A lot of UK organisations have a SharePoint intranet that isn't giving them the value they expected. The usual problems are low adoption, search that doesn't find things, content nobody trusts and navigation that follows the org chart, and all of them can be fixed without starting again. Here are the six we see most often and what to do about each.
Why don't employees use the intranet?
The problem: the intranet launched, but people still go to email or Teams for everything.
The fix: adoption comes down to people and content far more than technology. Set up a champion network across departments, run communications tied to things people actually need to do, and make the intranet the only place to find policies, forms, news and HR information. A short pulse survey every few months tells you what is getting in the way and whether it's improving.
How do you stop intranet content going out of date?
The problem: pages are out of date, so people stop trusting the intranet and stop visiting.
The fix: give every section a named content owner, put a review date on every page and agree what happens when content goes stale. SharePoint page approval, scheduled publishing and Power Automate reminders can take care of most of the chasing. A quarterly content audit catches the rest and lets you archive pages nobody needs.
Why can't people find anything in SharePoint search?
The problem: people search, get the wrong results and give up.
The fix: SharePoint search works well once it has some attention. Look at the search queries that return nothing, add bookmarks in Microsoft Search for the things people look for most, and make sure page titles, descriptions and site metadata are filled in. Viva Topics used to help here, but Microsoft retired it on 22 February 2025 and now recommends well organised SharePoint content that Microsoft Search and Microsoft Copilot can surface. Tidy content and sensible permissions do more for search than any add-on.
How should intranet navigation be organised?
The problem: navigation follows the company's internal structure rather than how people think about their work.
The fix: run card sorting and tree testing with a sample of employees to see how they expect information to be grouped, then build navigation around tasks and topics rather than departments. SharePoint hub sites give you a clear hierarchy and shared navigation across related sites.
How do you make the intranet work on mobile?
The problem: the intranet doesn't work well on a phone, which shuts out remote and frontline staff.
The fix: modern SharePoint pages are responsive, but older customisations and classic pages often aren't. Check your most visited pages on a phone and update those first. The SharePoint mobile app and the SharePoint app in Teams both give a good experience on modern sites.
Who should own the intranet?
The problem: the intranet is run by IT as a technical system rather than as a communications platform for the whole organisation.
The fix: move ownership of the intranet strategy to internal communications or HR, with IT supporting the platform. A small steering group with people from across the business keeps decisions grounded, and success should be measured by whether employees find what they need rather than by uptime alone.
If your intranet has outgrown patching, we can help you plan the next step through an intranet strategy review, or move you to modern SharePoint Online with our SharePoint migration services.
Frequently asked questions
Why do employees not use the company intranet?
Usually because the intranet isn't the most reliable place for the things they need day to day. Make it the only home for policies, forms, news and HR information, keep that content current, and back it with a champion network and regular communications.
How do you fix SharePoint intranet search?
Review the queries that return no results, add Microsoft Search bookmarks for common requests, and fill in page titles, descriptions and metadata. Clean up old and duplicate content too, because search and Microsoft Copilot can only return what is in your tenant and what each person has permission to see.
What replaced Viva Topics?
Nothing directly. Microsoft retired Viva Topics on 22 February 2025 and recommends publishing knowledge as well organised SharePoint content, which Microsoft Search and Microsoft Copilot then surface. Published topic pages were converted into standard SharePoint pages.
How should intranet navigation be organised?
Around tasks and topics rather than departments. Use card sorting and tree testing with real employees to agree the structure, then use SharePoint hub sites to keep navigation consistent across related sites.
Do we need a new intranet or can we fix the one we have?
These problems can usually be fixed on your existing SharePoint intranet with better governance, navigation and content. A rebuild makes sense when the intranet runs on classic pages or an unsupported product, or when the structure no longer matches the organisation at all.
If you would like a second opinion on your intranet, get in touch or read about our SharePoint intranet services.
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