A Case for Collaboration in the Workplace

When it comes to using technology in your business, the most popular buzzwords usually go something like this: “boosting collaboration in the workplace” or “how to increase collaboration in the office.”

More than making sure your employees are talking to each other, ensuring an effective collaborative environment for your business is as much about increasing productivity as it is about scaling your brand. When you see CEOs getting excited about the future of artificial intelligence or virtual reality in the office, improving collaboration is usually involved.

So what makes collaboration so important, and what kinds of technology can you employ today that will help you take a advantage of these benefits?  

Why Collaboration Matters for Your Business

Buzzwords aside, one study from Stanford University found that nothing increases workplace performance like a collaborative environment. Another study found that companies that promote collaborative working are five times more likely to be high-performing than those that don’t. And who doesn’t want that?

In reality, the reasons for these boosts in performance may be even more simple than you’d expect. Unlike competition, increasing creativity and teamwork in your office creates a positive work environment that naturally breeds innovation. Your employees will start to bring skill sets and perspectives to the table you may not have even known they possessed, changing the way they think about approaching a problem or project.

These are some of the same reasons offices are abandoning the conventional cubicle environment for an open-concept between team members and leaders alike. Increasing inter-office communication helps naturally promote a more collaborative environment that encourages success.

Online Collaboration Tools You Can Start Using Today

Now that you know why collaboration in the workplace is so important, you might be wondering how you can help promote it in your own business. Pulling down the walls in your office to create a modern open space may not be an option today, but advancements in technology can help give you similar effects.

1. Digital Communication Tools  

Whether all of your employees are working under the same roof, or your staff is comprised of remote or freelance workers too, digital communication tools will help encourage team members to talk more and collaborate often.

Consider software like Skype for Business, Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Asana. Apps like these make communicating between teams and employees like second-nature and even offer organizational tools to help everyone stay on track.

2. Using Cloud Technology to Boost Collaboration

Programs like Google Docs or Microsoft Office Online are easy ways to make using the cloud for business collaboration a tangible experience. Never worry about not have access to the documents you need, or having to worry about transferring information from one team to another.

There are lots of things about using the cloud in your business that can be confusing, but using the cloud to increase collaboration in the workplace is really only a few clicks away.

3. Project Management Collaboration Tools

Metrics and data reports are a fact of life for most businesses, but apps like Dynamics Business Analyzer from Microsoft or the SalesForce CRM tool can help make compiling that data (and analyzing it) a collaborative experience.

By giving all of your employees line-of-sight to the reports that matter most for your business, you’ll be encouraging productive conversation about company goals and directives. Some programs even allow employees to contribute to existing reports, promoting a more hands-on approach to measuring success.

The Collaboration Experts You Need

If you know you want to see technology to boost collaboration in your business, but don’t know where to start, let the IT experts at Raxxos help you find the perfect solutions for your office. With unlimited technical support and customized packages for every company, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish with the right technology in place.