Employers constantly seek new ways for improving employee engagement and internal communication. While there are numerous tools and platforms available, one is more effective than all others. One simple word — intranet. As powerful digital platforms, intranet solutions connect employees and managers alike in one virtual place. While it may not be the solution to employee engagement problems, it can largely contribute to its resolution. Let’s see how the intranet can be used to increase employee engagement at the workplace.
Sharing and Accessing Information
One of the easiest ways to increase employee engagement is by providing reasons for employees to visit the corporate intranet. Intranet’s strong suit is storing important documents. As a repository, all pivotal data of the organization is kept in one place. For this reason, employees will have no other choice than to log onto the intranet and find what they’re looking for.
Employers can also use intranet for posting latest updates and announcements. CEO can post weekly or monthly news or relevant information. Business world is highly unpredictable and many sudden changes happen. Teams and departments are more engaged and productive if they receive timely updates.
Rewarding and Recognizing
Most organizations don’t recognize and reward engaged employees outside their teams and departments. While their engagement stands out in one part of the company, it is completely unnoticed in other parts. Great leaders will not let their effort go to waste and be unrecognized. Instead, they will find ways to reward and recognize their engagement at the workplace. For example, sending an email to all employees and managers or bringing it up during an all-hands meeting. Unfortunately, these small acts of kindness somehow still remain unperceived by most employees.
Meanwhile, if managers use the intranet as a distribution channel and post the announcement, it will receive all attention it deserves. This action promotes company values, sets an example of how all employees should behave, and establishes a culture of recognition and appreciation. If the announcement receives any reactions and attracts comments, the problems with employee engagement are slowly fading away.
Connecting and Collaborating
Getting employees to attend corporate events, interact with members of other departments, and show initiative is often a futile endeavor. More so, if they aren’t passionate about their job and sharing the company vision. However, with intranet, workplace activities are centralized and all employees connected. It is a true digital reflection of the work environment. Employees can comment, discuss, share ideas, opinions, invitations, and attend virtual events. Also, they can work on projects together, just like they normally would in the real workplace. By connecting all employees and encouraging collaboration, intranet successfully boosts employee engagement. When the employees are truly engaged, they become more invested in the workplace activities.
Giving and Receiving Feedback
Feedback is beneficial in so many areas, and business is one of them. However, feedback is a two-way street. For it to be fully effective, employers and employees should be ready to both give and receive feedback. Employing this technique builds and maintains trust between managers and employees. It also helps improve and develop professionally. Employees get the feeling they are taken seriously and their effort matters. No matter positive or negative feedback, it resonates among employees and increases their engagement.
Enhancing Company Culture
Fostering company culture also boosts employee engagement in the long run. Employee connection and interaction is never emphasized enough. Although intranet can be used for storing and updating, its primary function is strengthening company culture. Internal communication and collaboration serve as important building blocks. Managers have to decide what that culture includes. Most company cultures cultivate engaged employees. Apart from recognizing efforts and contributions, storytelling plays an important role in building culture. When efforts of team members are praised and highlighted, other employees share this story with everyone. That is how they actively influence other people’s perceptions about the given organization. The company culture emphasizing employee recognition and engagement establishes the enviable reputation of the company.
Measuring Engagement
Measuring employee engagement is a highly demanding task. HR has divided opinions on which aspects of employee experience should be measured in the first place. While some analyze employee happiness, others are interested in general work satisfaction. Regardless of the selected aspect, one of the two procedures will be applied. Either interviews or quarterly or annual surveys. Luckily to employers, intranet is the perfect platform for measuring engagement. How much they engage in the workplace is clearly visible from their interaction and contribution to the corporate intranet. Keeping a close eye on internal communication can tell a lot about employees and their participation. Reading between the lines helps understand where problems come from and how to resolve them. As a result, enforcing employee engagement strategy is more efficient.
On the whole, these are just some of the ways the intranet can help with employee engagement. Employers should bear in mind that the intranet may not solve all problems immediately. However, its careful and strategic application brings effective results in the long run.
