In order for a business to be successful, collaboration between teams is essential. However, many managers find it difficult to get their employees to work together. In this blog post, we’ll explore ways that you can increase collaboration between teams. By following these tips, you can help your business run more smoothly and efficiently.
These tips are even more important in a post-COVID-19 world. It’s no secret that the modern workplace has changed. With so many people working remotely, it’s more important than ever to find ways to improve collaboration between teams.
So here’s a list of 10 ideas for how to increase collaboration between teams within your organization. They should help your business run more smoothly and more successfully.
1. Create a Culture of Collaboration
A company’s culture is the heart and soul of the organization — it’s what sets it apart from other businesses and defines the way employees interact with each other and with customers. A well-designed culture should be a true reflection of the company’s values, mission, and vision, and should be supported by everyone in the organization.
Creating a slide deck or other materials that clearly define the company’s culture can be a powerful tool for employees, helping them to understand what is expected of them and how they can best contribute to the company’s success. When problems or challenges arise, these resources can also help to ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards a resolution that is in line with the company’s core values.
But, more important than decks and other resources is how leaders behave. Culture is created by example from the top down. When executives and managers embody a culture of collaboration, that culture will permeate the entire organization — and team collaboration will emerge naturally.
2. Set Unmistakable Goals
It’s no secret that employees are more productive when they know exactly what they’re supposed to be doing. That’s why it’s so important for managers to set unambiguous goals for their team. When everyone understands their role and the team’s objectives, they can work together more effectively and come up with creative solutions to problems.
Furthermore, setting clear goals gives the team a sense of shared purpose and helps foster innovation. An effective and collaborative team is one that can self-assess and identify issues that need to be addressed, leading to continuous improvement over time. By setting clear goals, managers can help their team reach its full potential.
3. Establish Transparency
How can employees be expected to collaborate with people throughout the organization if company goals and challenges are kept hidden? Employees need to be aware of what the company is striving for and what challenges it is facing in order to establish trust and implement efficient solutions. A lack of transparency will only breed suspicion and discourage employees from offering their help.
With that in mind, know that it is essential for companies to establish transparency and keep employees in the loop in order to encourage loyalty and productivity. Transparency gives collaborative teams the information needed to move forward with confidence, which in turn increases team performance over time.
4. Embrace Asynchronous Communication
If you’re not already using asynchronous communication in your workplace, it’s time to embrace it! Asynchronous communication involves information that is shared at different times. One example would be a post made on a company message board that others can respond to at any time.
Good news, though: Lot of collaboration tools offer asynchronous communication features. This is extremely helpful when you’re working and collaborating with remote workers who may live in different countries and on different continents. It’s nearly impossible to get on a call with Australia if you live in the United States — unless you want to chat in the middle of the night. Asynchronous communication lets everyone communication during normal work hours, no matter where they are in the world.
Don’t let the name “asynchronous communication” scare you — it’s actually quite simple. You don’t have to worry about getting everyone on the same page at the same time. Just post your message and let people reply when it’s convenient for them. You may be surprised at how well this type of communication works!
5. Prioritize Brainstorming
Regular brainstorming is essential to the free flow of ideas and a long-term culture of collaboration. Make sure your team members are questioning and challenging the status quo. And make sure they know that all ideas are welcome. Perhaps only one of a handful will actually work out, but that’s the whole point of brainstorming in the first place.
Say “goodbye” to filters and encourage the sharing of ideas anyway. Even if someone thinks implementation may be too challenging or expensive, encourage them to share anyway. There are always hurdles to leap over, so get the ideas out there anyway.
In the end, you’ll also be amazed at how constant brainstorming promotes collaboration. The practice of bouncing ideas off one another leads to the free flowing of ideas and updates throughout the organization.
6. Encourage Learning
Many employees desire career advancement for the chance to apply their skills to new projects and learning opportunities. When your workers are encouraged to learn and grow on a daily basis, a reliance on the status quo naturally gets pushed to the side. Instead, your workplace naturally becomes a more innovative and effective place to do business.
A strong learning and development program is a valuable resource to open communication and develop future leaders. Leaders should encourage an environment where it is safe to take risks and learn from failures. Employees should be given opportunities to take on new challenges, solve problems, and lead projects.
Furthermore, companies should provide resources for employees to develop their skills and knowledge. These might include formal training programs, online courses, or mentorship opportunities. By investing in employee learning and development, companies can create a more innovative and effective workforce.
7. Destroy the Siloes
Working with the same teams day in and day out can become routine and destroy the siloes between departments. By encouraging engagement between teams, you will be motivating your staff to step outside of their comfort zones and keeping them on their toes.
It’s nearly impossible to collaborate effectively when you’re siloed into different parts of an organization. Worse yet, when you’re siloed, you also miss out on the opportunity to get people with different perspectives and skillsets onto the same page for maximum idea generation. When you find opportunities for employees who don’t necessarily work together on a daily basis to communicate and brainstorm, you’ll find that your workload place natural becomes more innovative and that your workforce naturally because were motivated.
8. Invest in Collaboration Tools
If you want to create a truly cohesive workplace culture, you need to invest in collaboration tools that will help employees do their jobs more efficiently.
Cloud-based software is fast becoming the norm, and for good reason. A cloud-based idea management platform can help your employees develop new concepts more quickly and efficiently. By staying ahead of technological advances, you can keep your employees engaged and motivated.
9. Revel in Your Victories
It’s important to celebrate your victories, big and small. revel in your successes and share them with your team. This helps to keep morale high and makes it easier to stay motivated through the tough times. These celebrations don’t have to be large or formal, any chance to be recognized and appreciated is valuable. So take a few minutes out of your day to celebrate your successes, it’ll be worth it in the long run.
10. Offer Rewards
The best way to encourage collaboration is through rewarding it. You can’t ask employees to do something without making it in their best financial interest to do so. Reward effective collaboration when it comes time for bonuses or pay increases or additional perks. Recognition is nice, too, but nothing encourages collaboration like financial incentive.
Reward both team efforts and individual efforts. Team rewards help employees better understand the need for collaboration. And individual rewards keep workers engaged and loyal to the company. Both are important.
How Do You Increase Collaboration Between Teams?
What you see above or just 10 ideas for increasing collaboration between teams. But there are surely countless other ideas any company can implement to enhance your collaboration and overall productivity. What are your go to strategies for increasing collaboration?
Let us know in the comments section below, or you can always contact us to share your idea.
