By: Meghann Perry, Senior Marketing Coordinator, Engage
When it comes to employee communications, there’s one tool that has become indispensable for managing enterprise-wide programs: the global corporate intranet.
These platforms serve as centralized hubs for company policies, operational tools, safety updates, compliance requirements, training resources, and onboarding modules. As organizations continue to expand their global footprint, having a robust, user-friendly, and engaging intranet is critical for boosting employee engagement and streamlining internal communication.
How a poor intranet derails business operations
Imagine you’re an employee trying to access key resources—only to be constantly thwarted by a clunky, outdated intranet. Instead of streamlining your work, the system slows you down with broken links, confusing navigation, and outdated documents buried under layers of irrelevant content.
During our intranet refreshes, we’ve heard countless stories echoing this experience. Our global intranet audits consistently reveal these common friction points:
- Lack of clear guidance throughout the site
- Excessive clicks required to locate essential information
- Long, scroll-heavy pages packed with dense content
- Outdated or inaccurate information
- Uninspiring design
- Used as a dumping ground for miscellaneous content
If your intranet isn’t optimized, employees can miss deadlines, overlook critical updates, or waste time searching for basic tools. The ripple effect is costly: lost productivity, frustrated teams, and a company platform that feels more like a burden than a benefit. A bad intranet doesn’t just inconvenience—it undermines the entire strategy, turning what should be a well-oiled machine into a chaotic scramble.
That’s why the first step in any intranet refresh should be a comprehensive site audit. It’s crucial to explore the navigation, document all existing content, check links, and verify that information is both accurate and relevant. It’s a meticulous process, but a necessary one to uncover opportunities for meaningful improvement.
Top intranet best practices that keep business on track
Even the most well-designed intranet can fall flat if it doesn’t engage its users and provide them with accurate information. Here are some proven strategies we have used to keep employees coming back:
- Step-by-step user navigation: Create a clear, checklist-style structure that helps users easily find the information they need at each stage of their workflow.
- Interactive design content: Embed videos, GIFs, and quizzes to make information more digestible. For example, a short video on “Policy Highlights” can be more engaging than a PDF.
- Personalized dashboards: Utilize dynamic content capabilities to tailor dashboards based on user roles, departments, or regions. Personalized experiences increase relevance and engagement.
- Dedicated section for employee benefits: One of the most consistently popular sections across our platforms is the dedicated page for employee perks and discounts. It reinforces the value of company programs and boosts employee engagement.
- News articles highlighting company employees: Feature employee stories that showcase diverse experiences and contributions. These articles provide valuable insights and foster a sense of connection across the organization.
- User Feedback: Include quick polls or feedback forms to understand employee pain points and continuously improve the intranet experience.
If your intranet isn’t evolving, your team isn’t thriving
In today’s fast-moving tech landscape, employees are used to sleek, intuitive digital experiences, and your intranet should be no exception. Staying ahead means more than just launching a polished interface; it requires a commitment to continuous content updates and thoughtful site maintenance to keep users engaged. In 2025, we’ve seen a promising rise in employee interaction, with intranet usage climbing from 86% to 93%, and average daily visit times reaching 5.85 minutes.
These metrics tell a clear story: employees are showing up, but they’re looking for content that’s quick, relevant, and easy to digest. Short-form articles between 100 and 300 words consistently outperform longer pieces, and while news updates serve a purpose, only 33% are read in full. In contrast, 91% of users engage with Content pages, suggesting a strong preference for practical, evergreen information.
That’s why your approach to content creation and site upkeep should be centered around one guiding question: “What’s in it for the user?” By focusing on what employees need, when they need it, and how they prefer to consume it, you can ensure every update is purposeful. With this mindset, you can deliver concise, relatable, and impactful content that not only informs but invites repeat employee engagement.
Drive real results with a smarter intranet
At Advito, we’ve led multiple intranet projects that have consistently driven measurable improvements in engagement—from increased clicks and positive feedback to higher content consumption rates. In one standout example, we transitioned a client’s fragmented global site into a unified platform with refreshed content, streamlined navigation, and custom design elements. This transformation eliminated over 50% of duplicated content, significantly improving the site’s organization, layout, and user experience.
For this client, we rebuilt more than 60 pages, enhancing copy, design, and formatting to better serve employee needs. The results spoke volumes: post-launch, their intranet became the second most visited page across the company, behind the homepage.
Looking ahead: elevate client intranets
At Advito, our Engage team transforms global intranet platforms for both new and existing clients. We streamline navigation, reduce click-through friction, and make content intuitive and easy to digest. Post-launch, we track performance metrics to ensure content stays fresh, relevant, and impactful
If your intranet site needs better organization and more engaging communication, we’re here to help. We design visually compelling, user-friendly sites that deliver real impact, keeping employees informed, empowered, and connected. Reach out today to get started!