Moving Beyond SharePoint Intranets: The Modern Employee Experience

In today's rapidly evolving workplace, many organisations still cling to the familiar concept of a SharePoint intranet as their primary digital workplace solution. In my experience reviewing numerous SharePoint intranet bids, I've noticed a concerning trend: organisations often focus heavily on page creation and site architecture whilst missing the broader opportunity to transform user experiences and communication effectiveness. This traditional approach is becoming increasingly outdated in meeting the complex needs of the modern workforce.

The Limitations of Traditional Thinking

SharePoint intranets, whilst powerful in their own right, represent a static, pages-centric approach to employee engagement. They often result in a 'pull' model where employees must actively seek information, leading to reduced engagement and missed communications. In today's hybrid workplace, this approach simply isn't enough.

Embracing Multi-Channel Communications

Modern internal communications require a more nuanced, multi-faceted approach. Microsoft Teams has emerged as the central hub where work happens, offering various communication channels that reach employees where they already are:

• Immediate team conversations
• Company-wide announcements
• Live events and townhalls
• Rich media content through technologies like Microsoft Stream
• Mobile-first experiences

This shift allows internal communication teams to meet employees in their flow of work, rather than expecting them to visit a separate intranet destination.

The Cost of Standing Still

Organisations investing solely in traditional intranets face significant challenges in today's workplace. Employee engagement suffers as information becomes increasingly difficult to find and digest. Adoption rates decline as employees turn to alternative communication channels that feel more intuitive and accessible. The opportunity for collaborative innovation diminishes when information sits in silos, and productivity drops as workers constantly switch between different systems and pages. Perhaps most concerningly, frontline workers often find themselves disconnected from corporate communications entirely.

The Role of Microsoft Viva

SharePoint remains the backbone for content and news creation, but Microsoft Viva transforms how this content reaches and engages employees. Through Viva Connections, organisations can create a powerful bridge between SharePoint and Teams, surfacing relevant news, conversations, and tools directly within employees' daily workflows. This integration enhances the value of SharePoint content whilst providing a more dynamic and accessible experience.

Viva Engage facilitates community building and knowledge sharing, whilst Viva Learning supports continuous professional development.

AI-Enhanced Workplace Experience

The introduction of Copilot and Copilot Agents represents another leap forward. These AI-powered assistants transform how employees interact with workplace systems:

• HR queries handled through natural conversation
• IT support available 24/7
• Policy guidance at employees' fingertips
• Personalised learning recommendations
• Talking to any form of data using RAG (retrieval-augmented generation)

Culture and Wellbeing at the Core

A modern employee experience platform must support organisational culture and employee wellbeing. Viva Insights provides personal and organisational insights that help maintain work-life balance and prevent burnout. This data-driven approach to wellbeing, combined with tools for recognition and celebration, helps create a more supportive workplace culture.

The Path Forward

Organisations need to shift their thinking from "we need an intranet" to "we need an integrated employee experience."

SharePoint continues to play a crucial role in this modern workplace by providing:

• Rich page experiences for long-form content and detailed information
• News article creation and distribution
• Seamless video streaming through Microsoft Stream
• Document co-authoring and version control
• Content management and governance

However, this content needs to be part of a broader strategy that includes:

• Embracing Teams as the primary workspace
• Leveraging the Viva Suite for enhanced employee experiences
• Implementing AI-powered assistance
• Supporting multiple communication channels
• Prioritising culture and wellbeing
• Measuring and improving engagement

The future of work isn't about creating another destination for employees to visit—it's about bringing relevant information, tools, and experiences to them wherever they are, whilst maintaining SharePoint as a robust platform for content creation and collaboration.

Conclusion

Whilst SharePoint remains an important platform for content management, organisations must think beyond traditional intranets. Success in today's workplace requires an integrated approach that combines communication, collaboration, AI assistance, and wellbeing tools into a seamless employee experience.

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