SharePoint intranets are widely used across organizations, yet many of them struggle with the same problem: low employee adoption.
Despite having the right platform, employees often avoid the intranet, rely on emails or chats instead, or visit it only when necessary. When this happens, the issue is rarely SharePoint itself. More often, it’s how the intranet is designed, structured, and maintained.
Understanding the common mistakes that reduce adoption is the first step toward building an intranet employees actually want to use.
1. Treating the Intranet as a Storage System
One of the most common mistakes is using the intranet purely as a document repository.
When SharePoint is treated as a dumping ground for files:
- Content becomes hard to navigate
- Important information gets buried
- Employees stop trusting search results
An effective intranet should guide employees, not overwhelm them. Documents need context, structure, and clear ownership, not just folders and file names.
2. Designing for IT Instead of Employees
Many SharePoint intranets are built around technical convenience rather than user behavior.
This leads to:
- Navigation based on internal departments
- Complex menu structures
- Labels that make sense to IT but not employees
Employees think in terms of tasks and outcomes, not systems and teams. When the intranet doesn’t align with how people actually work, adoption drops quickly.
3. Overloading the Intranet With Features
SharePoint offers a wide range of capabilities, but more features don’t automatically mean better adoption.
Feature overload often results in:
- Cluttered homepages
- Too many web parts competing for attention
- Confusion about where to start
Employees prefer simplicity. When everything feels important, nothing feels useful. Successful intranets prioritize clarity over completeness.
4. Poor Navigation and Content Structure
Navigation issues are one of the fastest ways to lose users.
Common problems include:
- Deeply nested menus
- Inconsistent page layouts
- Multiple paths to similar content
When employees can’t predict where information lives, they stop exploring. Over time, they rely on shortcuts like bookmarks or direct links, bypassing the intranet entirely.
5. Ignoring User Experience Fundamentals
Adoption is closely tied to how an intranet feels to use.
Poor UX shows up as:
- Crowded layouts
- Inconsistent design patterns
- Difficult-to-scan content
These issues increase cognitive load and make everyday tasks feel harder than they should. A deeper look at common intranet UX pitfalls shows how small design decisions can significantly impact usability and long-term engagement:
When UX is overlooked, even the most feature-rich intranet struggles to gain traction.
6. Outdated or Irrelevant Content
Nothing erodes trust faster than outdated information.
Employees quickly notice when:
- Policies are no longer accurate
- Announcements stay on the homepage for months
- Content ownership is unclear
Once trust is lost, employees stop checking the intranet altogether. Regular content reviews and clear ownership are essential to maintaining relevance.
7. Lack of Personalization
A one-size-fits-all intranet often feels impersonal.
Without personalization:
- Employees see content that doesn’t apply to them
- Important updates get lost
- Engagement drops across roles
Even basic personalization, such as role-based content or department-specific highlights, can make the intranet feel more relevant and useful.
8. No Clear Purpose for the Homepage
The homepage sets expectations for the entire intranet.
A common mistake is trying to include everything on the homepage, resulting in:
- Information overload
- Unclear priorities
- Reduced engagement
An effective homepage answers one question quickly:
“What should I pay attention to right now?”
9. Minimal Employee Involvement
Intranets designed in isolation often miss real user needs.
When employees are not involved:
- Assumptions replace insights
- Real pain points are overlooked
- Adoption feels forced rather than natural
Gathering feedback early and continuously helps align the intranet with actual employee expectations.
10. Launching Without an Adoption Mindset
Many intranets are launched as projects rather than evolving platforms.
Common post-launch issues include:
- No onboarding guidance
- No usage monitoring
- No iteration based on feedback
Adoption doesn’t end at launch. It requires continuous improvement, communication, and refinement.
Why These Mistakes Matter
Each of these mistakes might seem minor on its own, but together they create friction that pushes employees away from the intranet.
Low adoption leads to:
- Missed communications
- Repeated questions
- Reduced productivity
- Poor return on intranet investment
Addressing these issues early helps turn SharePoint into a trusted, everyday tool rather than an ignored portal.
Final Thoughts
SharePoint intranet adoption is not a technical challenge. It’s a human one.
When organizations focus on clarity, usability, relevance, and employee behavior, adoption improves naturally. Avoiding these common mistakes allows SharePoint intranets to support how employees actually work, communicate, and collaborate.
A successful intranet doesn’t demand attention. It earns it.
