Ballast Nedam works daily on complex construction and infrastructure projects in the Netherlands and abroad. With employees in the office, on projects and on construction sites, good internal communication is crucial. Colleagues must be able to find information quickly, follow news easily and reach each other easily, regardless of their place of work.
When the existing intranet on Valo was phased out, Ballast Nedam was faced with an important choice: continue with standard SharePoint or invest in an intranet add-on that better matched their vision of ease of use, findability and future-proofing. Since all information was already within Microsoft 365, one thing was clear: a stand-alone platform or a major migration was not an option.
Ballast Nedam therefore chose Fresh Intranet: an intranet add-on on top of SharePoint, fully integrated within Microsoft 365. This project was taken up together with I4-YOU, whereby Microsoft 365 and intranet expertise contributed to the design, structure and use of the intranet. In this way, the existing basis remained intact, while targeted work was done on greater ease of use, better findability and a recognizable appearance. Improvements that employees experience directly in their daily work.
“All the information was already in SharePoint. Therefore, it didn’t feel logical to choose a completely different platform. We wanted to keep everything within Microsoft 365, without a big migration or additional complexity.”
– Aliona Kukyan-Tsiatsera, SharePoint (Office 365) consultant at Ballast Nedam
Ballast Nedam has been building complex projects in the Netherlands and abroad for generations. In an organization with so many disciplines, locations and business units, good connections are at least as important as execution. Colleagues must be able to find each other, share knowledge and stay well informed about what is going on within the organization, regardless of where they work.
When their existing intranet add-on (Valo) was phased out, Ballast Nedam was faced with an important choice. Continue working with standard SharePoint or opt for an intranet add-on that better suits their vision on internal communication, usability and findability. The choice fell on Fresh Intranet, an intranet add-on on top of SharePoint.
Together with I4-YOU, Fresh’s Dutch partner, Ballast Nedam replaced Valo functionalities with Fresh Intranet functionalities. There was no need to set up a completely new intranet; the basis remained, while the user experience and possibilities were renewed. Without saying goodbye to Microsoft 365, but with more ease of use, better findability and a recognizable look and feel for employees. In this customer story we explain how Ballast Nedam made this transition, what choices were made and how Fresh Intranet today contributes to connecting employees. From construction site to office.
Ballast Nedam is a leading player in construction and infrastructure, active in the Netherlands and abroad. The organization works on complex and often large-scale projects, such as roads, tunnels, foundations, bridges and terminals, as well as new construction, renovation and restoration. With specialist craftsmanship and a strong focus on quality, Ballast Nedam has been one of the big names in the sector for many years. Craftsmanship is key, as is attention for employees.
The organization is made up of several business units, each with its own expertise and culture, spread across different regions. In addition to construction and infrastructure, Ballast Nedam invests in innovation and sustainability, including through Ekinetics, which works on hydrogen and the structural reduction of the COâ‚‚ impact of construction. This combination of technical expertise and sustainable ambitions makes Ballast Nedam an organization with lasting impact.
Within Ballast Nedam, people work in a variety of roles and environments. From colleagues in the office to employees on projects and construction sites, often spread across the country or abroad. Not everyone works behind a PC all day and not everyone has the same information needs. At the same time, there is a need for one central place to receive news, share knowledge and find each other quickly, without additional platforms or unnecessary complexity.
Because the existing intranet was built on Valo and this solution was being phased out, Ballast Nedam had to look for something new. A stand-alone intranet solution was not an option. The organization works entirely within Microsoft 365 and deliberately wanted to keep the intranet within that as well. Valo was an add-on to SharePoint and they wanted to continue along those lines. Not only because all information was already there, but also to keep management and security clear and to avoid unnecessary migrations.
At the same time, Ballast Nedam was looking ahead. The new solution had to be future-proof, able to grow with the organization and continue to develop. Without a long implementation process or additional complexity. Not a temporary solution, but a scalable platform that fits today’s organization and is ready for the future.
With those starting points, Ballast Nedam arrived at Fresh Intranet. An intranet add-on on top of SharePoint, fully integrated within Microsoft 365. This left the existing basis intact, while creating room for improvement in usability, appearance and findability. Exactly what was needed to take the next step.
Recognizability played an important role. The transition had to feel as small as possible for employees. Thanks to Fresh’s flexibility, the look and feel could stay close to the existing intranet, which ensured peace of mind and faster adoption. At the same time, the solution offered room to further improve and expand the intranet step by step.
Fresh is also a future-proof and scalable solution that moves with new developments within Microsoft 365, including search and AI. Together with I4-YOU, the intranet was realized in a short time, with minimal impact for employees and a solid foundation for further development.
“With I4-YOU, we had a great team with an open vision. They are approachable, thoughtful and really listen to what you need. I noticed that in the collaboration and also in how the product continues to evolve. That’s very important to us.”
– Dionne Bischoff, Marketing and Communications Advisor at Ballast Nedam
After going live, employees especially noticed the improvement in use and overview. The intranet feels familiar, but is clearly more user-friendly. News is presented more clearly, information can be found more quickly and Teams-notifications actively alert colleagues to new messages. This ensures greater visibility and more visitors.
Search is perceived as one of the biggest improvements. Employees can search intranet-wide and find what they need faster. With AI support, they get more relevant search results, without having to think about exactly where information is. This saves time and avoids frustration.
In addition, Fresh Intranet provides Ballast Nedam with the following:
