The Intranet User Adoption Game Plan
Rolling out a new intranet can be a significant step towards building a more connected and efficient workplace. Humans are wired for connection, and an intranet is a great way to make that connection and improve collaboration, even when your teams work from different locations.
Studies show that employees who feel heard are 4.6 times more likely to give their best at work. An intranet is a strategic investment toward building a thriving workplace, but user adoption is vital to maximizing its impact. While PeopleOne is designed for natural adoption, the importance of training staff in the use of the intranet cannot be undermined. Effective intranet onboarding can help employees master new workflows and jump right in to reap the benefits.
A Quick Guide to Training Employees on Intranet Adoption
1. Top Tier Training:
Leaders set the tone for company culture, and that’s why their active engagement on the intranet can influence workforce behavior and outcomes. While some C-level executives might have been involved in the initial decision to implement the intranet, they would still need a refresher on how the intranet directly supports their strategic goals.
Not all executives might be deeply familiar with the intranet’s functionalities. Recognizing their busy schedules, it is essential to offer flexible training options like bite-sized learning sessions focused on their roles and responsibilities, video tutorials, one-on-one sessions, or hands-on workshops. The training should cover how to measure what content resonates with employees, how to do a quick employee pulse check, and how to use the intranet to communicate change or recognize employees.
2. Identify Power Users:
You need people within your organization to share helpful and interesting content regularly to keep everyone engaged. Identify “info-sharers” with influence in each department who love sharing knowledge, sparking conversations, and have a knack for communicating clearly. Turn these influencers into intranet power users with a demo of the platform’s features for content creation.
With PeopleOne, power users can focus on effortlessly sharing information rather than battling with technology, as it has intuitive templates for all publishing needs. Guide power users on best practices such as having a content calendar, using brand elements, and managing discussion forums. Schedule a monthly call with power users to discuss challenges, brainstorm ideas, and learn from each other on refining the platform to keep employees engaged.
3. Tailor Intranet Training for User Groups:
Begin by ensuring that everyone knows how to navigate the intranet confidently. Establish a baseline for further exploration by training all users to search effectively, access common resources like company policies and updates, or update their profile. Then, analyze your organization’s structure and identify key user groups with unique needs. Common examples include HR, Sales, Marketing, and remote workers. Develop targeted training modules based on each group’s goals. For example, the training session for HR can include:
- How to seamlessly onboard recruits.
- How to publish company policies, announcements, and events.
- Collaborate with other HR executives using shared workspaces.
- Conduct pulse surveys and gather employee feedback.
- Use recognition & reward features to motivate employees.
- Track employee engagement.
4. Make Training Enjoyable:
Making training enjoyable sows the seeds of positive user adoption. It is crucial to frame the training sessions around the question, “What’s in it for me?” and use realistic scenarios to demonstrate how the intranet can benefit participants in their daily work. Acknowledge and reward individuals and teams for actively participating in the sessions.
5. Feedback and Support:
Understandably, some teams may face tight schedules and can’t attend training sessions. Still make training flexible and promote successful intranet adoption:
- Emphasize Self-Learning: Build a comprehensive FAQ section to share tips and best practices.
- Create Training Materials in Different Formats: Create short videos and PDFs to cater to different learning styles and needs and maximize information absorption.
- Build a Community: Create discussion forums where users can ask questions, offer support, and share experiences.
Beyond Intranet Onboarding
While training is crucial for initial user adoption, it’s the first step in keeping the intranet vibrant. Focus on ongoing engagement by involving power users in:
- Regularly adding new content like company news, employee stories, and useful resources.
- Organize fun contests, polls, and surveys to drive user engagement and participation.
- Share their unique workflows, shortcuts, and productivity hacks through blog posts or video tutorials.
- Surprising users by giving the intranet a festive makeover by changing the theme and colors.
- Organize fun contests like holiday trivia or virtual treasure hunts.
- Organize a dedicated photo gallery where employees can upload pictures from various outings such as team picnics, sporting events, workshops attended or volunteer activities.
- Create a short, fun video gallery showcasing the best moments from past outings, featuring employee interactions, activities, and laughter.
- Recognize and reward employees through kudos and badges.
Conclusion
The importance of training staff in the use of the intranet is a pivotal journey. The journey is even more critical if your company is experiencing accelerated growth or going through a merger or acquisition. Designed with user-friendliness in mind, PeopleOne’s intuitive platform makes it easy for employees, regardless of their technical expertise. Talk to our experts to see how PeopleOne can transform your organization.
