Intranet Content for June 2024
Welcome to June, Summer officially begins on June 20, and the living is . . . busy!
The beginning of summer means sun, fun and, to paraphrase Henry James, summer afternoons – – the two most beautiful words in the English language. But there’s little downtime when you’ve got an intranet to keep fresh and relevant. This time of year is typically when most organizations are cranking on all cylinders. Major projects and strategic initiatives are in full swing, managers and employees are focused on exceeding their goals, and the rest of the year will be a blur of activity and challenges. Which makes June a perfect time to take a moment to pause and have some fun.
Here are some ideas that would engage readers and provide a little merriment when it might be greatly appreciated by those who are furiously wrapping up work before heading out for vacation, as well as by those who are left behind to keep things running until it’s their turn:
- Interview a few employees about what they’ll be doing this summer. Extra points for making this a diverse group that might not always have a lot of visibility outside their immediate teams. Then open up comments and ask other employees to share what their plans are.
- Kick-off a “Take Your Intranet on Vacation” promotion. Create a flyer (printable or digital) that employees can hold up and snap a selfie (pic or video) with while they’re out in the world. this summer. And, yes, photos from backyard staycations count! A benefit of this is that this will provide content for a story in late August or early September.
And as you’re planning your own summer fun, consider a few of FireOak’s other favorite ideas for intranet content for June 2024. Have a safe, awesome June!
Shortcuts
Effective Communications Month (June)
It’s Effective Communications Month! Think about doing an article to help employees enhance their communication skills to create a more collaborative and productive work environment. Some tips and ideas:
- If you’re in charge of your organization’s intranet, chances are that you’re a master communicator . . . this is a great time to toot your (and your team’s) horn by sharing your process to ensure that what you create is clear, purposeful and thoughtful.
- Interview a member of the senior management team and ask them to share a little about their communication style and any tips or tricks they’ve picked up, including examples of who they think are superb communicators.
- Don’t forget to include content related specifically to the importance of having difficult conversations . . . without shouting! The more tools your employees have to constructively and effectively talk to each other during conflict and stressful times, the more likely you are to have a productive, respectful workplace.
- Highlight any classes or training courses that your employees may have access to either through the training catalog or through external vendors (don’t forget links!)
LGBTQ+ Pride Month (June)
Pride Month has its roots in the Stonewall riots in New York in 1969 and is framed within the civil rights struggle. While Pride Month often culminates with parades across the country (and who doesn’t love a parade?), this is the perfect month to put a spotlight on the contributions of your LGBTQ+ employees. Celebrate them by:
- Working with employee resource groups or your diversity office (if your organization has one), to develop content that talks about the origins and history of Pride month and why it’s meaningful to them.
- Including interviews with employees who speak about their experiences and what Pride means to them and their families – – both families of origin and chosen families.
- Providing a forum so that all employees can share how they plan to celebrate this festive month.
Say Something Nice Day (June 1)
You know what they say: if you don’t have anything nice to say . . . it probably doesn’t belong on the intranet! No worries on Say Something Nice Day, though. Turn it into a lovefest by:
- Posting stories (or, even better, quick videos!) of employees giving shout-outs to their colleagues for collaborating, going above and beyond, or just being an all-around awesome team player.
- Flipping the circle of kindness and asking employees to share a time when someone thanked them and made them feel appreciated, whether at work or not. What was the scenario and how did it make them feel?
Juneteenth (June 19)
Juneteenth was finally designated a federal holiday in 2021, but its origin goes all the way back to 1865 when federal troops informed enslaved Blacks in Galveston, Texas that they were free . . . 2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. There are so many ways to celebrate your Black employees, including:
- As with Pride, if your company has employee resource groups or a diversity office, work with them to create content that highlights the history and the importance of this day.
- Feature Black employees where they can speak to the impact of Juneteenth and how they and their families celebrate.
- Everyone loves great food, and food plays a big part in Juneteenth celebrations. Ask employees to share some favorite recipes and their significance.
- Interview Blacks who sit on your Board of Directors, as well as Blacks who are making contributions to your industry.
National Take Your Dog to Work Day (June 21)
…and we’re back to our four-legged friends (remember National Puppy Day in March?). Pet stories are always hugely popular and great mood lifters. Even if your organization/building/municipality doesn’t allow furbabies in the office, you can still celebrate this day. And it’s a pretty good bet that in the home offices of many of your employees, dogs make a regular appearance. You can spotlight these family members by:
- Creating a story with photos of employees with their dogs is kind of a no-brainer…and you’ll be inundated with proud pet-parents yippng to share highlight their doggie(s). Bonus points if the pic is of their dog “helping” them get work done.
- Highlighting employees who have adopted rescue dogs and employees who may be volunteering at shelters – – maybe even including pics of adorable pups that are just waiting for their fur-ever home!
- Developing a summer tie-in by asking employees what their dogs are planning to do this summer! The answers will be enlightening, fun and completely awww-worthy.
Looking for more ways to enhance your intranet, freshen up an intranet, or build a new intranet? Check out other articles in FireOak’s intranet blog post series and stay tuned for our April Intranet Content post in this series.
