Just about everyone has heard of the internet, but there's also the intranet, about which some individuals might not know. The intranet is a computer network that a group of people or entities use for sharing information. They also may use it to share operational systems, collaboration tools, and other computing services.
However, the difference between the internet and an intranet network is that an intranet setup's creators mean for it to be exclusive. Outsiders cannot access it, which means the users can communicate without worrying about prying eyes learning their proprietary information.
We'll get into more detail regarding an intranet setup, and we'll also go over three reasons why your business entity might want to consider using one.
The Coronavirus and Remote Employment
Before Covid-19 ravaged the country, many businesses did not want to embrace remote work. The company higher-ups usually felt like:
- If their employees were not physically there, they might not focus on their work
- If their employees learned how to work remotely, they might be reluctant to ever go into the office
Frankly, these were illogical fears. Companies can still easily monitor what their employees do, even if they work from home. Also, they can save money once they realize they don't have to rent expensive office space. This significantly reduces a business's overhead.
If you look at intranet benefits for remote work, there are several, but the biggest one is that it's a communication method that ties a whole company together if the employees are spread out all over the country. An intranet setup works perfectly for remote work, and since the coronavirus has necessitated this change, it's no wonder more businesses than ever are looking into this option.
An Intranet Setup Encourages Transparency
As we get into the specific intranet benefits, transparency encouragement has to be one of the most prominent ones. As a company head, you have to:
- Keep track of what all the departments are doing to make sure everyone is staying on-task
- Make sure everyone else knows what each department is up to, so there is no overlap or redundancy
If you set up an intranet system, and you make sure everyone in your company uses it, that's a way you can be sure all department heads are aware of ongoing projects company-wide. You can make it easy for each department to post updates, either in video form, with data, or using various other reporting methods.
You can also set up a place for questions or comments. This way, employees can engage both with others in their department and those outside of it. You want social interaction because it's a way to keep your employees informed and engaged.
It Fosters Collaborative Efforts
Another reason why you'd want to set up a company intranet system is that it's ideal for team-based projects. You might have different departments working on various project aspects, but they are still part of a larger whole.
Remote workers can collaborate, but for it to work, you need to make sure they keep in close contact with one another. Since remote work is happening now, your employees can't walk over to the next cubicle to ask a question or comment on how things are going.
Email and phone calls are always possible, but most workers feel they take too long. They're outdated. If you have a collaborative intranet portal, it is much easier for there to be a free and easy idea exchange.
It Restores Company Mission Focus
One more thing an intranet setup can do for you is that it can restore a company mission, so your employees never lose sight of it. You want your employees to always remember who they work for and what your company is all about. You can do that with in-person pep talks, but it's a little more challenging with remote work dominating the landscape.
Setting up intranet connectivity means you can easily communicate with your operation if you feel like they need a little reminder of what their priorities should be. This is a space where you can reach out to all of them at once, or just individual sectors if you feel one group is lagging behind the others.
An intranet setup also frequently comes with superior security measures. Those are just as critical if you want to keep sensitive data from getting out. At this point, it should be easy for you to see why so many businesses look toward intranet investment.