44’s Account Director Jo Malby shares her insights on how to give your intranet project the human touch in nine easy(ish) steps…
We’ve been working with one of our biggest clients on the relaunch of their intranet. Following their recent upgrade to Microsoft 365, they chose to migrate to the SharePoint Online platform. We’ve worked with this client for more than nine years, and after a year in the making, the channel has now gone live – and has proved a big hit. Phew!
Apart from becoming experts in the nuances of SharePoint, our focus was on ensuring that, along with getting the processes right, it was far more important to dial up the human touch.
Here’s how we did it in nine easy(ish) steps…
1. A joint voyage of discovery
Being involved in the initial discovery phase, through the research to the design and build was invaluable, as well as being incredibly rewarding. We sat alongside our clients every day, hearing their feedback first-hand and helping them share their vision with the entire business.
Our client’s previous intranet had been live since 2016 – we helped them design and launch that one, too! It was well-loved, but it wasn’t particularly mobile-friendly – an increasing problem in the world of hybrid working. Thinking ‘mobile first’ was an essential element of the development phase.
2. Be collaborative
From the outset, we made sure as many people as possible had a chance to give us their input. We did that by conducting in-person focus groups across key stakeholder groups and running a comprehensive company-wide survey. It meant the new intranet wasn’t just a tool, but a solution tailored to the real needs of the people using it.
3. Embrace your ‘mantra’!
Together with the project team, we created a ‘discovery report’ and distilled the outtakes from our research into a mantra that the project team often recited to each other: ‘make it fast, make it personal, make it mobile’. It sounds ridiculous but having that in our minds reminded us of what people wanted from their intranet.
4. Make it personal
This type of large business change project can be daunting. But the one thing we’re sure about at 44 is the power of the personal touch. From the outset, we established content champions in each area of the business and ran face-to-face, practical workshops covering initial SharePoint Online training, content creation and approval processes, and preparing for launch and ongoing maintenance. These champions were with us every step of the way, from viewing the wireframes right through to uploading their content. We built an active Microsoft Teams channel where we could chat regularly with the champions and, crucially, they could share best practice or ideas. This not only relieved pressure from the internal comms project team but also demonstrated trust. With a small amount of guidance, the team supported each other to make good content decisions.
5. Be there for the launch
We were anxious to make launch day a very ‘human’ affair too. We did that by making sure the 44 team was there on the ground, in the offices alongside our clients. We greeted colleagues as they arrived at work, helped them log on to the new intranet, and offered direct support. Across the team of 20 ‘floorwalkers’ on the day, we spoke to hundreds of people, took and logged live feedback, and were able to answer questions about how to conduct certain functions or find specific content.
6. Be super solvers
Being on site on launch day meant people weren’t sitting frustrated at their desks if they had a question. It also meant they weren’t sharing any negative thoughts about their first day experiences with their team members. We were there to help, guide, and turn any potential challenges or negativity into a positive.
7. Set your champions up for success
A key factor in the ongoing success of the new intranet is the role of the content champions. Equipping them with the knowledge and resources they need to advocate for the new intranet means they will continue to play a crucial role in bridging the gap between the internal comms team and end-users, ensuring a smooth and effective transition.
8. The stats don’t lie
Whether solving issues on the spot or collecting valuable feedback, the human element made all the difference on launch day, and this played out in the stats. We only received 22 feedback queries by email all day, out of more than 1,000 colleagues. We fixed 16 of these issues within 24 hours. Two queries had frequently come up in our feedback – as we identified in our lunchtime floorwalker huddle – and we fixed them while we ate our sandwiches!
9. Face-to-face is best
When all is said and done, you can produce all the research reports, wireframes, process maps, timing plans and status reports required to deliver a successful change project, but it’s human conversations that are the cornerstone of effective change communications.
Face-to-face communication helps to:
- Alleviate resistance
- Provide clarity
- Set a positive tone
- Make employees feel more involved and open to change.
The human touch in change communications isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s essential. It addresses concerns, provides immediate support, and builds a positive perception of new initiatives. Thanks to leveraging the power of human conversations, we ensured a smooth transition for our client, which will hopefully lead to higher engagement over time.
Our Intranet Launch Framework
At 44 Communications, we’ve developed an intranet launch framework that supports clients through all or just individual parts of their intranet development. It helped us support this longstanding client through the entire process. If you would like help with your intranet development, why not get in touch?
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