Corporate intranets: building communities with data

We have seen phenomenal growth in corporate intranets in the past few years and they have fundamentally changed the way we do business. There are two main benefits of a corporate intranet. One is to provide a central location for all corporate information and the other is to build a sense of community to a dispersed workforce. Most intranets start as a tool for distributing company policies and benefits information. If this base site is done correctly the next phase of growth is more like an explosion. The user base of these intranets is also evolving. Today's corporations consist of a wider variety of employees than ever before. A typical business division will include office-based employees in various locations, telecommuting home-based employees, contract employees, and consultants. This type of business environment can lead to a lack of communication and lack of company loyalty. Therefore, to communicate with these workers, encourage them to share knowledge, and build a sense of community, many corporations are carefully crafting intranets that are useful, yet inviting, tools.