Every sunset is also a sunrise; it all depends on where you stand
The title of this article, a quote from Karl Schmidt, aptly captures the theme of many recent conversations about Workplace from Meta’s imminent shutdown. And honestly, there’s a familiar tune I keep hearing: the double whammy of stress about switching to a new platform and the pressure of picking the right one.
Shouldn’t change management be about getting better outcomes, not trading old problems for new ones?
Let me tell you about a recent chat I had with Sally (yep, a pseudonym), the Head of Internal Comms for a major Australian retail chain. Sally is facing the reality that Workplace from Meta will be a thing of the past come August 2025, so she’s in full-on research mode. The clock is ticking, and the stakes are high. She’s looking for a replacement that doesn’t just swap the tyres on a clunky car but genuinely transforms productivity and communication, all while delivering engaging comms that her team never quite managed to nail with Workplace.
But here’s the kicker: the top alternatives are… well, they’re not great. Think user feeds that drown you in noise and bombard employees with irrelevant content. And while Meta has made their own “friendly” recommendations, these options come with the very same challenges.
There’s a world of difference between a corporate social intranet (think more noise than signal) and a strategic communications platform. Sally needs a solution that puts critical announcements front and centre, encourages meaningful engagement, and provides a multi-channel approach that lets her colleagues engage in ways that work best for them, all while being customised and on-brand. Essentially, she’s after a tool that empowers the silent majority to speak up while keeping everything sharp and relevant.
With such a tight timeline, some organisations will go with Meta’s “easy” replacement. But Sally’s savvy enough to know that if you’re going to manage change, why not make it an upgrade? Why settle for a replacement that carries over the same old issues when you can opt for something that truly enhances productivity?
So, how can a strategic communications platform really shake things up for the better?
For starters, it can seamlessly integrate into Sally’s broader productivity ecosystem, aligning with her goals to keep the team focused and distraction-free. Unlike social intranets that drown users in a flood of content, strategic platforms like Staffbase ensure messages reach the right people based on relevance and priority. They prioritise reliability, security, and meaningful collaboration.
Plus, strategic communications platforms can even turbocharge the way Sally’s team handles customer issues. With advanced admin tools to filter and organise information, everyone stays engaged and on task. And because Sally values her sanity (who doesn’t?), having a local Australian support team with web hosting that makes onboarding a breeze is a huge win.
I see the sunset of Workplace from Meta as a sunrise for something way more exciting in business communications. It’s the perfect chance to move past outdated intranet experiences and embrace a platform that marries the warmth of social interaction with the power to unite, inform, and boost productivity.
Ready for that sunrise?
Workplace from Meta will no longer function properly after August 2025. The clock is ticking… You can quickly assess your team’s readiness for the closure of Workplace with this 2-minute quiz
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Ramak Salamat, Vice President JAPAC, Staffbase