# 5 Major Intranet Challenges to Avoid and How to Solve Them Intranets are highly overlooked communication tools. Let us teach you to harness them for better employee satisfaction. Josh Purvis Chief Product Officer & Cofounder at Assembly August 2, 2023 When we hear the word, 'intranet,’ it’s easy to picture some outdated tech from the dawn of the digital age. However, it's far from that. In fact, many forward-thinking businesses are using intranets as key communication tools. Here's why: Forbes reports that [49% of workers](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/digital-communication-workplace/) believe poor communication reduces their overall productivity. So, what's the fix? Intranet systems. With their potent knowledge-sharing abilities, they've become secret weapons for creating more efficient work environments. While intranets have their perks, they also have potential downsides. But the right intranet tool, customized for your organization, can help you overcome these challenges. This article outlines the potential hurdles of intranets and provides practical solutions to them. With this knowledge, you'll be better equipped to fully harness the [benefits of an intranet system](/content/blog/an-intranet-understanding-what-it-is-its-uses-and-benefits/index.html) and integrate it effectively into your workplace. ## Intranet 101: What Is an Intranet? An Intranet is a private network that is used to share company information between staff quickly and securely. You can think of it as an internal website for employees. The primary goal of these tools is enhanced communication, but modern systems are a lot more than that. Intranets now include everything from knowledge bases to reward platforms and news bulletins. These software act as a central hub for all necessary workplace information, boosting productivity by eliminating the time employees spend daily searching for data and colleagues. ## History of the Intranet The [first intranet services](https://www.cyberlinkasp.com/insights/history-invention-internet/#:~:text=Before%20there%20was%20the%20internet,easier%20use%20and%20enhanced%20capabilities.) that came into the scene in the nineties were basic. Most were essentially digital employee handbooks containing little more than a welcome page, important company information, and contact details. They were all boring, with plain text and a flat look. Those systems were called ['Enterprise Information Portals'](https://www.google.com/amp/s/benjaminwann.com/blog/what-is-an-intranet%3fformat=amp) and comprised bulky applications that were difficult to install and update. This combination made using them challenging and caused most of them to be abandoned by employees as they weren't worth all that stress. Later, intranets evolved to be more dynamic and took advantage of the internet. They moved past being static bulletin boards, allowing more [employee engagement and collaboration](/content/blog/how-to-leverage-knowledge-sharing-for-better-employee-engagement/index.html). When cloud-based integrations became possible, various intranet features like knowledge bases were incorporated. These little innovations all led up to the [modern intranet](/content/blog/a-modern-intranet-is-your-new-digital-workplace/index.html). These systems bundle robust knowledge bases, data analytics, and rewards programs into one tailored experience. Each feature encourages effective communication without distracting employees from their duties. ## Intranet Advantages Did you know that 89% of workers search between 1 to 6 sources for information to do their jobs effectively? [According to Coveo](https://www.coveo.com/en/resources/reports/relevance-report-workplace?&utm_source=press-release&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=relevance-report-2022-workplace), this takes about three hours daily, which could be better spent being productive. Intranets consolidate your various information silos into one comprehensive platform, ensuring that your employees focus on things that matter. That improves your employee experience in many ways. We'll look at a few here: 1. **Enhanced Internal Communication** The main advantage of adopting an intranet is to improve internal team collaboration. Intranets enable your company to consolidate all workplace communication. That makes it easy to navigate your company's ecosystem and engage with other employees. 2. **Easy Access to Information** Many modern intranets incorporate knowledge bases and data analytics to enable swift access to important company information. Everything from general announcements to employee directories and handbooks is easily gotten with these tools. 3. **Seamless Employee Onboarding** [Employee onboarding](/content/blog/creating-a-streamlined-onboarding-process-for-new-hires/index.html) is usually a time-intensive process undertaken by a few employees. This pulls them away from their usual jobs for the period taken to assimilate the new hires into your company's ecosystem. A modern intranet can resolve this resource-draining activity. 4. **Reduction of Unnecessary Meetings** Meetings should be held moderately as they are the [number one killer of office productivity](https://hbr.org/2021/11/the-psychology-behind-meeting-overload). Whether physical or virtual, most accomplish little, wasting time and draining energy. 5. **Improved Employee Engagement** [Employee engagement is closely linked to morale](/content/blog/why-employee-engagement-is-essential-to-your-morale-and-culture-and-how-to-encourage-it/index.html), job satisfaction, and productivity. Engaged workers are more likely to care about the company's welfare beyond their paycheck. These workers would be more committed to your business goals, so managers aim to foster that in their employees. ## Intranet Disadvantages What are some disadvantages of the intranet? That is probably the question on your mind right now. With all the benefits of intranet software listed here, you might be waiting for the catch. Well, every rose has its thorns. Here are some drawbacks of using intranet technology in your office: 1. **Excessive Information** The primary purpose of an intranet is to provide a unified location for company information. This strength can also be a weakness. Employees can easily be overwhelmed and confused with all the information in one place. 2. **Vulnerability to Security Breaches** One frequently asked question about these systems is, 'What are the risks of intranet projects?' This is a major one. 3. **Difficult Adoption Process** You'll have to educate your employees on how to use every new technology introduced to your workplace. Most intranets, however, are a bit more complex. ## Intranet Challenges and Their Solutions Intranet projects do have their disadvantages, but it should be evident that the benefits far outweigh them. This software benefits every company as increased communication, centralized information, and enhanced productivity are vital. 1. **Employee Engagement** The most common challenge to an intranet is low employee interaction. That is a problem because users make these systems work, filling them with the information they provide. 2. **Hidden Costs** When building an intranet, it is easy to jump in without complete knowledge of all the costs. That can become a problem halfway through. 3. **Irrelevant Information** With a centralized communication platform, one challenge you are likely to face is information overload. Your employees would be surrounded by news and messages that are irrelevant to their jobs which would only hamper productivity. 4. **Intranet Management** Intranets need to be continually managed and updated as necessary. You should assign a manager or a team to curate the contents of your system. This ensures that your information remains relevant to your workers, conserving employee interaction. 5. **Expansion Readiness** Your choice of intranet should last the lifespan of your business. You don't want to outgrow your system after investing all that time and energy optimizing it. ## Enhancing Employee Collaboration with Assembly An intranet is a gift that keeps on giving. While the setup and initial adoption can be tricky, the benefits are worth all that effort. These systems provide efficient communication, knowledge sharing, and collaboration for businesses of all sizes. Your choice of intranet software is crucial to its effectiveness in your company. It can determine if you succumb to these challenges or you overcome them. We hope you do the latter. Choose a scalable intranet system with seamless integration, effective communication capabilities, and an extensive reward program.