SharePoint is a powerful digital platform designed to improve collaboration, document management, and business process automation. However, when not implemented or managed properly, it can quickly become a source of frustration for users and a drain on productivity.
Many organisations invest in SharePoint only to find it underused or misused. In this article, we highlight five warning signs that your SharePoint environment might be failing and what to do about them.
Five signs your SharePoint is failing
Low user adoption
What it looks like: Your teams actively avoid SharePoint. Instead, they continue to rely on email, shared drives, Dropbox, or Google Docs to store and share information.
Why this is a problem: Low adoption is a strong indicator that your SharePoint intranet or environment isn’t intuitive, structured, or meeting user needs. When users bypass SharePoint, it reduces collaboration, increases duplication, and undermines the value of your digital workplace investment.
What causes it:
- A poor user experience (UX)
- Confusing navigation or structure
- Lack of user training or change management
- Weak integration with Microsoft Teams and other apps
What to do: Focus on user-centred design, streamline navigation, provide clear onboarding resources, and integrate SharePoint with daily tools like Teams and Outlook to embed it into your users’ workflows.
Disorganised document libraries
What it looks like: Files are duplicated, buried in inconsistent folder structures, or simply impossible to find. Users spend too long searching for what they need—or give up altogether.
Why this is a problem: Disorganised content defeats the purpose of using SharePoint for document management. It erodes trust, wastes time, and leads to multiple versions of the same file being circulated.
What causes it:
- Poor information architecture (IA)
- Lack of metadata and content types
- No clear document lifecycle or governance
- No standard for naming conventions
What to do: Redesign your information architecture, implement a consistent metadata model, and use content types to better classify documents. Training users on document management best practices is also key.
Shadow IT is thriving
What it looks like: Employees create workarounds outside of IT-approved systems using tools like Google Drive, Trello, DropBox or personal email accounts for collaboration.
Why this is a problem: This often happens when SharePoint isn’t solving users’ problems, or when it’s seen as too slow or restrictive. Not only does this fragment your digital workplace, but it also creates serious security and compliance risks.
What causes it:
- SharePoint is not user-friendly or accessible
- Poor communication about what tools are available
- Lack of engagement with user needs
- Overly strict governance with no flexibility
What to do: Understand why users are seeking alternatives and address those pain points. Provide training, improve UX, and engage with users to co-design solutions that work for them within a secure framework.
No workflow automation
What it looks like: Approvals are still done via email. Data is re-entered into multiple systems. Paper-based or manual processes are common.
Why this is a problem: Workflow automation is one of SharePoint’s biggest strengths, especially when combined with Power Automate. If you’re not using these tools, you’re missing a major opportunity to improve efficiency and reduce human error.
What causes it:
- Lack of knowledge about SharePoint and Power Platform capabilities
- No dedicated digital transformation strategy
- Legacy processes not yet reviewed or modernised
What to do: Map out your current business processes and identify repetitive, manual steps that can be automated. Start with high-impact, low-complexity workflows such as leave requests, purchase orders, or document approvals.
Permissions & access issues
What it looks like: Some employees can’t access the documents they need. Others have access to confidential data they shouldn’t see.
Why this is a problem: Improper access management can create serious data security risks, compliance issues, and user frustration. It also increases IT workload through constant permission fixes.
What causes it:
- Ad-hoc permission settings without a governance plan
- Overuse of individual permissions instead of group-based roles
- No clear understanding of sensitivity levels or data classification
What to do: Review your permission structure and implement role-based access controls. Make sure sensitive data is labelled and protected using Microsoft Purview or Information Protection policies. Governance frameworks should be regularly reviewed and audited.
If any of these signs sound familiar, it may be time for a SharePoint health check. A well-structured, well-governed SharePoint environment can become the foundation of a modern, productive digital workplace.
At Bridgeall, we help organisations assess, optimise and transform their SharePoint environments to better support their people and processes. Whether you need a full redesign, better Teams integration, or advanced automation, our Microsoft 365 experts are here to help. You can view more information about our intranet services here or contact us to book a free consultation and start getting more value from your digital workplace.
