10 UX Pitfalls that make your employees hate your Intranet!

A successful intranet is not just about providing access to company resources—it’s about creating an engaging, user-friendly experience that employees actually want to use. Unfortunately, many intranets fail because of poor UX (user experience) design. This pin explores the 10 most common UX pitfalls that make employees hate their intranet and shows why avoiding these mistakes is key to driving adoption and engagement.

One major pitfall is confusing navigation. If employees can’t quickly find policies, documents, or tools, they lose time and interest. Similarly, cluttered layouts overwhelm users with too much information, making the intranet feel chaotic instead of helpful.

Another problem is irrelevant or outdated content. Employees don’t want to scroll through old news or irrelevant updates. A lack of personalization makes the intranet feel generic and disconnected from employees’ daily needs.

Slow performance is another dealbreaker. If pages take too long to load, employees won’t stick around. Alongside this, poor search functionality frustrates users who need answers fast but can’t locate them due to weak search filters or inaccurate results.

In today’s hybrid work environment, lack of mobile responsiveness is a critical issue. Employees expect to access their intranet from phones and tablets. If the design doesn’t adapt across devices, engagement drops significantly.

Another pitfall is ignoring integrations. Employees use tools like Teams, Outlook, or project management apps daily. An intranet that doesn’t connect to these systems feels isolated and less valuable.

Complex login processes can also hurt adoption. If logging in takes too many steps or isn’t seamless with single sign-on, employees will avoid using it.

Finally, a dull and uninspiring design makes the intranet feel like a chore rather than a hub for collaboration. Employees are far more likely to engage with a space that feels modern, visually appealing, and easy to use.

By identifying these 10 UX pitfalls, organizations can redesign their intranet with employees in mind. Avoiding these mistakes means creating an intranet that is intuitive, fast, mobile-friendly, visually engaging, and integrated with daily workflows.

This pin highlights the most common UX traps and shows how overcoming them leads to higher adoption, stronger collaboration, and improved productivity across the digital workplace. A well-designed intranet isn’t just a platform—it’s a place employees look forward to using every day.

1. 10 UX Pitfalls that make your
employees hate your Intranet!
Design
SharePoint Services
Imagine driving on a road full of potholes, that’s how your
employees feel when using your intranet which has too
many UX issues.  Here’s a list of common UX pitfalls that
make employees frustrated or even hate using your
company’s Intranet.
1. Slow Load Times
Waiting equals frustration. If pages take more than a few
seconds, users give up or get distracted.

2. How to fix?
Focus on optimizing the network infrastructure, server
performance, and content delivery. Consider content
management practices like archiving old content,
optimizing images and videos, and using caching
mechanisms.
2. Confusing Navigation
If users can’t find what they need quickly, they’ll either click
around endlessly or just ask someone else.
How to fix?
Use a clear menu, group related tasks, and include a
sitemap.
3. Too Many Clicks
Making users go through 5+ clicks to find the relevant
information or to complete a simple task is NOT acceptable.
How to fix?
Streamline user flows; use personalized quick links
/shortcuts for frequent tasks.

3. 4. No Mobile Optimization
If it doesn’t work well on phones or tablets, remote or field
employees are stuck.
How to fix?
Make sure the design is responsive by testing on different
sized devices
Stop losing productivity to poor UX Upgrade your intranet
with SharePoint Designs.
Schedule a call
5. Jargon Overload
Using technical terms or internal acronyms everywhere can
confuse new hires or non-tech staff.
How to fix?
Using simple and easily understandable language and
adding tooltips when necessary.
6. Lack of Search Function
Employees want a search bar to find what they need fast.

4. How to fix?
Add a powerful search bar with filters and suggestions.
7. Poor Accessibility
If it’s hard to use for people with visual or motor
impairments, it excludes them.
How to fix?
Follow WCAG guidelines, use proper contrast and keyboard
navigation.
8. Inconsistent Design
Different fonts, colors, or layouts make the site feel untrust
worthy and messy.
How to fix?
Keep a design system in place which includes fonts,
buttons, and layouts consistent with your branding.
9. No Feedback After Actions
If there’s no confirmation like “Saved!” or “Error: Try again,”
users get confused or redo work.

5. How to fix?
Show clear success/error messages.
10. No Personalization
Everyone sees the same info, even if it’s not relevant to their
role.
How to fix?
Show relevant content based on user roles or
departments(e.g., HR sees HR tools, Sales sees leads
dashboard).
Conclusion: Don’t Let UX Mistakes Undermine
Your Intranet
A poorly designed intranet doesn't just cause frustration, it
actively prevents your team from accessing the tools,
information, and updates they need to succeed. By avoiding
these common UX pitfalls, you can turn your intranet into a
platform your employees actually enjoy using.
If you're unsure where to begin or need expert guidance,
working with an experienced SharePoint intranet consultant
can make all the difference. At SharePoint Designs, we

6. specialize in creating intuitive, role-based intranets that are
fast, user-friendly, and built to scale with your business.
Let’s redesign your intranet the right way
Request a free consultation