entire organization. When employee roles and organizational hierarchy are transparent, we can ensure responsibilities are allocated to the correct individual. Newsfeed A news feed is a space on your intranet where newly published content appears or users can share material. Newsfeeds can be customized or personalized based on preferences. Notifications (intranet) Intranet notifications are messages or alerts provided on your intranet to inform users of news, events, or content they must view. Permissions (intranet) Intranet security permissions are the rights that users have to access and perform actions on an intranet. They are used to control who can view, edit, or create content on the intranet, while also protecting the intranet’s security. Personalization (intranet) Intranet personalization is the process of adapting an intranet’s content to the needs and interests of individual employees. This can help improve employee engagement and internal communication, and create a better working environment. Presence indicator A presence indicator is an icon that lights up to notify others when a user is offline or occupied with another call or interaction. While not a common intranet feature, it is typically seen in specific industries like law firms, where employees often require a way to notify their colleagues when they are away in court. Pulse survey A pulse survey is defined as a short survey sent to employees at frequent intervals. Pulse surveys performed on a regular basis are a more accurate way of determining employee satisfaction, and can help you make any necessary changes quicker. Pulse surveys are not intended to replace annual engagement surveys, but rather aim to tackle smaller and more immediate areas of concern. The primary goal of a pulse survey is to provide real-time visibility into what your employees are thinking and feeling, which enables you to take quick action to resolve employee issues, without having to wait on the annual survey results. Social features Social features on an intranet are tools that allow employees to communicate, collaborate, and share information in a way that mimics social media. These features can help build a sense of community and improve employee engagement, and can include things including like buttons, notifications, and activity feeds. Synchronous collaboration Synchronous collaboration requires live conversation like text chats, phone calls, or in-person meetings. In synchronous collaboration, responses occur immediately. If you are communicating on an instant messaging platform like Slack or Microsoft Teams with people at the same time, then you are engaging in synchronous collaboration. Targeted communication Targeted communication refers to messages directed at a specific group of people, or target audience. Targeted communication helps increase intranet adoption by appealing to a subset of an audience with content that’s relevant to their needs. Task testing Task testing, also known as tree testing, is a research method that evaluates how well users can complete tasks on a website or product. It’s a popular tool for building an intuitive intranet information architecture (IA) and typically follows card sorting in the series of steps for designing a user-centered intranet navigation. Townhall Meeting (see All-hands meetings) Turnkey intranet A turnkey intranet is a pre-built intranet that is ready to use and doesn’t require the time and resources to build. The term “turnkey” means that the system is essentially ready to use as soon as you “turn the key” User profiles User profiles on an intranet are similar to LinkedIn profiles and contain information about an employee, such as their job title, contact information, and a photo. They allow employees to connect with each other and send messages, which can help with collaboration and building a workforce network. User roles (intranet) User roles define what individuals can see and do within the intranet. Examples include end user, administrator, or editor. Wikis A corporate wiki is a dynamic online platform designed to facilitate collaborative editing and sharing of information within an organization. Unlike traditional static intranet pages, a corporate wiki enables users to create, edit, and update content in real-time. Workplace silos A workplace silo is defined as a workplace condition where teams or individuals work independently and apart from one another. This leads to fragmented workflows, a lack of shared knowledge, and inefficiencies across the company. Silos can cause teams to duplicate efforts, make decisions without considering the broader organizational context, and hinder overall performance. Did we miss a term? Let us know and we will add it in!