Modern medium and large companies are increasingly paying attention to optimizing HR processes. This is because companies are aware of the impact of issues such as onboarding, training or efficient internal communication in the organization on the efficiency and satisfaction of employees, and consequently on the level of employee turnover.
For companies with an extensive and complex structure, the tasks of the HR department are becoming more demanding. In order to be able to ensure the highest possible efficiency of processes, it is therefore necessary to use appropriate technological solutions. A tool that allows you to significantly increase efficiency is certainly an intranet.
It is thanks to it, among other things, that it is possible to carry out the extremely important process of onboarding employees more easily and efficiently. This solution also helps optimize many other HR processes.
Intranet - improve internal communication in the company
But what is the intranet in question? It is an internal company network, which is created primarily to improve internal communication within the company. It can be used by both the organization's employees who are in the office and all remote workers.
Importantly, however, the intranet system is a closed network that no unauthorized people can connect to. Such characteristics of an intranet for companies make this tool stand out with numerous advantages.
First of all, it is possible thanks to it to create a fast and convenient information flow system that makes it easier for all employees to perform their tasks. This is because a company's intranet can be both a knowledge base and a platform for internal communication or a portal for streamlining organizational processes. At the same time, this solution remains extremely secure.
But what are the specific benefits of implementing an intranet? The answer to this question is brought to us by the following statistics "12 useful intranet KPIs your business should analyze in 2024":
- 45% of employees say that intranet tools make it easier for them to collaborate with others;
- a successfully implemented intranet can increase employee engagement by up to 92% and increase workplace productivity by 25%;
- employee satisfaction can increase by 47% after implementing new intranet software;
- costs associated with printing documents can be reduced by up to 18% after implementing an intranet.
Thus, an intranet is an important digital workplace tool that improves the work of almost every person employed in an organization. What is particularly important, however, is that it makes it possible to significantly improve the efficiency of processes usually carried out by the HR department, such as onboarding, among others.
What is onboarding?
Onboarding is the process of introducing a newly hired person, briefing them on their roles and tasks and the company culture. It can take the form of a traditional, on-site training session, during which an HR employee will prepare the necessary documents, show the employee around the office and impart the knowledge necessary to start work.
However, if the company employs a lot of people and the use of certain technologies and tools requires lengthy training, this form of onboarding may not be very effective.
This is why organizations are increasingly choosing to automate the various components of the process. Extensive company knowledge base, which can be accessed by new employees, among other things, turns out to be extremely helpful then.
Such a module, functioning within an intranet application, allows streamlining the onboarding process and adapting it to the needs of employees.
Why should you care so much about the smooth onboarding process? Its importance is indicated, among other things, by the following statistics "33 Startling Employee Onboarding Statistics to Know in 2024":
- well-conducted onboarding can increase the productivity of newly hired employees by 70%;
- companies with effective onboarding programs see an increase in employee engagement of up to 54%;
- employees who have a good onboarding experience are 18 times more attached to their employer;
- onboarding programs can increase employee retention rates by up to 82%;
- manager satisfaction increases by 20% when their employees participate in a standardized onboarding process.
Effective onboarding through the use of new technologies
Companies with multiple employees should take into account the fact that each employee may prefer different methods of education. Importantly, specific individuals may also acquire knowledge at different rates.
Using the right e-learning platform and knowledge management system to optimize the onboarding process, on the other hand, can provide greater personalization opportunities than traditional training.
With the ability to acquire knowledge anytime, anywhere, we will minimize the risk of situations in which employees are unable to assimilate the vast amount of information provided during their first days on the job. The intranet system and the database of documents present in it will allow them both to repeat a given material many times and to return to it at a later date.
This form of sharing company knowledge will therefore significantly improve the efficiency of onboarding. However, this is not the end of the benefits that the implementation of an intranet can bring in terms of improving this process.
Benefits of using an intranet in the onboarding process
The implementation of a company intranet is a huge convenience for both the HR department and the new hires themselves. Companies that decide to implement a knowledge management system for the onboarding process can count on, among other things:
- faster implementation of new employees - newly hired people will not have to undergo standard training, which often consumes a great deal of time;
- unification of the training process - the process of implementation of each employee will always be able to proceed in the same way, which will avoid situations in which some people have not received some of the information necessary to perform tasks effectively;
- relieving the burden on HR staff - thanks to the company's knowledge base, the onboarding process will be largely automated; HR staff will therefore not have to spend as much time implementing newly hired people, allowing them to focus on other strategic activities;
- saving the time of longer-tenured employees - in the case of traditional, stationary onboarding, experienced employees are often involved in the training process; their time is spent not only on the transfer of knowledge itself, but also on answering all questions afterwards; thanks to the company intranet, newly hired people will be able to gain knowledge on their own at any time, which will relieve the burden on other employees;
- improving the image of the company - an organization that uses a company intranet in the onboarding process will be perceived by new employees as modern and professional.
How else can onboarding support the HR department?
The intranet undoubtedly helps optimize the onboarding process in a company to a great extent. However, its usefulness for medium and large companies does not end there.
This is because the tool also allows you to increase the efficiency of other HR processes. By implementing an intranet, we can also improve:
- communication within the company - the intranet can provide a place to publish content about, among other things, organized campaigns or upcoming events;
- reserving company resources - a professional HR portal will give us the ability to quickly reserve equipment, a room or a rotating desk, which will facilitate the process of resource management and help avoid potential complications;
- collecting feedback - thanks to the intranet, it will be much easier to collect feedback that will help optimize individual processes;
- access to an always up-to-date document database - thanks to this solution, we can eliminate mistakes associated with the use of outdated document templates. This improves the work not only of those managing the company database, but also of the employees themselves.
Intranet is a solution that will allow us to improve many areas of our organization. If we still do not use this tool, we lose the opportunity to easily achieve numerous benefits that will translate into a competitive advantage.
Therefore, it is worth considering today the implementation of the system prepared by Ideo specialists. This will optimize numerous HR processes and make it easier for all our employees to perform their tasks.