This is a guest post from Marten Misch, editor at Pretzlaw Communications in Berlin. For years, the agency has been delivering exciting and useful content for big companies. As new partner of Staffbase, Pretzlaw Communications improves your intranet content, too.
The desire for social networking and opportunities for dialogue indicates that employees are looking for emotional content in company apps. How can you make your intranet indispensable with compelling content?
Fast, user-friendly, and easily accessible: The conditions for effective company communication could not be any better than in a (mobile) intranet. But what content keeps your internal “newspaper” interesting for your employees? This blog introduces various content for this purpose. A well-wrought mixture of information, communication and motivation is crucial for the appeal of the modern intranet.
Inform!
News
Keep your employees informed with summaries of branch news and relevant news for the departments on a regular basis. This, too, supports their identity within the company.
Examples: Compilation of press releases, curate branch news, articles or interviews with important persons, changes in law, relevant political debates, top lists.
Your own personal Google
Today, the internet offers an answer for everything. But it is not always the right one. Filtering relevant and correct information has become a huge challenge. All the more important is a portal you can trust. Start building an internal reference book for important information and add indispensable value to your intranet!
Examples: Encyclopedia, glossary, norms, formulas, calculator, important laws, business etiquette, work flows and to dos for recurring processes.
Communicate!
Management Blog:
What happens in the company? What is unique to the company? The intranet offers a good solution for the management to intensify the contact with the base. Start reporting on news and changes in the company in a personal tone. Make the app more human: Introduce the people leading the company.
Examples: A day with the CEO; the CFO explains financial matters, open interview “What you always wanted to know from you superior”.
Off-the-Job:
Does the well-being of your employees matters to you? Have you always wanted to support them with retirement arrangements and insurances? Then start adding important topics and offers in the intranet and show your commitment.
Examples: Retirement arrangements, company pension, accident insurance, family friendliness of the company.
Motivate!
Practical Tips
Tutorials facilitate daily work; best cases inspire your employees. Practical tips and tutorials will increase employee satisfaction – a win-win situation.
Examples: Video tutorials for hand craft activities, explanatory films, tips from colleagues.
Education & Staff Development
Is your company educating people? Are there internal offers for further education for your employees? Do you want to support your employees that are interested in external training? Start communicating these offers not only on the notice board, but also through motivating your employees with easily accessible information.
Examples: Information on education/ educational content, overview of further education offers, calendar with registration possibilities for external education, examples of careers within the company.
Engagement:
Each employee is a source for information and technical expertise. Start involving your employees in choosing and developing topics! Make room for discussions and suggestions of your employees and get to know what is on their minds. Through giving audience to your employees, you express your appreciation. As a special incentive you can offer special tenders or prizes like “Improvement proposal of the month” or “Idea of the week”
Examples: Comment feature underneath contributions, permanently installed opportunities to submit proposals, forums for departments/locations/products.
The requirements for the individual categories depend on different factors: the main purpose of the intranet, the company size, the branch or diversity of tasks. Even an own app or a distinct area for sales staff, staff working in the field or other departments can be appropriate. Depending on the scope, focusing on less relevant content is also possible.