Your intranet is suffering from a severe case of boredom 😴
The majority of intranets are boring.
The chances are, yours is too.
Why?
In this blog series, we’re going to look into four reasons why intranets are b😴ring.
Intranets are b😴ring – Reason #1: Top down, push communications.
All too often the content is lacking relevance to me as an individual. Cleansed of emotion. Devoid of any personable elements. With no human story to tell.
We’ve all been there, drowning in a sea of un-engaging, emotionless corporate messages. That feel like corporate comms. We call it “corporate comms”!
That is telling us something.
Let’s face it: a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works when it comes to engaging employees.
So why do we persist in delivering generic messages that lack relevance and fail to connect on a human level?
Fix #1: Speak Human, Not Corporate
We all crave authentic, relatable content that speaks to us directly .
Raise your hand if you’ve ever read a corporate communication that left you feeling disconnected and unenthused.
We’ve all been victims of comms laden with corporate jargon, written in the third-person, that turns conversations into snooze-fests.
Why do we still inflict this on ourselves!?
Yet when sitting around a table with colleagues over a shared meal or drinks, discussions are lively and engaging. We connect, as humans.
That’s the level of connection we should strive for in our internal comms.
It’s time to level up and tailor our content to the unique needs and interests of our employees.
Imagine the power of a personalised message that speaks directly to an individual’s motivations, challenges, and aspirations.
By segmenting our employee audience and crafting specific messages that resonate with their intended recipients, we can capture attention and foster a sense of genuine connection.
Speak naturally with your colleagues, using everyday language that resonates with their experiences. Drop the formalities. Embrace a conversational tone that makes your messages relatable and easy to understand.
👋 Say goodbye to the days of bland corporate comms, written in the third-person.
🙋♀️ Say hello to impactful, relatable communications that use natural, human language.
Remember, human stories are the backbone of compelling communications.
We can make the effort to empathise with our audience on a deeper level. We can understand their pain points and aspirations. And we can craft messages that address their specific needs, provide relevant solutions, and create an emotional connection that drives engagement.
Resulting in employees that feel seen, heard, and valued.
Fix #2: Empower Employees – User Generated Content FTW
The conversation goes something like this:
Me: Let’s create a space where employees can share their updates, personal stories, and can ask questions!
Internal Comms: But that’s our role! We need to make sure content is on-message, and need to measure open rates.
Me: Why use marketing terms and measurements? You’re Internal Comms, we’re communicating with our colleagues, not marketing to them!
Internal Comms: 🤔…..
If we aspire to an exciting vibrant intranet, we need to loosen our control over it. Break free from the shackles of top-down comms. Embrace the power of two-way dialogue, where employees are not just passive recipients, but active contributors to the conversation.
Imagine a virtual town square bustling with discussions, ideas, and opinions.
Create forums, discussion boards, and comment sections that invite employees to share their insights, ask questions, and engage in meaningful dialogues.
By providing a platform for open, honest communication, you’re fostering a culture of transparency and collaboration. Where every voice is heard and valued.
Start with small steps:
End corporate news and updates with a question
Enable comments on posts!
Acknowledge and respond to early contributions promptly
Work the back-channel to have others – particularly senior leaders – contribute responses
Be honest if an issue cannot be addressed or is not a priority
From there you can begin to encourage the sharing of success stories, industry insights, and innovative ideas through blog posts, articles, and videos.
By enabling employees to showcase their expertise, you’re not only amplifying their voices but also providing valuable knowledge and inspiration to your entire workforce.
This fosters a sense of community and makes employees feel valued.
Which, in turn, fuels their enthusiasm to actively engage with the intranet.
In Summary
It’s time to bid farewell to the b😴ring intranets of the past.
By implementing these two fixes, you can level up your internal communications and revitalise your intranet.
Create an engaging, dynamic, collaborative platform that truly resonates with your employees.
Break free from the chains of top-down push communication.
Embrace two-way communication channels that encourage active participation .
Empower your employees to generate their own content.
Forge a human connection by speaking directly with your colleagues.
How big a shift would this mean for you on your intranet? Leave a comment and let us know!
If this is hold hat and you’re already doing most of it, let us know what is working!
Join the crew fixing b😴ring intranets!
An exercise in making work feel like play!
To join the crew, we’ll need your name and email