Transforming employee experience with a cutting-edge intranet

With over 90 years of history and a reputation as one of Saudi Arabia’s top corporate and institutional banks, SAB is a leader in driving digital transformation. Following the acquisition of Alawwal Bank in 2021, SAB’s growing workforce of over 5,200 employees needed a modern intranet to enhance productivity and engagement.

The Problem? An Outdated and Cluttered System. SAB’s previous intranet was dense and disorganized, making it difficult for employees to complete daily tasks efficiently. This lack of usability highlighted the need for a transformation into a user-centric, streamlined, and engaging platform. By addressing the diverse needs of SAB’s workforce, the new intranet aimed to foster engagement, improve satisfaction, and elevate overall employee productivity.

We commenced user experience research, with comprehensive interviews, gathering insights into organizational requirements and employee expectations. This foundation allowed us to define user stories, mapping the unique needs of various employee groups. We also revamped the information architecture by developing a logical and intuitive site map. 

This approach simplified navigation, making essential information easily accessible and reducing the frustration associated with the old system.

Our User Interface Design introduced several innovative features tailored to empower SAB employees. Personalized dashboards allowed users to customize their intranet homepage, prioritizing the tools and information most relevant to their roles. Department-specific content zones further streamlined workflows by delivering targeted updates and reducing unnecessary noise. An action-oriented navigation system facilitated quick task completion, while human-centric enhancements, such as personalized greetings, daily updates, and employee-focused tools, created a welcoming and user-friendly experience. Additionally, the intranet’s new collaboration and engagement tools made it easier for employees to stay connected with organizational events and updates, fostering a stronger sense of community.

The new intranet was implemented on Sitecore, leveraging its advanced content management capabilities to deliver a seamless and personalized user experience. This flexible platform enabled us to create a dynamic and scalable intranet aligned with SAB’s broader digital transformation goals. Sitecore’s powerful features, including advanced workflow management, content targeting, and analytics, allowed for continuous improvement while meeting immediate employee needs. The result was a robust, future-proof solution designed to enhance engagement and efficiency.

The transformed intranet significantly enhanced employee satisfaction by simplifying tasks and streamlining daily workflows. By reducing the time and effort required to find and process critical information, the platform increased operational efficiency. Tailored content delivery and an intuitive design strengthened the connection between employees and the organization, fostering a culture of engagement and empowerment.