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Could Your Company Benefit
From An Intranet?
May
17, 1999
by Sue Patten
It is no surprise that the
deployment of Intranets continue to climb. The benefits of developing
a knowledge repository within the company generally outweigh the
efforts. It is ideal for keeping frequently updated materials such as
phone lists, price lists, presentations and contracts. The updated
materials become accessible to anyone just in time. It becomes a
valuable Human Relations tool for collecting and updating data.
In another context, an Intranet
collects inside knowledge for dispersion. The sharing of internal
knowledge brings a return on the investment. Using internal resources
saves time and effort.
The collection of internal
knowledge does 3 things:
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Employees are investing in the
process the moment they begin to contribute knowledge. The investment
gives value to the process for them. The perceived value increases
with each contribution. Contributions that are beyond the scope of
their positions can increase feelings of self-worth and morale.
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Resources that are in-house and
literally at your fingertips are far more cost effective than
anything outsourced. In time, people begin seeking information
in-house first.
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As people contribute they also
get acquainted with the technology. The increased comfort level will
increase contributions, adding to the overall value.
Using collected information
The collected information becomes
a resource. When the resource is internally generated it improves
employee communications and department interaction.
In-house resources are
cost-effective and practical. The savings multiply with increased use.
Encouraging Employee Usage
Very often an Intranet is viewed
as useless and troublesome. Interest arises from involvement and
purpose. Involvement and purpose only happen with usage. Although
seemingly counterproductive, Intranet usage beyond the scope of
purely business creates investment. Investment equals ownership;
ownership entices maintenance. The process begins to feed on itself
from the powerful momentum of information.
Ways to Increase Investment
Make it Personal:
Companies that invest in
concierge services realize that indulging the personal needs of
employees tends to liberate worried minds for work. An Intranet can
contribute in a similar fashion. Many companies include a personal
information form as part of the induction process and uses it to
create a, "get to know your co-workers" page. New employees
can explore the Intranet as part of their acclimation to the company.
This contributes heavily to the investment table.
The Old Suggestion Box:
Keep the lid wide open. View all
input as viable and link suggetions to a reward system.
A Help Page:
A Newsgroup structure allows
employees to post questions and review answers.
An Intranet can become a win-win
situation if utilized to its fullest. It has the potential to
increase employee attachment to the company and morale, which
contributes to the bottom line.
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