什麼是內聯網？含義、用途、最佳實踐

What is an intranet?

Intranet meaning and definition

An intranet is an internal communications and collaboration platform used by companies of all sizes and industries. 這是一個安全的網絡，供公司的員工和信任的合作夥伴共享信息、良好地溝通和有效合作。

Some of the key things an intranet can provide are:

A way to safely share internal information
Improved communication between leadership and employees
Increased alignment between cross-functional teams
A home base for companies to store and organize policies, guidelines, and standard operating procedures

從本質上講，內聯網作為公司的數字總部和員工瞭解信息的首選資源。這是一個無價的工具，可以幫助團隊彼此保持聯繫以及保持與公司文化和使命的一致性。

Traditionally, many organizations use SharePoint or custom platforms as their intranet. But as the world of work has changed, new user-friendly solutions have emerged, with benefits to meet the evolving needs of employees.

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Benefits of an intranet

實施內聯網不僅有助於員工保持聯繫和組織—它實際上可以改變整個組織的效率和生產力。 Here are some of the biggest benefits of an intranet:

Improved communication: Intranets facilitate effective communication across the organization, allowing employees to share news, updates, and announcements easily.
Enhanced collaboration: With tools like shared calendars, project management software, and document sharing, they enable teams to work together more efficiently, regardless of their location.
Increased productivity: Intranets provide a centralized place for information and resources, reducing the time employees spend searching for information and allowing them to focus on their work.
Cost savings: By using an intranet for internal communication and collaboration, organizations can reduce costs associated with printing, mailing, and other traditional methods of information sharing.
Streamlined processes: Intranets can automate and streamline various business processes, such as HR tasks, expense reporting, and procurement, saving time and reducing errors.
更好的知識管理：內聯網可以作為知識庫，捕捉和存儲組織的集體知識和專業技能，讓所有員工輕鬆訪問。
Improved employee engagement: Intranets can foster a sense of community and belonging among employees by providing a platform for sharing success stories, recognizing achievements, and encouraging feedback.
Enhanced security: With proper access controls and security measures, intranets ensure that sensitive information remains confidential and accessible only to authorized personnel.
Scalability: Intranets can grow and evolve with the organization, accommodating new users, content, and features as needed.
Integration with other systems: Intranets can integrate with other enterprise systems, such as customer relationship management (CRM) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, providing a unified platform for accessing information and tools.

Why is a company intranet important?

在2024年，員工找到完成工作所需的信息比以往任何時候都更加困難，並保持彼此聯繫以及跟上公司的發展方向。事實上，HBR的一項研究發現，只有23%的員工實際上與其公司的戰略保持一致。

An intranet offers the following critical functionality that can help companies address this alignment gap:

1. Provide visibility across teams

An intranet is a great way to make information available to an entire company. 由於每位員工自動獲得訪問權限，因此可以輕鬆地共享適用於每個人的公司領導更新。

Many solutions have sections for different teams. This makes it easy to see what others are working on. 它還有助於保持與團隊目標的一致性。

2. Offer a centralized place for document and content storage and retrieval

An intranet is a central location for employees to store important documents and information. It is searchable for anyone who needs access to them. This system helps employees easily find the information they need.

The intranet is a convenient tool for organizing and sharing important resources within a company. Rather than finding and sharing documents from systems like Microsoft Office or Google Drive, users can upload them to a portal and make them broadly available.

3. Simplify permissioning

When used with SSO or as part of a software suite, administrators can easily manage authorized users. They can add or remove users with just a few clicks.

Uses of an intranet

An intranet is a versatile and powerful tool that can change the way an organization operates. They can help with communication, collaboration, automating tasks, and supporting remote work, providing many benefits for organizations. Here are just some of the ways that companies use an intranet:

Internal communication: Sharing company news, announcements, and updates
Employee directory: Providing a searchable database of employee profiles and contact information
Document management: Storing, organizing, and sharing important documents and files
Collaboration: Enabling teamwork through shared workspaces, project management tools, and discussion forums
Knowledge management: Creating a centralized location for company knowledge, best practices, and frequently asked questions
HR and employee self-service: Managing HR processes, such as employee onboarding, benefits enrollment, and time-off requests
Training and development: Delivering online training courses and materials for employee skill development
IT support: Offering a helpdesk and resources for troubleshooting common technical issues
Policy and procedure distribution: Ensuring easy access to company policies, handbooks, and guidelines

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using intranet software?

The advantages of an intranet

A modern intranet can offer tremendous advantages for most companies. Here are just a few:

Improved communication: It provides a centralized platform for employees to communicate and collaborate on projects, which leads to increased productivity and efficiency.
Streamlined information sharing: Intranets help organizations share company policies, procedures, and updates easily, keeping all employees informed and aligned.
Enhanced data security: They provide a secure platform for sharing sensitive information within an organization, reducing the risk of data breaches and other security threats.
Increased employee engagement: By providing access to training materials, employee recognition programs, and other resources, an intranet can help to keep employees engaged and motivated.
Cost savings: They can reduce printing and distribution costs by providing a paperless platform for sharing information, which can result in significant cost savings for organizations.

The disadvantages of an intranet

正如我們所見，使用內聯網有許多好處。然而，它們並非都是平等的。 Unlike modern solutions, traditional intranet offerings often have the following drawbacks:

Traditional intranets require employees to navigate to another destination to access information

Real-world data does not support the claim that intranets are designed to be easily accessed. Knowledge workers feel overwhelmed by tabs, apps, channels, and information, which can cause context-switching and a loss of focus. Traditional offerings act as portals that act as yet another destination for employees to visit.

Traditional intranets often need IT administration to update, scale, and maintain

Traditional intranets are admin-heavy. They require specialized IT knowledge to maintain. This sometimes results in them being a bit behind the UX and security curve.

像更新「主頁」這麼簡單的事情可能需要多個步驟，如果內聯網不帶有內置的維基部分，為剛組建的團隊創建新部分可能需要相當長的時間。 Ideally, an intranet CMS allows for easy-to-update employee communications and documentation.

傳統的內聯網無法穿透信息超載的噪音

Employees feel stressed by the quick exchange of information in chat and video apps such as Slack or Teams. This happens whether they are in the office or working from home.

The fast pace of communication can be overwhelming for them. Intranets may not be effective as a replacement or addition to some applications. They can also worsen information overload instead of improving it.

Traditional intranets get stale almost as soon as content is published

Intranets need good content to attract employees. Content teams sometimes use clickbait to encourage employees to use the intranet.

陳舊內容的另一個問題是，它往往不可靠。 This can lead to employees disregarding the information they find, and ultimately stopping searching altogether.

傳統的內聯網無法促進跨公司的協調

讓我們面對現實，往昔的數字市集不再有效。它們和那個去年在你的城鎮關閉的可憐的90年代購物中心一樣，只是一個交流空間。如今，內部溝通、協作和協調發生在員工已經連接的地方：在他們位於Slack或Microsoft Teams的「虛擬總部」中。

Intranet best practices

如果你正在實施內聯網軟件，有許多方法可以確保每個人都能從中獲益。 To get the most out of your investment, follow these best practices:

1. Reach workers where they are

We are all working online now. It is important for everyone to communicate effectively. This is especially crucial in a remote or hybrid work environment. Use your portal to foster employee engagement by posting updates and information regularly.

An intranet, when used right, can be a tool for everyone in the company to collaborate, along with your chat system. Why not see if you can integrate the two? When you connect to Slack or Teams, you can send information and documents to anyone when needed.

2. Reduce time wasted finding important information

The best way to get the most out of your setup is to treat it as a single source of truth for all employees. 不要讓內聯網充滿舊信息的雜亂。 It will make it hard for people to find what they need.

如果你的設置具有內容管理系統，能夠清楚地顯示文檔最後一次更新的時間—或者，更好的是，如果它可以標記潛在的重複內容—搜索者將能更容易找到他們所需的內容。

3. Keep your team productive by preventing time-consuming interruptions for key employees

It happens at every company: a few subject matter experts (SMEs) who hold lots of information are frequently interrupted by colleagues who need answers. A study by the University of California and Humboldt University found that it takes workers up to 23 minutes to regain focus after being interrupted.

Experts can avoid disruptions by adding their knowledge to a single source of truth to make it accessible by anyone who needs it, when they need it. 事先多花一些精力，將對未來的時間管理產生巨大的影響。