Advantages of Intranet in Small Business

• Communication
  Even if you run a small business, there must be some way for the staff to access information, find out about new company policies, and update their knowledge and skills. If your staff consists of part-time or telecommuting employees, having an intranet makes things easier for both you and your employees.
• Building an Understanding
  The employees must understand the objectives of your company. An intranet system helps you get your goals across to your company.
• Building Employee Relationships
  An intranet system is the virtual counterpart of the office water cooler, a place for employees to exchange the latest information and update each other on the latest policies. Having an intranet access helps employees build better interpersonal relationships.
• Virtual Conferencing
  An intranet system cuts down on the time you spend on business conferencing, leaving you free to oversee the implementation process. Instead of having to start from scratch at a business meeting, as you introduce the participants, brainstorm, and have protracted discussions on policy issues, you can take your time to discuss everything beforehand in a chat room or on a message board.
• Paperwork
  Form filling, filing, and requesting time off can be tedious and eat into company time. Streamline the process using intranet services.
• File Sharing
  One of the most useful features of the intranet system is the file sharing system. Instead of having to go repeatedly over to a colleague’s cubicle to work on a Power Point presentation, an employee can simply share the relevant documents by interaction through a chat room.

Installing an Intranet System

Before you install an intranet system for your office, have a good layout in place. You can hire a Web site developer and business solutions consultant to develop the system for you.

If you want to set up the system on your own, you can use online services provided by Microsoft. This is not only cost effective, but the maintenance is also easy, since you do not need special staff to look after the system.