RSMUS.comWhen our clients consider SharePoint, they often envision a web-based repository for distributing and storing digital content. While technically accurate, SharePoint’s full potential is realized only once clients begin leveraging its robust intranet features. Using SharePoint as an intranet creates a centralized and efficient method of distributing information, maintaining employee engagement, and fostering a sense of community within an organization. RSM has a wealth of experience in helping clients deploy and maintain intranets. We have curated a list below of features which help our clients enhance their communication and collaboration initiatives.
SharePoint is an effective platform for sharing news and allows you to create dedicated sites for publishing and sharing news articles. Organizations can group these sites by department, team, or topic, which in turn presents news to employees based on their grouping. There are a variety of layouts, images, and videos to choose from to make these news articles engaging and interactive. Additionally, news posts can be scheduled to release at specified times as needed. We see clients utilize this feature for time-sensitive announcements or as a method of releasing planned content. Lastly, each news article can be categorized using metadata and tagging. This way, users can go back and filter or search for articles relevant to their department or position.
In the remote work era, we recognize the difficulties that employees face, such as remaining engaged and experiencing the camaraderie of a company’s culture. Utilizing SharePoint as an intranet captures employees’ attention and encourages them to participate in discussions and share their thoughts. Features such as discussion boards, forums, and social networking elements within SharePoint encourage employees to connect, interact, and build relationships with colleagues across the organization. One feature used frequently across all our clients is RSM’s Employee Directory. It works as a digital directory of employees, providing details including names, job titles, contact information, department affiliations, and more. Employee profiles also hold information about skills, certifications, or projects. This allows users to identify subject matter experts within the organization, fostering a greater sense of connection and comfortability in reaching out to others whom they may not interact with on a daily basis.
Overall, SharePoint is not only an extremely useful tool for managing and storing content; its capability as an intranet moves the needle further by allowing for increased employee interaction and mass distribution of content.
Claire Pfutzenreuter
Claire is Content Migration and Data Visualization specialist for the RSM Modern Work team. Claire helps clients decipher critical insights from their documents and data, and also equips clients to fully utilize and expand their potential within the Microsoft 365 platform.