Employee attrition continues to challenge organisations across industries. Between the cost of recruiting replacements and the loss of institutional knowledge, it’s clear that reducing turnover isn’t just about HR - it’s a strategic priority.
In our recent webinar, Nathan Hamilton (Growth Team, Workspace 365) and Erik Nicolai (Co-founder, Workspace 365) explored how a social intranet can transform employee engagement by simplifying work, improving communication and building a sense of belonging.
The true cost of attrition and how a social intranet can help
Attrition costs far more than most leaders realise. Even a modest 5% rise in turnover can cost a 200-person organisation over £100,000 per year in recruitment, onboarding and lost productivity.
Beyond the financial impact, every departure represents lost knowledge, weaker culture and a dip in morale. Retention, therefore, isn’t just about keeping people employed - it’s about helping them feel connected and valued.
A social intranet helps tackle this challenge by creating a space where employees can stay informed, appreciated and engaged with the wider purpose of the organisation.
Building culture and belonging through a social intranet
True culture isn’t built on perks or policies; it’s built on belonging. As Erik explained:
“The more you feel part of something, the more you contribute. When that connection fades, people start to check out - long before they actually leave.”
COVID-19 and hybrid work blurred that sense of connection, turning work into a series of transactions. A well-designed employee engagement platform, such as a social intranet, can help rebuild that shared purpose and sense of unity by keeping everyone aligned and recognised.
Why a Social Intranet Simplifies a Fragmented Digital Workplace
Ironically, technology designed to make work easier has often made it more complicated.
Employees juggle multiple systems, logins and tools daily. Many waste time wondering whether they’re using the right version of a document or following the right process.
Erik compared this to driving with several dashboards:
“You wouldn’t get into your car and wonder which dashboard to check. You expect one clear view. Work should be the same.”
By integrating communication, applications and information into a single digital workspace, a social intranet brings clarity and simplicity back to the employee experience.
How a social intranet transforms internal communication
Traditional internal communication often focuses on what departments want to share, not what employees need to know.
As Erik put it:
“It’s not about HR or IT. It’s about the employee’s perspective.”
A social intranet enables targeted, personalised communication that cuts through the noise. Instead of blanket messages, employees receive updates relevant to their role, location or department, ensuring every interaction feels meaningful and useful.
This shift from “broadcasting” to “personalising” helps people feel seen and valued, which is the foundation of a strong workplace culture.
Turning your social intranet into a digital home for employees
An effective social intranet should feel like home, not just another system employees are forced to use.
Through personalisation, familiar branding and tailored experiences, the digital workspace becomes a natural part of each employee’s day.
Erik illustrated this point perfectly:
“If you walk into an Airbnb and turn on the TV, it’s not your Netflix account, it doesn’t feel like home until it is.”
When employees feel ownership of their workspace, engagement naturally follows. A well-designed social intranet helps employees feel comfortable, confident and connected from the moment they log in.
Case Study: How a social intranet helped Gemeente Almelo build connection
The Dutch municipality Gemeente Almelo is a great example of how a social intranet can drive belonging and efficiency.
Using Workspace 365, Almelo started small, focusing on improving clarity, access to information and employee feedback loops.
Over time, the intranet evolved into a fully connected employee experience platform: integrating communication, workflows and apps into one hub. Employees now have a single view of everything they need, from HR updates to business tools, creating clarity and connection across the organisation.
Read the full case study here.
From communication to connection: The social intranet advantage
Internal communication is no longer about posting updates; it’s about creating connection.
As Erik said:
“Your employees are your biggest investment. Internal communication should be as effective in driving engagement as external communication is in driving sales.”
By simplifying systems, centralising communication and personalising experiences through a social intranet, organisations can transform attrition from an unavoidable cost into an opportunity to strengthen culture and collaboration.
Three questions to consider
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How connected do your employees feel to your organisation’s purpose? And how can technology strengthen that connection rather than dilute it?
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Are your current systems simplifying work or creating digital noise? What would it mean if everything your teams needed lived in one secure, personalised hub?
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What would your organisation look like if internal communication were treated with the same care and personalisation as customer communication?
Ready to reimagine your employee experience?
A social intranet should do more than share news. It should unite people, simplify work and nurture culture.
Workspace 365 helps organisations create digital workspaces where employees feel informed, connected and valued.
