Building an intranet is rarely just a technical project. On paper, it can look straightforward: choose a platform, design some pages, upload content, and roll it out. In reality, it’s a cross-functional challenge that touches people, processes, culture, and technology all at once.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or replacing an outdated system, the same core challenges tend to appear. Understanding them early is what separates an intranet that gets used from one that gets ignored.
1. Getting clarity on what the intranet is actually for
One of the most common challenges is a lack of shared purpose, with different teams wanting different things, for example:
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HR is interested in somewhere to publish all their polices, somewhere to onboard new starters and share and promote initiatives
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Comms are focussed on how to communicate company news and maximise engagement and create a consistent employee experience for everyone
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IT needs a support hub, strong governance and a lot of integrations
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Leadership team is interested in alignment and visibility
Without alignment, the intranet becomes a “bit of everything” and ends up serving no one particularly well.
Successful intranets start with a clear answer to one question: what problem are we solving for employees every day?
2. Content chaos and ownership gaps
Content is often the biggest long-term issue. Early on, there’s enthusiasm and lots of uploads. But over time:
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Pages become outdated
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Ownership becomes unclear
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Duplicate versions of documents appear
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No one is responsible for cleanup
This leads to mistrust. If employees can’t rely on the intranet to be accurate, they stop using it.
The solution isn’t just governance documents, it’s clear ownership and simple maintenance processes that fit into people’s real jobs.
3. Designing for everyone
Modern intranets often need to serve:
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Office-based staff
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Frontline or mobile workers
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Different countries and languages
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Varying levels of digital confidence
A common mistake is designing purely for desk-based users. The result is an experience that feels fragmented or inaccessible to a large part of your workforce.
Successful intranets focus on:
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Tailored content
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Mobile accessibility
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Role-based content journeys
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Simple navigation over complex structure
4. Adoption: the hardest challenge of all
Even the best intranet fails if people don’t use it.
Adoption challenges usually come from:
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Lack of awareness (“I didn’t know that existed there”)
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Competing tools (email, Teams, shared drives)
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Poor search experience
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Content that doesn’t feel relevant
Adoption isn’t a launch activity, it’s an ongoing habit-building exercise. The most successful intranets feel like part of daily work life.
5. Balancing structure vs flexibility
There’s always tension between:
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A structured, governed system
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A flexible space that teams can actually use
Too much control slows things down and frustrates users. Too little creates inconsistency and mess.
The best intranets find a balance: a strong core structure with flexible areas where teams can manage their own content safely.
6. Keeping your intranet alive after launch
Launch is not the finish line, it’s where the real work begins.
Without ongoing attention, intranets quickly become:
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Outdated
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Cluttered
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Disconnected from business needs
The most effective organisations treat their intranet as a living product:
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Regular reviews
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Continuous feedback loops
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Iterative improvements
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Clear ownership across the business
These challenges are common, but they’re also solvable with the right approach, structure, and mindset.
In our upcoming webinar, we’ll explore how to take these challenges head-on and walk through practical steps for building an intranet that people actually use and value, from planning and design through to launch and beyond.
If you’re thinking about building or rebuilding your intranet, this is a great place to start. You can register here.
