How to increase user adoption of your intranet

Rolling out a new intranet or digital platform is only half the battle. Getting people to actually use it—and keep using it—is where the real challenge lies. Adoption isn’t just about logging in once. It’s about embedding the platform into daily routines so it becomes a natural part of how your teams work.

Here’s how to make that happen.

Understand what adoption really means

Adoption is the first step: getting employees to try the platform. Engagement is what follows when they see the value and return to it regularly. Don’t confuse the two. Your goal is to move people from initial use to ongoing engagement.

Start with the why

Before you launch anything, be clear on the purpose. Why are you introducing this platform? What business problem does it solve? And most importantly, why should employees care?

Involve your people early, ideally from the design stage. Ask for their input, listen to their needs, and show them how the platform will make their work easier. This builds trust and creates champions who will help drive adoption across the business.

Build a strong business case

You’ll need stakeholder support to get your project off the ground. A clear, well-structured business case that outlines the benefits, costs, and expected outcomes will help secure buy-in. Make sure it’s tailored to your organisation’s goals and includes measurable success criteria.

Keep content fresh and relevant

No one wants to visit a stale intranet. Populate your platform with content that’s useful, timely and engaging. Ask your early champions to help create and curate content, as they know what their teams want to see.

Consider offering early access to contributors as a reward. This not only helps with testing but also builds buzz and curiosity among other employees.

Get leadership involved

Adoption starts at the top. When leaders actively use the platform and encourage feedback, it sets the tone for the rest of the organisation. Make sure managers are equipped to answer questions, explain the benefits and support their teams through the transition.

Communicate clearly about what’s changing, when it’s happening and what support is available. Transparency builds confidence.

Market it like a product

Treat your intranet launch like a campaign. Use teaser emails, posters, naming competitions or even a treasure hunt to build excitement. A fun, inclusive launch event, whether in person or virtual, can help bring everyone on board.

Gamification can also be a powerful motivator. Offer rewards for completing training, submitting feedback or contributing content.

Provide training and support

Training is essential. Start with your champions and cascade knowledge through the business. Offer group sessions, drop-ins and one-to-one support for those who need it.

Make sure new starters are introduced to the intranet from day one. Include FAQs, how-to guides and onboarding materials directly on the platform to encourage early use.

Make it the go-to place for news and updates

Position your intranet as the central hub for internal communications. Use tagging and personalisation to ensure content is relevant to each user. Promote intranet content through other channels such as emails or Slack messages to drive traffic back to the platform.

Launch in stages

Don’t overwhelm users with every feature at once. Start with the basics and introduce new tools gradually. This helps build confidence and keeps the experience manageable.

Clarify when to use what

With so many tools available, employees need to know which one to use and when. Create a simple guide that outlines the purpose of each platform. For example:

• Collaborate on projects: Microsoft Teams
• Read company news or submit leave requests: Intranet

This clarity reduces confusion and increases adoption.

Make it visible

Set the intranet as the default homepage on browsers. It’s a small step that keeps it front of mind every day.

Keep promoting it

Adoption isn’t a one-off event. Keep the momentum going with regular updates, feature spotlights and ‘Did you know?’ tips. Treat employees like internal customers—stay in touch and keep showing them the value.

Keep it dynamic

Avoid static pages. Use dynamic widgets and microcontent to surface fresh stories and updates. Archive old content so the homepage always feels current and relevant.

Ready to boost adoption?

If you’d like help increasing adoption of your intranet or digital workplace, we’re here to support you. Whether you want to explore best practices, ask questions or see a commitment-free demo of Fresh, just get in touch. We’d love to chat.