It is not uncommon for some co-workers to feel as if their colleagues are not team players and refuse to play by the same rules as they do. Collaboration across the various departments in a business is important as it fosters creativity and progress.
It is easier said than done especially in the context of remote work. Fortunately, there are many ways to encourage collaboration in business and this article will discuss how you can achieve that.
Encourage consistent communication
Poor communication is one of the main contributors to the lack of collaboration. When members of different departments can communicate effectively, they are more compassionate, more transparent and more understanding of one another. Each department should understand that they need each other for the business to thrive.
Have a common goal
Collaboration becomes difficult when each department has a different idea of the business’ goals. An excellent way to improve collaboration in your business would be to create and share a common goal across all departments. Let everyone understand how the importance of the shared goal and why their role matters to the achievement of that goal.
Be transparent
As a leader, you can promote collaboration within the workplace by practicing transparency and admitting their failures. It is easy to get defensive when you are in the wrong instead of owning up to your mistakes, when your staff can see that it is okay to admit you made a mistake, they will be more willing to collaborate.
Invest in top-draw collaboration tools
The right collaboration tools will allow your staff to access files from anywhere while they work remotely, provides secure cloud storage for important documents and improves communication between members of varying departments. These tools also allow you to stick to your budget and guarantee the continuity of your business. A good example is Office 365, which is a popular productivity tool from Microsoft. There are so many reasons to migrate to Office 365, including the ability for your team to work together far much effectively.
Allow people to express their opinions
When people feel free to give open feedback without receiving backlash, they become more willing to collaborate. Open feedback also paves way for creativity and innovation in the workplace as your staff will not be afraid to try new things for fear of being shut down.
Encourage empathy and compassion
Empathy and compassion are not traits you can force onto someone. However, by creating avenues where co-workers know each other on a personal level, you get to understand why people do the things they do. When you see first-hand where someone is coming from, you can help them and make allowances when necessary.
Be a good role model
Many executives want their staff to practice open communication and transparency, while they are doing the opposite. If you are preaching water and drinking wine, your staff will not be inclined to listen to what you say. Leading by example is an excellent way to improve collaboration in your business.
Final remarks
There is no quick fix for collaboration in a business. However, we guarantee that if you follow the tips suggested above, you will set your business on the right path to growth and innovation. We hope our tips will help you improve collaboration in your workplace.
Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash
