How to implement the out-of-the-box intranet?  

Implementing an out-of-the-box intranet is not complicated, however, in order to prepare the entire organization for its launch, it is worthwhile to plan certain activities well. This is important especially when you stop using your current tool and move resources to another. Our short guide will help you with this. 

What is an out-of-the-box intranet? 

An out-of-the-box intranet is ready-made software offered as a service (SaaS). It’s a convenient alternative to a custom-built intranet which provides an organization with a set of functionalities to support internal communications. The features you get are easy to use even for non-tech-savvy people. This is an off-the-shelf solution, which does not require complicated actions on the part of the buyer – the technological infrastructure is managed, developed, and serviced on an ongoing basis by the supplier. The purchaser uses the ready-to-use service without having to worry about practically anything. 

How to start using an out-of-the-box intranet? 

To use an out-of-the-box intranet you must first have access to it. Most providers offer free demos or trial versions, so it’s worth getting acquainted with them before your final decision and contacting a representative of the provider, who will guide you through the entire process of establishing cooperation and implementing the system.

Before finalizing a contract, you need to find out how many users will be using your intranet platform and what are the main problems faced by your company’s employees – whether it is access to knowledge or poor engagement in collaboration. Also prepare a list of systems with which you want to integrate your new platform. This will allow the supplier to tailor the right solution to your needs. 

How to prepare for an out-of-the-box intranet implementation? 

In fact, the implementation does not require much preparation. As for the technology – it’s all up to the supplier.  So focus on getting to know the needs of your employees, so that later you can tailor the solution to them by choosing the most appropriate features and information architecture   it’s best to set up a project team to study the needs and make decisions, and at a later stage take care of transferring the data to the new system and prepare for its official launch. Design your company’s branding elements with your supplier – against all odds, these are important details that will make your employees feel at home in the system! 

The official launch of the system in the company 

It is worthwhile to properly communicate the change of tools to employees. It’s a big event associated with a sizable change. And as you know, employees are afraid of changes they know little about. Don’t let employees be discouraged from this change and prepare them for it accordingly. Plan a workshop for the team that will operate and manage the intranet, as well as for all future users. Prepare interesting presentations and communicate this change as a positive event, which is likely to improve significantly the situation in the company. Prepare gifts for employees and engage them from the first moments into using the new solution. 

What do you need to implement Workai out-of-the-box intranet platform? 

If you decide to implement Workai’s out-of-the-box intranet, our experts will guide you through every step of the implementation, so you don’t have to worry about anything in terms of technology like infrastructure, maintenance, backups, or updates.

We meet with the implementation team on an ongoing basis to discuss the progress of adapting the solution to your organization’s needs, and we conduct workshops on how to use the system, which is very intuitive. You don’t need any graphic or technological skills to use Workai. What’s more, you can easily integrate Workai with your existing Office 365 and SharePoint subscriptions.  

Read more: Intranet as a service – does it pay off in the long term? (workai.com)