Why Professional Services should invest in a Microsoft 365 intranet 

If you work in a professional services firm, you will know that effective communication and seamless collaboration are essential for success. With numerous projects, diverse teams, and complex client requirements, the need for a centralized platform that fosters information sharing and collaboration has never been greater. This is where an intranet comes into play. In this blog post, we will explore why professional services firms should embrace the use of an intranet based on Microsoft 365 (M365) and how it can revolutionize their operations.

1. Centralized Knowledge Repository: Professional services firms deal with a vast amount of information, from project documentation and client data to research and industry insights. Much of this information sits within the M365 platform and many firms have adopted MS Teams as their primary collaboration tool. Underpinning all of this within M365 is a powerful set of out of the box governance and security features such as Azure Active Directory controls and sensitivity labelling, that can be applied automatically to your intranet content, rather than having to deploy policy and frameworks to a separate product that is likely to have many fewer capabilities. 
2. Put information where the employee is – Teams is increasingly the first application a user loads and the last application that they close down (now 300m+ users). It makes sense to deploy your intranet to that environment and make it a seamless experience for everyone to contribute and consume information in that one place, avoiding the need for application switching and the corresponding lack of focus that delivers.
3. Enhanced Collaboration: Placing your intranet within Teams provides a collaborative environment that transcends geographical boundaries and organizational hierarchies. Project teams can collaborate on documents, share ideas, and discuss strategies in real-time, irrespective of their physical location. With features like discussion boards, document sharing, and instant messaging, this enables seamless collaboration and boosts team productivity. It fosters a culture of collaboration, leading to improved project outcomes and better client service.
4. Streamlined Communication: Clear and efficient communication is the lifeblood of any professional services firm. Your intranet should act as a powerful communication hub, providing a platform for announcements, updates, and discussions. Internal newsletters, blogs, and forums keep employees informed about company news, industry trends, and best practices. But, you need these communications to be in your line of work, not in a separate app where you have to look for them. Communications should also be personalized and should be placed directly into the Teams area that you are working in. Employee directories and contact lists should be seamlessly available, making it easy for employees to find and connect with colleagues, fostering a sense of community within the organization.
5. Project Management and Tracking: Professional services firms often juggle multiple projects simultaneously, making efficient project management a critical aspect of their operations. By enabling your intranet with MS Teams firms can integrate with a range of project management tools including MS Planner, enabling teams to create project schedules, assign tasks, and track progress in a centralized platform. Project information and related content should be automatically delivered to your users, facilitating better decision-making and ensuring projects stay on track.
6. Employee Engagement and Empowerment: An intranet is not just a platform for information dissemination; it is a tool for employee engagement and empowerment. Intranets can feature employee recognition programs, social networking elements, and personalized dashboards that allow individuals to customize their experience. By fostering a sense of belonging, recognition, and empowerment, an intranet helps create a positive work culture, leading to increased job satisfaction and employee retention.
7. Enterprise Search: Whilst there is likely to be lots of content inside M365, there is probably a lot more in other applications that are relevant to day to day activity in Teams and your intranet. By connecting your intranet directly to these applications you can further boost productivity and collaboration within the organization by making it quick and easy for users to find information wherever it may be.

Conclusion

Investing in a Microsoft 365 based intranet offers significant benefits for professional services firms. From providing a centralized knowledge repository and streamlined communications to enhancing collaboration, project management, and employee engagement, an M365 intranet revolutionizes operations and promotes success. By capitalizing on the features and integrations offered by M365 and Teams, professional services firms can unlock the full potential of collaboration and take their organizations to new heights.

If you would like to know more about how an M365 based intranet such as Atlas can help your organization please feel free to get in touch.