Simpplr Research conducted The State of Internal Communications survey in 2019 and analyzed the results. This chart describes the relationship between having a governance team and intranet success.
Based on the ascending charts in the graph below, the likelihood of a dedicated governance team increases the success of an intranet. If we compare the results of an organization without an intranet governance team to an organization with a great governance team, the probability of intranet success is almost tripled.
Data Description: This chart shows the relationship between the existence of a cross-functional governance committee in an organization and the state of intranet within an organization. Data comes from the 2019 State of Internal Communications survey by Simpplr Research. Over 400 respondents were asked to rate the state of their intranet as “bad,” “below average”, “above average”, or “great.” The respondents were also asked whether their organization had a cross-functional internal communications governance committee. From the chart above, we can infer that the existence of a cross-functional governance team is important for the success of an organization’s intranet. The percentage of organizations with a cross-functional governance committee is strictly increasing with intranet quality. Because the inverse of an increasing function is increasing, this is a sign that the expected intranet quality is also strictly higher in organizations with a cross-functional governance committee. The probability that the organization has a great intranet is almost twice as high in organizations with governance committees than in organizations without them. These differences are statistically significant at the alpha = 0.05 level. There is also significant evidence that organizations with high intranet quality have high quality internal communications, so evidence that governance committees are associated with higher quality intranets suggests that evidence committees are also significantly associated with higher quality internal communications. This result also falls in line with the accepted belief that having a purposeful intranet is important for intranet success and strong internal communications.
Why Governance Teams Can Improve Intranet Success
Just as having a leader can exponentially increase the success of a team, having a group of people committed to the success of an intranet will produce much more favorable results. An intranet governance team agrees and sets up an administrative structure that enables clear decision-making and processes. This structure includes establishing the intranet’s purpose, responsibilities, and accountability.
Simpplr Research also found the most common reason for intranet failure is due to a lack of governance. This finding additionally supports the evidence in this chart, suggesting an established governance committee is a key ingredient to driving intranet success.
Reasons Why Intranet Governance is Critical for Success
Governance teams are largely responsible for how intranets are perceived to the rest of the organization. When you have a group of people actively promoting the intranet, it helps employees feel connected and engaged with communications.
The governance team leads by example and demonstrates how to use the intranet and when to use it. Your intranet governance team consistently monitors risks associated with intranet failure, such as resolving technical issues and culling stale content.
To summarize, governance teams:
- Promote the intranet value to employees
- Help improve intranet quality
- Keep intranet content fresh and continually updated
- Signal to employees that the intranet is something the organization values and invests in
Download The Intranet Governance Planning Checklist to drive your intranet to success!
