Is your organization big enough to need an intranet?

Early intranet adopters really had it rough. 

While the benefits of intranets may seem obvious to most of us now, imagine trying to pitch an intranet to decision makers 20 years ago. 

The conversation probably went something like this: 

Intranet champion: “I think we would benefit from an intranet.” 

Decision maker: “A what? An intranet? Uhhh, why?” 

Intranet champion: “Because we have a lot of employees who are uninformed on company news, product updates, and even new colleagues.” 

Decision maker: “So send them an email” 

Intranet champion: *Buries face in hands.  

Thankfully this conversation rarely happens anymore; or at least not to the same extent. 

However, there are still plenty of smaller organizations that are struggling with common workplace and communication challenges that haven’t yet realized that an intranet can help solve many of these problems. 

How will you know when it is time for an intranet? 

If you are a smaller organization and aren’t quite sure if you are ready for a new intranet, here are some signs that it might be time. 

Your organization has reached a certain size. 

What is that size? Is it 100 employees? Is it 25? The truth is that there is no exact size. 

Smaller businesses with fewer employees may not require an intranet, as they can easily communicate and share information through other means such as email, instant messaging, or other collaboration tools. Also, just because they are small doesn’t mean they are immune to big-company problems. This is because smaller companies employees are required to wear many hats and are even more stretched.

Regardless, it’s important to keep an eye on internal growth in your company. If your organization is expanding, expect an increase in communication problems–especially as you reach approximately 40 employees. 

Your internal communication could be better

If your business relies on frequent communication between departments, an intranet can help. Intranets provide a central location for employees to access important information, share files, and communicate with one another. This can reduce the number of emails or phone calls required to get work done and improve overall communication within the organization.

You deal with secure information 

Intranets are typically secure, private networks that allow businesses to store and share sensitive information without the risk of unauthorized access. If your business handles sensitive data or confidential information, an intranet can provide an extra layer of security to protect your data.

Your workforce is remote, hybrid, or dispersed

If your business has remote employees or employees who work from different locations, an intranet can help keep everyone connected to people and information. With an intranet, remote employees can access the same information and communicate with their colleagues just as easily as those who work in the office. Just be sure to select a solution with a mobile app. 

You value a healthy workplace

An intranet can help amplify company culture by providing a platform for employees to engage and interact with each other, recognize contributions, reinforce company values, and participate in company-wide initiatives and events etc. These benefits allow organizations to better position themselves as attractive employers.

Managing documents has become a nightmare 

If your business has a lot of documents that need to be shared and managed, an intranet can be a great solution. Intranets provide a central location for employees to access and share documents, reducing the need for multiple versions of the same document and making it easier to manage document workflows.

Are smaller intranet deployments successful? 

Intranets may provide the most benefits for larger organizations, but that doesn’t mean smaller organizations can’t still reap the rewards. 

In fact, smaller deployments can often be more successful.

This is often because smaller organizations typically don’t have extensive volumes of content and documentation, the architecture tends to be simpler, and there tends to be clear ownership. It’s also easier to keep content up-to-date in smaller organizations. 

In conclusion, intranets can be very helpful for small businesses that want to make their communication and teamwork easier. By having a single place where everyone can share information and work together, small businesses can save time, make fewer mistakes, and be more effective overall. 

Using an intranet can also be a cheaper way for small businesses to communicate and collaborate compared to other tools like email or project management software. So, if you have a small business, you should consider using an intranet to improve how you work and stay competitive.