Slack integration launches the Intranet of Things

Modern-day technology has disrupted the way companies communicate. Where work happened through email, phone or the water cooler, technology has spawned a host of new ways to communicate.

Messaging services, Enterprise Social Networks (ESN’s) and even the old intranet portals have all relocated work-centric conversation. To get things done quickly, dynamic messaging platforms are great tools.

Everything has its downside, though. Email gets lost in a box, instant messaging conversations are fleeting and static communication doesn’t push conversation enough. Different communication platforms serve different communication needs. This is why Happeo has partnered with Slack, the world’s leading dynamic-communication tool, and Google Chat – to integrate the best of both worlds.

Flexible workforce, flexible toolset

The Bureau of Labor Statistics in the United States recently released a research report on how the average American uses their time. Key statistics show that 23% of employees work from home. Take into account the increasing globalization of small and large companies and the need for fast-paced digital communication becomes clear. Enter Slack, the instant messaging service that’s seen its popularity soar across the globe. Now Google has joined the party too with their own instant-messaging app: Chat.

Mike Klein, Principal of internal communications consultancy agency Changing The Terms says: "In my research, internal communicators around the world are calling for more integrated solutions. For those fortunate enough to be Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) customers, Happeo offers unprecedented integration – working across Gmail, Docs, Calendar and now Chat. Adding an integration for Slack users makes it an even more compelling proposition."

What is the Intranet of Things?

The Internet of Things is a term likely coined by Procter & Gamble’s Kevin Ashton. It refers to the connection of traditional ‘dumb’ machinery to the internet. Think of a soda machine that logs on to the local WiFi connection. While it’s certainly not impossible to have the Cola you withdrew register somewhere in your intranet solution, we see the Intranet of Things as something that revolves around work and conversation – things that traditionally took place offline. If we were to define it, it would be the centralization of all conversation and work into one platform. Never lose sight of the task at hand, or important conversation that can help you with it. How else will you get your employees to actually use your intranet?

Bringing it all together

The challenge for Instant Messaging services comes from the very nature of the product. They’re meant to deliver instant, dynamic communication. Conversations are fast, valuable and often more informal by nature. To prevent the loss of information among a myriad of messages, Slack introduced a few features to use within the app itself. Recognizing that other platforms specialize in ‘sticky’ communication, they also allow you to link to conversations in Slack, outside of the platform. Enter Happeo – leading the market in channel-based communication, adding a social layer for employee interaction and a user-friendly page-builder tool. See it as a modern version of an intranet, with key features from Enterprise Social Networks to encourage conversation on the platform itself.

Communicating through Instant Messaging platforms enables fast, informal input. Intranet platforms allow clear, consistent messaging across the communications ecosystem of an organization. Add a social layer and static communication becomes dynamic. Combine it all and important conversations, announcements – and work – will never get lost again.

“Information silos are the death of any company’s growth” says Perttu Ojansuu, CEO and founder of Happeo. “Communication within companies and teams doesn’t scale when conversation gets lost or becomes inaccessible. Centralizing company communication and work into an ecosystem of tightly integrated platforms is the future; we call it the Intranet of Things. Our integration with Slack and Chat is a step closer to that ideal. This means employees own the conversation – and the place it happens – keeping them happy and engaged.”

Bridging the gaps

The integration allows selected posts from channels in Happeo to be directly sent to one or multiple channels in Slack, or Chat. This way employees get to choose where they continue the conversation. The integration creates a two-way communication stream, bridging the gaps that isolated Software as a Service (SaaS) tools can create.

At Happeo, we hope to make your working environment more productive than ever. Book a personalised demo and speak with one of our team members about enterprise intranet solutions today.