Tips on Getting Your Staff Aboard an Intranet

By Marisa Peacock (@marisacp51) Sep 10, 2007

Building and maintaining an Intranet can be challenging. For one, it's not always clear to everyone what the goals of an Intranet are. It may not be embraced by senior management, nor is it always structured well due to lack of resources and staff. So what to do when your Intranet is stifled?

Most everyone suffers from challenges in implementing an Intranet. For those who need a little support, the following will help.

First, take a breath. Intranets are meant to evolve as your business grows, so maintaining an Intranet will be an ongoing process. There's no rush!

Then, define your goals: Establish a baseline so growth and success can be effectively measured. Whether it's the number of staff who access the site in an established period, or the library of resources available, establishing metrics can only help you and your team convince others of an Intranet's merit.

Survey your staff to track their behaviors. What documents are they always looking for? How much time do they spend searching? Structuring your site in a practical matter will enable staff to find what they need, when they need it.

As tempting as it is to provide lots of content, giving your user too many options can overwhelm them. Phasing in content over time will prove more successful and useful than uploading it all at once.

Thinking long-term can often be overwhelming, especially when it's just you or a small number of team members involved in the development. Though it's important to define the goals of your Intranet, don't get lost in the big picture. Eventually it will thrive, but change is always challenging, so people will need time to adapt.

Finally, don't be afraid to take a break and step back to reassess your goals, as they may change along the way. Evaluating your progress in three- or six-month stretches can help you stay on track, or alert you to new trends or strategies needed to keep the momentum moving.