The Evolution of Intranet Software

Many businesses believed the day of the intranet was over, but we’re seeing a significant increase in organizations harnessing the power of this internal tool. As a result, the Intranet Software Market is predicted to reach $36.89bn by 2027, and companies who believed they were outdated and unnecessary are realizing they were wrong.

Outdated and ignored, intranets have led companies to give up on maintaining them. Even those who do utilize intranets often focus on high-level, depersonalized need-to-know information. 

These organizations are not making the most of this highly valuable tool, and as Gallup report, 74% of employees feel they’re missing out on company news, it’s a resource that businesses should take the time to invest in and make use of.

Where remote work is king, intranets are essential

A 2020 study found that 74% of CFOs plan to permanently transition some employees to remote work. Amplified by the Coronavirus pandemic, this figure is entirely believable as a lot of remote workers are more productive and better value when working from home. 

Many organizations no longer have a centralized HQ, which can lead to employees feeling isolated and employee engagement taking a hit. It’s this environment that has allowed intranet software solutions to flourish. Modern intranets make it easy and enjoyable to consume and share internal content, and more businesses are recognizing the benefits of investing in them. .

4 signs of an outdated intranet

Outdated intranet platforms don’t engage employees or effectively perform their basic information-sharing purpose. Recent McKinsey research found a direct connection between productivity and well-connected workforces, with an increase in 20-25% in productivity noted in companies whose employees are connected to each other and the wider organization. An outdated intranet is a barrier between employers and their employees. 

Here are four clear signs your intranet is outdated:

1. Poor user experience – older intranet platforms can be difficult to navigate and feature ineffective or nonexistent search functions. Many have an unappealing appearance and are not in keeping with the company’s overall brand or messaging.
2. Rigidity – legacy intranet platforms are known for their static and unchangeable design. This inflexibility is not aligned with the dynamic nature of the modern workplace. Companies find themselves trying to force new content into existing parameters.
3. Maintenance – legacy platforms are usually quite complex and require IT support to change even the slightest thing. Even small errors can be a significant job for the IT department, and this is time intensive, slows everything down and is often seen as a waste of resources.
4. Desktop only – the world we live in is mobile-first, with responsive websites and apps the norm. Legacy intranets are not designed for mobile use and are completely impractical for workplaces where employees may work from various locations and require information on the go.

Luckily, the intranet software solutions now available are significantly more evolved than traditional platforms. As a result, any business that wants to upgrade its intranet can access a wide range of user-friendly options designed for the modern workplace.

How intranet technology has evolved

Many new intranet technologies were built to satisfy employee needs. New software and application development means newer platforms can incorporate a wider range of functions to improve the employee experience, including:

Intuitive employee experience

The newest platforms on the market are designed with the user in mind. These platforms apply the UX best practices you’d expect of any modern tool; more like a social media platform than an outdated intranet setup.

Cloud-based foundation

The latest intranet platforms have been designed in the age of the cloud, so they’re already fully integrated and work with other cloud-based tools such as storage. Many intranet platforms are also SaaS-based which makes implementation and updates easy.

Adaptable and flexible

Advanced intranet and internal communications platforms are fully customizable and designed with ease-of-use as a priority. They can easily be modified to suit a business’ needs, and once in place, further alterations are possible to ensure they deliver everything your employees could need.

Intranet software has evolved significantly to improve employee experiences, promote engagement, and make collaboration and communication easy, even across remote locations and different time zones.

Exploring the Latest Intranet Solutions

The basic intranet has reached new heights, making flexibility, engagement and socialization easier than ever before.

Collaboration is a key driver for intranets in 2022 and promotes the idea that every workplace can operate as a digital workplace with the right technological ecosystem in place to support all workers whether they’re remote, on-location, hybrid, or deskless. The best intranet platforms encourage employees to interact regularly to improve their working experience and engagement. The key features of an intranet suitable for 2022 include:

• Productivity: the employee intranet can be used to streamline administrative processes 
• Employee engagement: an effective intranet empowers employees to connect and collaborate. It makes company information easily available and communicates company goals consistently and effectively, so everyone is on the same page.
• Integration and adaptability: the intranet is a hub to that integrates a wide range of business-critical applications needed by various departments, including deep integrations with Google Workspace to Microsoft 365.
• Mobile-first: remote and frontline work is an integral element of the digital workplace. Staff may work on their own schedule and at a range of different locations. Connecting with your organization wherever you are is crucial. Most modern intranet platforms have a mobile app that relays the same information on any device.

LumApps is the only intranet recommended for Google Workspace and integrates easily with a wide range of other external applications and platforms.The range of tools available support the flexible and hybrid nature of the modern workplace, replacing and improving significantly on outdated, legacy intranet platforms.