A designed homepage with unstructured web elements, placed links, and unintuitive navigation can mislead and confuse users. All factors will have an impact on user adoption and the ROI of the intranet. It is not unexpected that the homepage receives the greatest attention on intranet design.

We have developed intranets based on SharePoint for 12 years, therefore we are skilled in creating pleasing homepages. Check out our interactive SharePoint intranet demo and the intranet samples we’ve developed for our clients. We have condensed our knowledge on creating a good intranet homepage in this article.

Elements that can make an intranet homepage effective

We know how to create an appealing homepage thanks to our 12-year experience in intranet design and development based on SharePoint. You are welcome to view the intranet examples we’ve developed for our clients as well as our interactive SharePoint intranet demonstration. We’ve distilled our understanding of how to create a successful intranet homepage in this article.

News and announcements

Placing news and announcements on an intranet homepage ensures that they are seen by the appropriate audience. Also, this method of informing staff members of news and activities is more practical than email.

Organisational chart

Employees need to be able to identify and connect to cooperate. As a result, the homepage ought to give consumers access to an organisational chart that points them in the direction of employee profiles that include data on their credentials, language proficiency, contacts, and even hobbies.

Events

A visible event schedule encourages staff participation in events and raises attendance rates. Consequently, an intranet homepage calendar can show and inform staff members about future professional (conferences, workshops, training) and social (company events, sporting events) events.

Search

An intranet homepage should have a search box so that staff members may quickly and easily find the needed content.

Productivity tools

Employees can collaborate more quickly and perform better since they don’t have to continuously navigate their virtual workspace in search of the correct productivity tools thanks to intranet homepage access to apps like Planner, Todoist, etc

Communication tools

Tools like chats should be available on an intranet homepage to promote better teamwork and decision-making.

Social features

A homepage for an intranet should offer engaging material to draw people in and encourage frequent visits. It may offer a media gallery where staff members can upload their photos and films as well as communities that will link staff members with like-minded interests, whether they be bookworms or amateur athletes. To share official and informal news, it can also display social networks that have been incorporated into the digital workplace. The homepage can also list corporate discounts, birthdays, work anniversaries, success stories, and leaderboards for staff members.

Quick links

Users can access the most used workplace intranet pages thanks to this functionality. The peculiarities of the firm determine the selection of fast links. For instance, the payroll and recruitment, employee handbook, insurance forms, and corporate policies quick links were all present on a SharePoint HR portal we created for a construction company. The fast links section can be moved around to better suit the shifting demands of the organization.

Feedback

Employee input should be sought through surveys or polls on the intranet homepage, such as suggestions for the site of a company event. Employees should be able to provide feedback on policies, working procedures, social and professional events, the operation of the intranet, and more.

Essential intranet homepage characteristics

It’s important to consider both the style and feel of an intranet site as well as its content when creating one. The intranet homepage should contain the following features to be efficient, appealing, and engaging:

UI/UX design simplicity

The current trend in homepage design is minimalism. There shouldn’t be too many apps and widgets on an intranet homepage. As a result, it will assist users in concentrating on the most crucial content.

Mobile responsiveness

 Today, cross-device optimization is crucial since more and more workers prefer remote work. So, the intranet homepage should be designed in a way that it will display perfectly on mobile devices.

Branding

An intranet homepage should promote the company’s vision and values and communicate the brand to boost corporate culture and foster a feeling of community. The company’s public website should closely match the appearance of the intranet homepage to give employees a sense of corporate identity.

Personalised content

A homepage for an intranet should provide pertinent information to pertinent individuals. For instance, based on an employee’s location, their progress in internal training, and more, customised widgets can display forthcoming activities.

How to make a great intranet homepage

The key suggestions for creating a good homepage can be summed up as follows:

• Maintain a minimal, uncluttered homepage.
• Use sophisticated search.
• Add a chat and other communication features.
• Use short links.
• Direct access to integrated software should be provided.
• Instead of concentrating on the basic words, pay attention to the images.