Social Networking on Corporate Intranets

Integrating social networking in the corporate intranet is a new and proliferating trend today. Many companies have seen the benefits of user-generated content and social interaction among employees. With effective social intranet planning, you will have a successful intranet launch and implementation.

The key to a successful intranet is user engagement. To encourage employees to use the intranet, it is important to create a simple design so that adoption is automatic. Effective intranets utilize simple web design strategies where layout and navigation makes it easy to explore the network. It is also a good idea to make the intranet the default homepage for all web browsers throughout your company so they can access it immediately.

In promoting the intranet to the entire workforce, you should build awareness first. Besides announcing the launch of the new intranet, encourage employee participation by holding contests prior to launch. All entries must be submitted through electronic forms and everything must happen within the network.

Utilize social media tools in your intranet and allow employees to view, rate and comment on interesting content, such as videos, photos, blogs, and slideshows. User-generated content encourage employees to keep checking the intranet and participate in discussions through chat rooms, forums and blogs.

Company updates should also be featured in the intranet: product launches, branch openings, new brands and new policies; and employee milestones: birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, a new baby, retirement, etc. Using widgets on the home page, you can post updates, news and current events in the company as well as external events that are of interest to the employees. This can spark discussions and participation among employees.

Holding contests in the company using the intranet are also a great way to establish the social network. Employees can enter through electronic forms in the intranet and the winners will be announced on the home page. This encourages frequent use of the system.

Having an employee directory is also an advantage in a social intranet. Employees will want to know more about their colleagues as well as know who they are going to work with in the future. Contact details, personal and professional information, skills and interests as well as profile pictures must be updated by every employee. Ensuring that it is the only source for employee information, everyone will be dependent on the system to search for needed information.

While user-generated content is an important aspect in a social intranet, it is up to the administrators to moderate content so that quality is not compromised. In keeping the site simple, it becomes more attractive and usable for everybody. The primary purpose of the intranet, which is to improve productivity, collaboration and cost-savings, should still be clearly established and achieved with the use of the intranet.