The Intranet Report Podcast by Toby Ward from Prescient Digital Media. This podcast is 4 minutes long.

This month I discuss the findings of the Intranet 2.0 Global Study. Specifically:

1. The proliferation levels of blogs, wikis & social networking on the corporate intranet
2. Using intranet 2.0 to increase employee engagement
3. The corollary between intranet 2.0 investment and user satisfaction
4. Social networking on the corporate intranet.

LISTEN NOW TO THE INTRANET 2.0 PODCAST: or click on the play button below.

Employee engagement is the top priority and the organizational coup de grace for many HR practitioners in both the private and public sectors. However, corporate communications plays one of the most important catalytic roles in determining employee engagement, and the intranet is increasingly the most important catalyst in heightening engagement levels, which in-turn improves HR metrics such as employee recruitment and retention (even customer service).

Read my full article Intranet 2.0 Increases Employee Engagement (Insidedge newsletter)

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According to the results of the Intranet 2.0 Global Survey (561 organizations of all sizes from across the planet), 46% of those with 2.0 tools have spent nothing or very little on the solution:

• 46% have spent $10,000 or less

• 35% have spent between $10,000 and $100,00; 19% have spent $100,000 or more

It should probably come as no surprise then that satisfaction levels with 2.0 tools is also quite low:

• Satisfaction rates with executives is dangerously poor: 38% of executives rate the 2.0 tools as poor or very poor; a lowly 23% rate them as good or very good

• Employee satisfaction is almost poor: 35% of organizations say employee satisfaction with the 2.0 tools is poor or very poor; only 27% rate the tools as good or very good

• Only 29% of organizations rate the tool functionality as good or very good; 24% rate them as poor or very poor

In short, organizations are spending very little on their 2.0 initiatives, and the satisfaction levels are correspondingly low. Investment doesn't necessarily deliver satisfaction, but a look into the technologies used reveals some further insight. The vast majority of organizations with 2.0 tools use free, open source solutions or those bundled with a platform solution like SharePoint:

• 48% of organizations use SharePoint

• 20% of organizations use Facebook

• 17% of organizations use MediaWiki

• 16% of organizations use WordPress

There isn't a single, dedicated 2.0 licensed solution used by more than 13% of organizations. The vast majority use free, open source with the exception of SharePoint which sports 2.0 tools that leave very little to be desired (although the social media components in SharePoint 2010 are supposed to be spectacular, and represent a heavy portion of the investment in the SharePoint upgrade).

Two lessons are worth noting:

ALSO READ:

Intranet 2.0 Becomes Mandatory

THE INTRANET 2.0 GLOBAL SURVEY:

The findings of the Intranet 2.0 Global Survey are highlighted in the report "Intranet 2.0: social media becomes mainstream on the corporate intranet."

To download a free, summarized version of the Intranet 2.0 report please visit:

http://www.prescientdigital.com/articles/download-summary-report-of-intranet-2-0-global-survey

To purchase the full, 44-page Intranet 2.0 report of analysis & recommendations please visit: http://www.prescientdigital.com/articles/purchase-intranet-2-0-global-survey-report

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Latest presentation on Intranet 2.0 with new data, examples & insights. A sneak preview of next week's webinar Intranet 2.0 Becomes Mandatory.

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This is the definitive ‘quick start’ guide to intranets, providing intranet teams with a to-the-point overview of how to plan, design, manage and grow intranets.

A beautifully printed A5-sized 110-page book, this volume covers key topics for every intranet team:

• Six phases of intranet evolution

  • 1: The intranet is born

  • 2: Rapid organic growth

  • 3: Repeated redesigns

  • 4: Intranet usability

  • 5: Useful, not just usable

  • 6: Business tool

• Four purposes of the intranet

• How to find out what staff need

• How to design the intranet

• How to deliver great content

• The role of the intranet team

• How to plan intranet improvements

Few teams have time to read a weighty tome on intranets, and what is needed is a clear ‘map’ for delivering a successful intranet. Drawing on experience from intranet teams across the globe, every page of this book provides key insights, ideas, models and methodologies.

“What every intranet team should know” is perfect for a first-time intranet manager, an inexperienced contributor, or for someone who is just plain stuck or frustrated with the lack of direction for their intranet. The book is a short read, and a good value at only $US89 – a great bang-for-the buck, how-to resource for intranet managers and consultants.

“This is, quite deliberately, a slim volume,” says author James Robertson. “We have distilled our knowledge to a few key concepts, to get you kick-started on the journey to a remarkable intranet.”

Review & purchase What every intranet team should know for only US$89.

FREE WEBINAR:

Intranet 2.0 becomes mandatory Open Webinar (July 21, 2009, 12 pm EDT)

Once a nice-to-have or a future wish, Intranet 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis and other vehicles have become mainstream, and are present in nearly 50% of organizations (regardless of size) in the Western World.

This open, free webinar will review the findings of the Intranet 2.0 Global Survey and offer attendees a chance to learn why 2.0 has become an imperative, and what to consider / plan when implementing these social media tools.

Reserver your spot for Intranet 2.0 becomes mandatory Open Webinar

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Don't take my word for it, or the findings of the Intranet 2.0 Global study, take management guru Peter Drucker's word, or any of the leading business gurus of the last century. Those that don't take innovation seriously, are cast aside or merged into others. Most of the S&P 500 in 1970 don't exist anymore (they're assets & intellectual property gobbled up long ago by another, bigger, faster competitor).

Here are some social media numbers, not in the Intranet 2.0 Global study, to consider:

• About 90% of adults under the age of 40 are on Facebook (higher in Canada & Northern Europe, a little lower in the US)

• 39% of employees under the age of 25 would consider leaving their job if their company banned tools such as Facebook

How can a company survive without attracting and keeping the next generation of employees? How can a company ignore the 2.0 revolution -- a revolution that has permanently changed the Internet, which permanently changed business as we know it -- while the competition embraces it? According to the Intranet 2.0 Global study about 50% of organizations have deployed social media (blogs, wikis, social networking) on the corporate intranet. Those that have not, are missing out on the party.

The biggest catalyst for innovation is the c-level suite. And the biggest barrier to innovation is the c-level suite. The Intranet 2.0 Global Study found that the biggest barrier blocking the adoption of social media for employees is the "lack of executive support." The arms of executives are needed to fully embrace the 2.0 revolution.There's no better way to get an executive's attention by saying "the competition is doing it and if we don't we risk losing out." Point to some of the case study examples I've documented on this site (e.g. Sabre, BT, Placemaking, Janssen-Cilag and others) as proof, and cross-reference those against the adoption rates and findings in the study.

I wrote that "an organization without a 2.0 strategy risks being left behind, or outright failure (though death may be slow)." Once consultant responded that I was using "scare tactics" when writing about the necessity of 2.0 and social media. Are Peter Drucker's words "scare tactics"? Warren Buffett has echoed these same sentiments; as do employees who want to work for progressive and innovative organizations, and expect 2.0 environments from employers of choice.

The question is not whether or not an intranet or 2.0 is important to companies, the question is your company part of the revolution or being left behind?

About the Intranet 2.0 Survey

The findings of the Intranet 2.0 Global Survey are highlighted in the report "Intranet 2.0: social media becomes mainstream on the corporate intranet." 561 organizations took part in the survey.To download a free, summarized version of the Intranet 2.0 report and survey findings, please visit:

http://www.prescientdigital.com/articles/download-summary-report-of-intranet-2-0-global-survey

To purchase the full, 44-page Intranet 2.0 report and full survey findings, analysis and recommendations, please visit:

http://www.prescientdigital.com/articles/purchase-intranet-2-0-global-survey-report

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The latest update of the Worldwide Intranet Challenge (WIC) is now available from the WIC blog site. Since April 1^st, over 5200 intranet users from 16 organisations have participated in the WIC.

Some of the findings include:

• The overall average perception of intranet value is: 2.77 out of 4 (69.0%)

• If we only look at those responses where people:

  • Complete common work tasks such as applying for leave or booking travel more than once a day, the average valueincreases to 3.06 (76.5%)

  • Spend less than 1 minute a day on the intranet: 1.54 (38.5%)

  • Spend between 1-2 hours each day on the intranet: 3.13 (78.3%)

  • Strongly agree with the statement 'I can find the information I need on the intranet' 3.24 (81.0%)

  • Use the intranet to publish content more than once a day: 3.07 (76.8%)

  • Disagree with the statement 'Pages on the intranet load quickly': 2.61 (65.3%)

For more information about the WIC or to register for the WIC, check out the CIBA Solutions web site. Please let me know if you have any questions.

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