There are many reasons why collaboration in the workplace is important. It optimises workflow processes, improves employee and team relationships, increases efficiency, and maximises productivity. However, getting so many different personalities, working practices and styles to work together can sometimes be a challenge. And with so many people now working remotely, collaboration becomes even more difficult.
When teams collaborate effectively, they become innovative by bouncing ideas off of each other. Create a working environment where every team member feels valued for their unique skills and input valued and core to increased project success.
What is Meant by Workplace Collaboration?
Why collaboration is important and how it can benefit your business. Collaboration is where people work together united towards achieving a common goal. It happens when a group of people share skills and ideas to achieve a set goal.
There are best practices you can follow if you want to encourage more collaboration in the workplace. Here are some tips to get you started.
Rework the Team Dynamic
It’s important that everyone in your team is on the same page if you want your team to be more collaborative. You should do everything you can to encourage effective collaboration. A good place to start is to create a positive work environment. Everyone should pull their weight, with no one carrying a heavier workload than the others on the team.
Create an Inclusive Environment
An inclusive working environment is one in which people are not afraid to stand up and say something. Team members should be able to empathise with each other and understand how other members of the teamwork. For collaboration to be effective, you must encourage trust within your team and commitment to the processes and systems you’re putting in place.
More Efficient Meetings
An endless grind of meetings can hamper the productivity of a team, and even bring it to a halt. However, team meetings also have a crucial role to play in the promotion of collaboration. For meetings to be successful they must be:
– Well-prepared with a focused and written agenda
-Individual goals must be clearly outlined
-Encourage active listening rather than people simply waiting for their turn to respond
Make Accountability and Processes a Priorities
Does everyone in your team know what the process is? It’s all too easy to assume they do, and if the process is not carefully documented, it can lead to confusion. When people can refer to a document that clearly defines the workflow channels, they have a very clear direction.
Another advantage of documenting processes is that it encourages accountability. All members of the team can see how missing a deadline affects other people.
Don’t Panic if it All Goes Wrong
There are going to be times when things don’t go according to plan. The important thing is not to panic but to have a process in place that can help overcome any issues and keep collaboration on track. Here are some steps to consider:
- Don’t forget about face-to-face conversions: We’ve all become so used to digital communication that it’s easy to forget about speaking to a person directly. So many issues can be resolved with a quick phone call.
- Disagree and commit: This strategy allows people to voice their grievances and make them feel their opinion is valued.
- Hear each other: Don’t allow your team to fall into the trap of talking past each other or simply talking to achieve their own goal.
- Take Advantage of Workplace Collaboration Tools
Collaboration is Key: We have limited space in our heads
Research by strategy professor at the Kellogg School Benjamin Jones and in the article Science Behind the Growing Importance of Collaboration. Examining scientific papers over a 30 years period—more than 19 million discovered that collaboration between scientists had grown steadily since the 1950s. But this quote says it is all about workplace collaboration.
“There’s more and more to know in the world, and you can only have so much in your head,” he says. “So the share of stuff you know as an individual is declining in any field.”
Teaming skills mean that you get bigger and better results, as collaboration can spark ideas and conversations that can lead to the next big idea.
Workplace Collaboration Software
To make collaboration much easier, there are a wealth of collaboration tools you can use. A work to-do list is the most basic, but there is also task management, checklist software and process management software that improves productivity, communication, accountability and efficiency.
Interesting research carried out by slack (Good collaboration, bad collaboration) revealed the questions asked: “What’s most important about workplace collaboration software?” 17% stated that user friendly was the most important. Whereas 14% stated stable and reliable
Workplace Collaboration Drives Success
Workplace collaboration is a vital component for a healthy, thriving business. When people share skills and ideas to achieve a common goal together it drives productivity and fills your employees with a sense of purpose.