Intranets, according to a new study, are increasingly becoming important destinations for employees who have a difficult time scheduling in-person meetings due to work schedules, office locations and travel demands.
The study, conducted by RewardsPlus, a Web-based benefits company, said companies are investing more time and money designing corporate portals to streamline internal communications, outsource human resource functions and create a broader sense of community among employees.
“A portal should not only strive to integrate corporate operations, it should help employees balance their work and life schedules. Employers should also keep in mind that, as the work site becomes more virtual, the corporate portal will be the closest thing many workers will have to a community of peers,” said Ken Barksdale, RewardsPlus president and chief executive officer.
While surveys indicate an increasing number of companies are turning to intranets to streamline human resource functions, RewardsPlus’ research shows employees would also prefer e-commerce capabilities, the ability to manage benefits and pay personal bills and send instant messages and communicate via bulletin boards with remote employees.
“The beauty of the corporate portal is that the possibilities are limitless. For employers, it’s an efficient way to communicate with employees and boost morale. For employees, it’s the best way to solve the issues of every day work and life,” Barksdale said.
