What Is an Employee Portal? Definition and Key Features
Learn what an employee portal is, how it differs from an intranet, and which features matter most for HR, IT, and internal communications.
Introduction
An employee portal is a centralized digital space where employees access company information, self-service tools, and internal resources. It’s often part of a broader intranet but can also stand alone. This article defines what an employee portal is and what it typically includes.
Employee Portal vs. Intranet
The terms overlap but aren’t identical:
- Intranet – Broader internal platform: news, documents, collaboration, department sites.
- Employee portal – Often focused on the employee experience: HR self-service, benefits, policies, onboarding, requests.
Many organizations build an employee portal as a key section of their intranet, or as the main landing experience for employees.
Key Features of an Employee Portal
1. HR Self-Service
- Vacation and leave requests
- Pay slip and tax document access
- Benefits enrollment and information
- Training and development resources
- Organizational charts and directory
2. Policies and Handbooks
- Company policies, codes of conduct
- HR handbooks and manuals
- Compliance and safety information
3. Onboarding
- New hire checklists
- Welcome content and introductions
- IT setup and access requests
- Training schedules
4. Internal Communications
- Company news and announcements
- Department updates
- Events and calendar
5. IT and Support
- How-to guides and FAQs
- Service request forms
- Links to help desk or ticketing
Why Use an Employee Portal?
- Reduce HR and IT load – Self-service cuts repetitive questions and manual work.
- Improve employee experience – One place for policies, benefits, and requests.
- Consistency – Everyone uses the same, up-to-date information.
- Compliance – Centralized policies and acknowledgments support audit and compliance.
Building an Employee Portal on SharePoint
SharePoint is a common platform for employee portals because it integrates with Microsoft 365, supports forms (Microsoft Forms, Power Apps), and can be customized with SPFx. A typical portal includes:
- Communication sites for HR content
- Document libraries for policies
- Forms and Power Automate for requests
- Employee directory (often with Azure AD / Microsoft 365 profiles)
Conclusion
An employee portal centralizes HR, policies, and self-service in one place. Built on SharePoint, it can reduce administrative burden and improve the employee experience.
Interested in an employee portal for your organization? Contact us for a free consultation.