The Ultimate Guide to Employee Intranet Platforms: Features and the Best Options

Sometimes searching for important information feels like walking through a dusty old archive – endless shelves piled high with folders full of old conversations, project overviews, and to-do lists. A dim light from a flickering lamp does little to help, and that smoldering fuse keeps prodding you that the deadline is looming near. You’re stuck, eager to dig through that one important message with up-to-date revision notes, knowing time is not on your side.

Even in the today’s technology era, this feeling is not far off from the truth. Even with all the communications tools at your disposal – emails, chats, company portals, and moren – critical information still remains scattered and out of reach. Instead of delivering order, these tools can be intimidating, drowning valuable updates beneath a landslide of irrelevant information. The result? Precious time wasted in vain searches and missed opportunities to stay productive.

This is where an employee intranet comes in – a virtual hub that assists in bringing order and sense to your work. It’s your own in-house internet, your firm’s one-stop shop where employees can easily find documents, communicate easily, and collaborate without problems. It’s not just a repository for files – it’s an active center that simplifies daily tasks and fosters closer bonds within the organization.

Consider how much smoother your day would be if you didn’t have to sift through countless email threads or locate files scattered across various platforms. With an employee intranet, it’s all under one roof. Whether project status, company notice, or a rapid-fire conversation with a colleague, it’s all organized and just a click or two away.

Best employee intranet picks for every need

• Chanty – Simple and powerful collaboration tool with instant messaging, task management, and video calling, ideal for small to medium-sized teams but offering limited customization options.
• Haiilo – Great for large teams, offering flexible social engagement with strong gamification but requiring more setup and customization.
• Viva Engage – Ideal for Microsoft 365 users, integrating seamlessly but potentially overwhelming for smaller teams.
• Igloo – Simple and user-friendly for content management but limited in customization and advanced features.
• Unily – Highly customizable with powerful integrations, perfect for large companies but expensive and complex to implement.
• Interact – Focuses on knowledge management with strong analytics but lacks flexibility for extensive customization.
• Staffbase – Mobile-first, simple, and accessible, but lacking advanced features and customization options.

Why an employee intranet matters?

Regardless of your business size, an intranet brings everyone to the same page. It’s a center of truth that connects people, processes, and information into one easy-to-use system. No more sifting through dozens of apps or waiting for someone to forward on a critical file – it’s all right there in one place.

Besides being a passive repository of documents, the intranet integrates wonderfully with chat software, video conferencing, and project management software, transforming it from a passive repository to an active workplace. It facilitates collaboration and knowledge sharing as well as eliminates the bottlenecks that come with fragmented communications.

Key benefits of an employee intranet:

• Centralized communication: No more jumping between multiple tools to stay updated.
• Boosted collaboration: With integrated chat features, video conferencing, and document management, collaboration becomes seamless.
• Improved employee engagement: The intranet fosters a sense of community, making employees feel connected and informed.

By choosing the right intranet solution, organizations can eliminate unnecessary friction, allow their employees to work more effectively, and make the workplace truly connected. It is not just about storing files – it is about reimagining how teams come together, collaborate, and flourish as one.

The real problems solved by employee intranet

A short time ago, email chains and endless chat threads were considered the pinnacle of workplace productivity. But today, businesses are plagued by a host of problems that bog down productivity and make employees feel disconnected from their coworkers.

Let’s get a closer glance at these issues, the way they impact your workplace, and how an employee intranet solves them.

Problem #1: Fragmented communication

Picture a workplace where each communication channel has a life of its own – employees are switching between emails, chat apps, and searching Google Drive for misplaced files all the time. It’s like trying to keep up with important discussions while juggling one too many balls in the air. The result? Productivity gets dispersed, and frustration sets in.

The solution: An employee intranet gets all communication in one location. With shared chats, forums, and interest groups, teams can easily communicate, without jumping from platform to platform. Everything you require to connect with colleagues and keep the workflow moving is where you need it.

Problem #2: Low employee engagement

When internal communications become a series of dry reports and formal newsletters, employees start to lose the pulse of the company. They no longer get enthusiastic about the work and, as a result, their motivation – and productivity – lag.

The solution: An intranet can transform the way your company communicates. By integrating aspects of gamification, creating communities of interest, and presenting news in a format that will make employees want to read it, an intranet fosters a sense of community. The more connected employees are, the more likely they will be to contribute.

Problem #3: Wasting time searching for information

Time is money, and there is nothing more frustrating than wasting it on endless searching for information you need. Poorly stored documents cause disorganization and disrupt workflow. When the minutes spent trying to find files or trying to figure out the right contact add up, your team’s productivity loses out.

The solution: An employee intranet offers centralized document storage with powerful search functionality. Need a document, a contact, or an update? You’ll find it in seconds. With everything neatly organized and easily accessible, employees can stay focused on the tasks that matter, rather than wasting time on searches.

How to choose the right employee intranet platform?

Now that we’ve explored the key challenges companies face in communication and collaboration, let’s dive into real solutions. There are plenty of employee intranet platforms out there, each catering to different needs. These platforms can help streamline workflows, boost collaboration, and create an environment where employees feel truly connected. But not all intranet software is created equal. Let’s just briefly outline some of the most popular options and help you figure out which one might be the best for your company.

Quick comparison of employee intranet software

Chanty

Chanty is a robust employee intranet platform designed to streamline internal communication, enhance collaboration, and boost team productivity. It combines instant messaging, task management, and video calling in one easy-to-use platform. Chanty makes it simple for businesses of any size to maintain organized and transparent communication while keeping projects on track.

One of Chanty’s standout features is its simplicity. Teams can get up and running quickly without a steep learning curve, making it an excellent choice for businesses looking for efficiency without complexity. Seamless integration with tools like Google Drive, Zoom, and Trello further enhances its versatility, making it suitable for both internal collaboration and client interactions.

However, Chanty’s focus on simplicity means it might not offer as many advanced customization options as some larger platforms. Still, its intuitive interface and smooth onboarding process make it a reliable choice for small to medium-sized teams.

Haiilo

Haiilo is a powerful employee intranet platform designed to promote employee engagement, internal communication, and knowledge sharing. This tool incorporates both social network features, personal feeds that tailor content to employees, and an intranet with a totally integrated employee directory. One of the most significant advantages of Haiilo is its flexibility. It gives companies the freedom to create a platform that fits their unique culture and communication style. Whether you need company-wide social channels, topic-based discussion groups, or internal knowledge-sharing hubs, Haiilo can do it all. However, it’s not all smooth sailing. The setup can be a little tricky, and  employees onboarding will take some time, but once set up Haiilo can be a mighty tool in terms of streamlining communication and keeping employees engaged.

Viva Engage (formerly Yammer)

Viva Engage is the solution that Microsoft has created for building a social network within an organization. Now renamed from Yammer, it’s heavily embedded into the Microsoft 365 platform, so it makes for a great fit for companies that are already utilizing tools such as Teams, OneDrive, and Outlook. The application facilitates open, social conversations, team communities, and content sharing, so it’s simple for staff to be in the know about company news, projects, and plans. One of the biggest upsides is its seamless integration with Microsoft 365 products – if you’re already using those tools, the transition to Viva Engage will feel natural. However, the platform’s navigation can be a bit of a challenge for new users, and its array of features might overwhelm employees who aren’t familiar with Microsoft’s ecosystem. But for organizations willing to make an investment that enables them to communicate with existing stacks of software, Viva Engage makes an appealing solution. 

Igloo

Igloo is an intranet employee software designed to provide an easy, accessible digital workplace where the employees engage, collaborate, and share ideas. Igloo becomes unique by emphasizing simplicity – one can utilize it with ease even in the absence of some employees’ inclination towards technical innovations. Igloo contains everything from file sharing to discussion boards, employee directories, and even company news feeds. It’s meant to be a hub of information in the middle so that employees don’t have to switch from one tool to another to accomplish things. The platform’s simple interface means that individuals can begin using it without extensive training, but Igloo’s customization is limited. If you’re looking for an intranet that’s highly customizable to meet your company’s special needs, Igloo might not be the way to go. But if user-friendliness and ease of features are what you value above complexity, Igloo is worth a try.

Unily

Unily is a full-featured employee intranet software with customization and integration capabilities. It supports seamless integration with solutions like SharePoint, Office 365, and other third-party solutions used by most businesses, which is highly advantageous to the business. The feature of being able to turn on customized workspaces that can be tailored for departments, teams, or even individual user level is most probably going to be one of the value-adding features of Unily. That adds up to workers getting only role-specific content, eliminating clutter and increasing productivity. The platform also features powerful analytics tools, so HR and communications teams can track engagement, watch how employees are acting, and adjust strategies accordingly. But none of that ease of use comes cheap – the deployment of Unily can be complex and is a time and resource-intensive investment. For organizations that require a very customizable and data-driven intranet, Unily would be a great option. Smaller organizations or organizations with minimal IT support, however, would likely be swamped.

Interact

Interact is an employee communication and knowledge management platform that’s all about collaboration and the sharing of knowledge. Its strongest point is its focus on knowledge management – it provides a single place where employees can easily access documents, articles, and important company resources. Interact features include personalized newsfeeds, document storage, employee reward tools, and discussion boards, so teams can communicate and exchange ideas easily. Perhaps the most notable feature is its analytics dashboard, which enables companies to monitor employee engagement, content ratings, and platform usage. This information can be utilized to refine communication plans and encourage employees to make the most of the platform. Some users have, however, complained that the interface is too cluttered, especially compared to more simple intranet solutions. Also, Interact is perhaps not as customizable as some other large platforms, so it might not be the best choice for companies with dramatically evolving needs. But for companies that are particularly concerned with communication and knowledge sharing, Interact is a great option.

Staffbase

Staffbase is an intranet platform for employees that is mobile-first and designed for high-numbers of field or deskless workers. If your staff is constantly on the move – if they’re retail, healthcare employees, or other workers where your employees aren’t necessarily sitting at a desk all day – then Staffbase would be an amazing option. Remote staff can easily access relevant news, announcements, and company documents through the site, and staff stay engaged no matter whether or not they just so happen to be working outside of the office. Mobile-first approach of Staffbase makes it highly user-friendly with clean design and push notifications actively engaging employees in real-time. It is fantastic as much as mobile accessibility and simplifying communications for remote or field-based employees is concerned, but its set of features may not be as comprehensive as full-featured intranet platforms. For instance, it may not have high-level customization capabilities or in-depth analytics features, which platforms like Unily or Interact provide. But for organizations that have a geographically dispersed workforce requiring a straightforward, mobile-friendly intranet, Staffbase is a great option.

Conclusion 

An employee intranet is not just a tech solution – its a valuable asset for building a unified, working team. The right platform solves the communication issues, keeps employees productive, and establishes an office culture where everyone is part of something valuable. It’s not just about managing paperwork or spitting off a note in a hurry – it’s about creating an environment where teamwork simply works and corporate culture thrives.

In a world where business continues to move forward, choosing the right employee intranet software can have a real-world effect on the productivity of your organization. With a simple-to-use employee directory intranet, your team will be able to quickly find the correct contact person to call upon, and tasks will get completed more efficiently. The best CMS employee intranet gives direct access to all the information your team needs, everyone is on the same page, and nothing slips through the cracks.

When considering your options, it’s important to pick an employee intranet platform that suits your company’s needs. Think about your team size, the tools you’re already using, and how easily the platform can work with your current systems. The right intranet isn’t just another tool – it’s a key part of your team’s success, productivity, and growth.

Make a well-informed decision, and let the appropriate platform assist in unlocking smoother collaboration, increased engagement, and a more unified team.