Why should companies use a dedicated intranet instead of MS Teams?

Teams streamline virtual meetings, conversations, and teamwork. Since there is an overlap between Teams and the intranet, many employees are beginning to utilize it as their primary tool for getting work done and accessing internal resources like databases and wikis. You might get the point if your organization is using MS Teams but doesn't have an intranet. It's possible you haven't seen the value in an internal network just yet. You may think it's a stretch to call Teams the new intranet if your company already has a standalone intranet system in place.

Since 2019, Gartner has seen a 44% rise in workers using collaboration tools, like Microsoft teams, and various other internat collaboration and communication tools.

This article will explain why Teams cannot be used as a company intranet and why you need a dedicated intranet. 

Why is Teams considered to be a top tool for collaboration? 

Having a Teams meeting is now synonymous with attending an online meeting for the vast majority of the working world. Although it can be used for that, Teams has far more capabilities.

Users are able to do things like organize their schedules, collaborate on documents, launch and steer projects, and communicate with one another over the phone.

It's simple to make your own apps in Teams or activate third-party apps in order to increase its capabilities, and the app also acts as a center for Microsoft 365.

Teams' quick evolution has helped businesses and other institutions throughout the world become more effective and efficient. However, it has also posed problems for the established methods of conducting business within an organization's intranet.

Questions like "how to make greater use of Teams to increase internal communications?" keep many managers and executives up at night. as well as "Can Teams replace the company intranet?"

We think it's a bad idea for businesses with dedicated teams working there to use Teams as their internal communication hub. This is due to a number of factors.

Teams' layout, for instance, wasn't made to provide the same functions as an intranet. Even more so, Teams is not a Content Management System(CMS).

More importantly, you don't want your company's brand to be unnoticeable in Teams.

In conclusion, Teams is not the appropriate venue for sharing company- or organization-wide information or announcements. 

Why is it not possible to use Teams as an intranet?​

Teams may not replace your current intranet because it does not address many of the critical issues that your current intranet addresses in terms of the employee experience.

Teams is not a content management system ​

A system's ability to enable an effective and efficient publication and management process depend on whether or not it has the appropriate structure, policies, and functions for ensuring that material is current, reliable, and applicable. This involves things like policies for content revision reminders, approval procedures, access and publishing roles, etc. Keeping the digital workplace organized and current is crucial for providing staff with the best possible resources and encouraging active participation in their job.

Teams is a communication app, not a content management system like AgilityPortal or other intranet platforms; therefore, it naturally lacks relevant features. 

Not good for governance 

Successful content publishing relies heavily on sound governance. Content must be produced and managed for pages to remain up-to-date, accurate, and relevant. Unlike intranets, Teams lacks features for managing material deletion and expiration, such as publishing approvals.  

Lack of customization and poor user experience ​

When you use your intranet, you may tailor the experience for individual users based on their job function, geographic location, or team affiliation.

If your HR department wants quick access to the status of pending leave requests, for instance, you can tailor a landing page just for them.

The same degree of customization is unavailable in Teams. All employees have the same view of the organization regardless of their position or location. 

Lack of company-wide access to information 

 The homepage of an intranet is typically where a major company or organization-wide announcements and updates are posted.

This can include news of a merger or acquisition, a shift in corporate strategy, the introduction of a new product, or a modification to the company's approach to employee conduct and conduct in the workplace.

The user's notification panel and specialized news pages will also typically feature such updates. In addition, with an up-to-date intranet platform like AgilityPortal, the content may be delivered to either a specific subset of employees (through "targeting") or the entire company.

Inefficient search features 

​Anyone who has utilized Teams to look for a certain file or document knows how difficult it can be. Users may simply type in a topic of interest, such as "employee benefits," and get a list of relevant articles and resources to peruse.

This is a significantly more time-consuming operation with Teams, though. The process may require locating an HR team channel and then reading through a large number of messages. Your user can get frustrated and decide to ask for the information they need directly.

Lack of branding 

You probably have an internal network that has become an integral element of your company's identity. The branding, appearance, and feel of your intranet are what employees will recognize as belonging to your firm. Each company's intranet can be tailored to reflect the company's identity.

Teams, on the other hand, lack this customization. There is no way to give the intranet a unique appearance and feel by changing the colors or themes to reflect your company's identity.

Why should you use an intranet like AgilityPortal?

Do you want internal communication and teamwork to be effective? Then AgilityPortal is the superior intranet platform as compared to Teams. Nowadays, people work not only remotely, but from anywhere they like. People in the same office are spread out more these days. If you're looking for a way to improve companywide communication, look no further than AgilityPortal. It has a lot of useful features, unlike Teams. You can monitor your employee's performance, provide online training, and gamify the intranet. So, whether you're managing a remote team or merely want to streamline communication, AgilityPortal has you covered.

Wrapping up 

Teams will never replace the intranet in any serious way. Some features are duplicated, yet there are others where one is clearly superior. For maximum benefit, we advise adopting a dedicated intranet that makes use of both approaches. For this reason, you should use AgilityPortal. Get started with AgilityPortal right away to enhance productivity, knowledge management, and teamwork.