Despite the attractions of an intranet, deciding to set one up can be a daunting task, especially in Asia's current economic climate. Cost-cutting benefits alone may not be enough to convince a skeptical CEO to plow millions into a corporate intranet. But intranets do offer a range of benefits. Improved employee morale tops the list. An intranet tends to give workers a sense that they belong to a cohesive unit.
Studies show that a intranet can help raise employee satisfaction.
Employees don't feel kept out of the information loop. They can browse timely information as needed from a centrally managed intranet site. Further, this can shorten the period of disorientation felt by some new employees. In fact, ING Barings' Naylor says that an intranet should be seen as a social phenomenon that helps bring staff together and instills a sense of belonging. It also helps employees tap into company resources that are not usually readily available to every worker.