The human resources team is at the heart of every organization. Traditionally, its primary focus has been people and relationships. In today’s digital workplace, those face-to-face relationships that have been so integral to HR are changing. The Covid pandemic accelerated the growing trend towards remote working. And there’s no going back. Human resource professionals must find new channels to connect with staff and modernize internal communications. And they need to discover fresh ways to maintain a people focus, even in the tech-dominant workplace. The HR intranet could be the answer.
Here we explore how HR portals deliver on business needs with ten winning advantages.
What Is An HR Intranet?
The human resources intranet is an internal communications and knowledge-sharing platform. All workers are kept in the loop on company policies, training manuals, HR news, and guidelines, from new employees to existing ones.
In short, staff have at their fingertips the company’s collective knowledge of human resources.
Also available as a mobile intranet app, the platform works 24/7 even when the HR team is unavailable. A mobile intranet drives intranet adoption and ensures your business needs are addressed regardless of workers’ location or time zones.
What Are The Benefits Of HR Intranet Portals?
The benefits of company intranets for sharing information quickly and efficiently are now widely accepted. For HR departments, employees can access the full range of information to power up intranet adoption, including:
- HR policies and procedures
- job descriptions and recruitment processes
- employee onboarding and offboarding
- HR content such as benefits and entitlements or employee wellness initiatives
- staff appraisals and performance reviews
- annual leave procedures
- internal vacancies
- training and career growth opportunities
- employee self-service options and online forms.
However, the HR intranet offers so much more than information sharing. Here are ten best practice ways to transform human resources in your company.
10 Best Practice Intranet Features To Power Up Human Resources
1. Inspire Workers With Self Service
The software’s self-service approach has two significant advantages. First, it empowers workers with the ability to source data directly. And that’s vital for remote employees.
Secondly, it frees human resources staff from responding to day-to-day requests for information. And the operational efficiencies involved can quickly translate into significant savings.
2. Streamline Processes
Automated intranet processes allow employees to update personnel records, book annual leave, submit expense claims, and complete pre-appraisal forms. Furthermore, the modern intranet automatically routes online forms to the correct staff member to action. Automated processes eliminate the possibility of information getting lost or misplaced.
Furthermore, streamlined processes are faster, allowing employees to get on with other more important duties. Workers are not wasting time searching through inefficient manual filing systems or overloaded inboxes. All the information they need is at their fingertips and is guaranteed to be up to date. Plus, intuitive site navigation and a powerful search make it easy to find that golden nugget.
3. Improved Two-Way Communication
Keeping the lines of communication open in the digital workplace is critical. With more flexible and hybrid working, many staff work remotely in different locations or even on different continents. In this context, maintaining effective two-way communication alongside a strong company culture is a real challenge for HR professionals.
The company intranet helps to connect HR staff with employees and vice versa. A human resources blog or forum is an excellent vehicle for direct communication with and between employees. Plus, the ability to discuss or comment on current issues is empowering for staff. It confirms that their opinions matter and make a difference. This idea is essential for those working remotely who may already feel disconnected from colleagues.
Furthermore, HR managers’ and executives’ active participation signals to staff that the board listens to and values them as people. And feeding back to employees on what has happened following their input is just as critical. However, it has to be a genuine two-way dialog, or staff will quickly become disinterested.
Many businesses now use instant messaging (IM) as an additional communication tool. Studies show that real-time conversations make for speedier decision-making. Employees can ping an IM to human resources with a simple query for a swift response. And you can set up #channels to communicate directly with teams and update them with news and events.
Mobile intranet apps work 24/7. Therefore, employees can connect with human resources, complete online tasks, and resolve issues at a time and place that suits them. It could be during their daily commute, attending an overseas conference, or working from home.
4. Develop Meaningful Relationships
Organizations are basically made up of people, and doing business is all about building relationships. The HR department plays a fundamental role in promoting relationships within the organization. And the intranet is a great way to do so.
The starting point when it comes to relationship building has to be the initial contact. Usually, this involves a job application or vacancy. The HR portal should be your forward-facing platform for all recruitment processes. When it comes to attracting top talent, first impressions really do count. A central hub providing seamless access to all recruitment processes is the way to go. It works as a gateway and single source of knowledge. These hubs deliver all the answers from vacancies to job descriptions and person specifications, interview scheduling, and references.
Moreover, the workplace is increasingly becoming globalized. Organizations no longer depend on a local talent pool. In 2023, workers could be freelancers, contractors, or working remotely. And so, the ability to connect and communicate remotely is critical.
It also makes managing recruitment a simpler task internally. All interactions are completed online without the costs of paper forms, printing, and mailouts. The savings soon add up to have a significant impact on recruitment budgets.
5. Deliver Compelling Onboarding Experiences
The next important step when it comes to relationship building is employee onboarding. The HR intranet also has a significant contribution here. Get the onboarding process right, and you’re off to the best possible start. New staff are set up for a long and fruitful career with you. Use the HR intranet to seamlessly complete all the steps required to get an employee up and running. From notifying IT to setting up payroll, online forms make it easy.
Furthermore, comprehensive online induction ensures new employees are well-versed in the company culture and their contribution. And a central knowledge-sharing hub means they can easily tap into corporate knowledge and best practices. Rather than reinventing the wheel, colleagues can share insights and experiences across the organization.
An intranet portal enables human resources to communicate and promote a great company culture for all employees. Showcase company values and goals and demonstrate how these relate to business targets or team and individual goals.
Be sure to incorporate a variety of media for a truly interactive user experience. The best-of-breed modern intranet uses videos, wikis, podcasts, and online checklists. Employees can complete onboarding at a time and place that works for them, even outside standard office hours. The upshot is that these new hires hit the ground running more quickly than in the past. They can become productive team members from day one, whether office or home-based.
6. Connect Workers To Each Other
Online staff directories are another valuable tool for building strong workplace relationships and sharing collective knowledge. Bring employee profiles to life by including a personal biography, current work projects, and areas of expertise. Putting a face to a name and knowing something about colleagues fosters the personal relationships your company depends on.
Furthermore, employee profiles support collaboration across the business. Staff can reach out and connect with colleagues in other teams. Workers can also source expert help and internal knowledge. Whether it’s identifying subject experts or participants for cross-departmental project management opportunities, staff can do this directly with no input needed from human resources.
Watch the above video to see how MyHub’s HR Portal solution can benefit your organization.
The HR intranet’s collaborative project areas allow for creative vertical and horizontal joint working, and not just on HR issues. Brainstorming ideas, harvesting feedback, information sharing ideas, and team collaboration build strong workplace relationships. And it ensures organizations are more agile and responsive and can solve problems faster. Easy to set up, these collaborative areas will replace conference calls, long on-site meetings, and complicated email threads.
Seeing the benefits of strong workplace relationships, some companies have chosen to introduce social intranets. In addition to the standard features, companies are increasingly adding more social ones. These include IM, individual or team activity walls, and follow-me options.
7. Build A Strong Employer Brand
A strong employer brand gives you a head start on recruitment and retention. And the HR intranet is the vehicle to promote your company brand. A shared sense of values, culture, and mission is vital.
We have already explored how the HR intranet supports sharing these critical messages. However, make sure the intranet aligns with your external brand. Be consistent in your choice of colors and fonts. And ensure your intranet matches the corporate website’s overall look and feel. A recognizable, coherent approach will reinforce a strong employer and customer brand.
Another way to enhance your employer brand while reducing costs is to recruit more internal candidates. Use your HR intranet to retain the top talent you already have and save on external recruitment and training costs. Advertise openings on your intranet’s newsfeed. Internal candidates can apply using an online application form without interrupting employee workflow.
Furthermore, the intranet allows you to talent scout and identify potential leaders. Keep an eye on comments posted to internal blogs. Feedback and comments can be valuable indicators of an employee’s leadership potential and ability to rally colleagues on hot topics.
8. Increase Employee Engagement
There’s plenty of evidence suggesting engaged employees are more productive. And they are also less likely to take time off due to sickness or absenteeism. Furthermore, companies with highly engaged workforces tend to have lower turnover rates. These are all key performance indicators for HR functions. And so, it’s essential that human resources takes the lead in promoting employee engagement.
Improved communications, increased collaboration, and more efficient information sharing drive employee engagement. However, there are other ways HR portals contribute. Create quizzes, surveys, and opinion polls as fun ways to gather staff feedback on important issues. They also give employees a voice within the organization.
Employee development is another top priority. Not only is this essential for the individual, but it also impacts the organization as a whole. Employee development is fundamental to staff retention and talent management. A skilled workforce helps future-proof your business. And it’s well worth making the investment. Forbes reported on a LinkedIn survey that 94 percent of employees said they would stay longer with their companies if employers took an active role in their learning and development.
HR intranets support the administrative side of employee development. Use the software for online form filling, progress tracking, and collecting and analyzing feedback. Develop a learning and development portal with training materials and links to external resources that support upskilling. Also, showcase any internal opportunities, including mentoring arrangements, webinars, videos, and quizzes.
Finding ways to celebrate workers’ successes on the portal will impact employee engagement. The following activities build a sense of pride within the workforce and a culture of team recognition.
- Posting customers’ testimonials and reviews
- Showcasing the employee or team of the month on newsfeeds
- Promoting a company-wide employee recognition program
- Supporting and developing managers and staff with professional development opportunities
- Celebrating the achievements of employees outside work. For example, running a marathon or volunteering at a local food bank
When it comes to measuring employee engagement performance, the HR intranet is a valuable source of evidence. Monthly tracking of key performance data, including sickness rates, absenteeism, and staff turnover, supports the early identification of underlying trends. They act as an early warning signal for problems management needs to address.
Similarly, qualitative data from exit interviews can inform the organization’s state of health on employee engagement. Staff leave for various reasons; not all are related to engagement. But you need to know if they are to do with the organization and company values. Conduct online exit interviews through the HR intranet rather than face-to-face consultations with a manager or human resources team member. Departing employees are more likely to give honest feedback that can move the company forward.
9. Better People Focus For Remote Workers
The challenge for human resources today is maintaining the traditional people-building role in the technology-dependent workplace. And the post-pandemic shift to remote working has intensified this challenge.
Employee wellness is now center stage. And many remote employees report feelings of isolation and loneliness. It’s a toxic recipe that can quickly impact productivity.
HR plays a role in supporting home and hybrid workers and promoting wellness. With its in-built communication tools, the modern intranet helps employees feel connected. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
- Ramp up internal communications and use the intranet to educate and inform employees
- Publicize wellbeing resources and tools on the newsfeed
- Start the working day with a Zoom 5-minute workout
- Encourage staff to have water cooler conversations on a team chat #channel
- Above all, check in on remote workers regularly. Simply staying in touch and providing a listening ear could make all the difference to a struggling colleague
10. Provide Gateway Access To All Enterprise Solutions
The best thing about HR intranets is that all these great features are available under one virtual roof.
Single sign-on delivers a simplified employee experience, providing gateway access to all your enterprise apps. From Salesforce to Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, employees don’t have to switch between different apps with multiple logins. Just one password logs users on to all your apps in a fully integrated, company-wide portal. Super-easy to set up and manage, an intranet offers excellent flexibility and streamlined, seamless operations. And with unlimited data storage and users, it’s also a cost-effective choice.
Are you considering introducing an HR intranet portal in your organization? You may want to explore the efficiencies on offer across your business. Contact the team at MyHub for a no-obligation demo or sign up for a 14-day free trial. See how easy it is to implement an HR intranet and make a difference in your organization.
