Happy people are 13% more productive within the workplace. So, both employees and companies share a common interest to create a pleasant working environment. To accomplish pleasant working surroundings, establishing good team communication and collaboration is essential. When presented with this task, it’s best that you employ effective team collaboration strategies. Show
In this article, you will find some practical and demonstrably effective team collaboration strategies, complete with examples on how you can implement them. What is a team collaboration strategy, and why is it important?A team collaboration strategy is a system by which an organization structures teamwork. Collaboration strategies consist of guidelines that set the rules of interaction and collaboration between teammates. Various research has shown that improving team collaboration can lead to positive outcomes with teams from various backgrounds, such as: Improving team collaboration depends on the implementation of a solid collaborative strategy. When well-thought-out and carefully implemented, a team collaboration strategy can bring clear benefits to the team. Improved cost-effectivenessProductive teams achieve better results. Strategies to promote collaborative behavior have repeatedly been shown to facilitate high productivity, thus reducing production costs. When teamwork is successful, the production process runs smoothly. There is a reduction in lost time, double work, misunderstandings, and other factors that slow down construction. Enhanced quality of products and servicesWise implementation of collaborative strategies ensures improved quality of products and services. When communication is streamlined, employees have quick and effortless access to resources necessary for providing goods and services. Increased worker engagementEmploying collaborative strategies makes the employees more engaged. Increased engagement improves individual performance and task commitment. In addition, the levels of personal motivation to achieve a common goal are also significantly increased. An overall improvement in attitudes towards the workplaceYou can create a genuine sense of companionship through focused implementation of a team collaboration strategy. Along with improved overall job satisfaction, forming solid relationships with their colleagues makes people more likely to view the company in a positive light. This collaborative attitude can reduce absenteeism and sick days misuse, as well as increase worker retention. Top 5 strategies to improve team collaboration right awayEffective cooperation strategies have plenty of benefits for teachers, managers, IT experts, and other professionals. Putting these strategies into practice requires a systematic change in all aspects of operations within an organization. It is an extensive process that requires plenty of careful deliberation and long-term planning. To make this process more comprehensible, we explain in detail the what, how, and why of each strategy we propose. Here is a list of 5 strategies you can implement to help improve team collaboration: Build a culture of cooperationPeople are more likely to look for other job opportunities if they feel under-appreciated at their current workplace. According to this Gallup report, this is especially true for Millennials, who will soon become the majority of the workforce. According to the definition, corporate culture represents the collection of rules and values an organization uses to manage interactions between employees and handle outside business transactions. Corporate culture reflects in all aspects of company operations. A collaborative corporate culture places central value on collaborative teamwork. This is accomplished by setting up office space, team structure, support systems, and other organizational elements in a way that is supportive of effective teamwork. Why building a culture of cooperation is so importantSome of the most pronounced benefits of building a culture of cooperation:
How to build a culture of cooperationBuilding a cooperative culture requires organizing company space, communication guidelines, and team structure in a way that facilitates efficient collaboration. In gist, collaboration is improved by providing a work environment that encourages teamwork by providing an adequate setting and appropriate support systems. Some ways to build a collaborative corporate culture include:
🔸 Examples of building a culture of cooperationCarrie has just started working at a software development company. The HR team made sure her skills and friendly personality would fit the team she was assigned to. On her first day of work, she is welcomed by her colleagues and introduced to her responsibilities. Each team member makes sure to answer her questions and point her to the necessary resources. Carrie is impressed with the pleasant atmosphere, office space, and equipment. She is excited to work at a company that cares about how its employees feel and will be committed to her responsibilities. Break down communication barriersA communication failure occurs when a message is sent, but its intended receiver misunderstands it. Within organizations, communication failures tend to happen when there are no clearly delineated channels of communication. Other factors that affect the quality of communication have to do with team structure and personal differences between team members. For example, fewer non-verbal cues in virtual meetings can cause a higher likelihood of misunderstanding for remote teams. In addition, people have different communication styles, and not taking this into account can increase the sense of alienation and affect the confidence of less assertive team members. To break down communication barriers means to specify and to try to overcome misunderstandings, information sharing interruptions, and other instances of incoherent communication. Why breaking down communication barriers is so importantSome benefits of overcoming communication hurdles include:
How to break down communication barriersOvercoming communication difficulties is done by promoting open debate and discussion, creating streamlined channels of information, and navigating diverse communication styles. Here are some practical instructions on how to approach conquering communication barriers:
🎓 To learn more about how to overcome specific communication barriers — from cultural to physical ones — check out our in-depth guide on the subject of communication barriers. 🔸 Example of breaking down communication barriersA team of university researchers runs into issues with team members’ clashing opinions. They cannot seem to agree on their project’s future direction. They decide to organize an in-person meeting to discuss ideas and suggestions. After a respectful debate, they conclude that their main issue is a lack of cooperation due to different communication styles and complicated means of sharing new findings. The team decides to organize more informal meetings and to start using a team communication app as a simple and efficient way of staying connected. Lead by exampleAccording to Harvard Business Review, the perceived actions of leaders influence cooperative behavior. To explain this process, we can look into Bandura’s definition of the concept of observational learning. According to Bandura, observational learning is the process of acquiring thought patterns, attitudes, and behaviors through watching others. This psychological theory sees social modeling as a way to short-cut learning processes. Following this mechanism, people subconsciously measure the pros and cons of observed behavior. If there are apparent benefits, people are more likely to model the behavior. In a business setting, senior executives carry the authority which shapes the guidelines for employee conduct. This suggests that employees will be more willing to be cooperative if they see their leaders setting the example to do so. Why leading by example is so importantSome reasons why leading by setting a positive example is crucial:
How to lead by exampleTo be able to lead by example, you should first assess your own behavior and attitude. After completing this first step, you can approach creating guidelines for employee behavior. Having finished this task, you should be prepared to follow the same rules you expect others to follow. In order to effectively lead by example, you should make sure to at all times behave in an ethical way, and to be mindful of the stated mission of your organization. Here are some ways you can lead by setting an example:
🔸Example of leading by exampleGreg has the difficult task of choosing a new team leader. His candidates are Amy and Simone, both of whom are dedicated and efficient long-term employees. Amy is persistent and goal-oriented. She gets things done in record time. She is also highly competitive and proud, which sometimes makes her hesitant to share information and cooperate with her teammates. Simone is an all-around solid worker, definitely not as efficient as Amy, but always on time nonetheless. She has a steady and detail-oriented approach to task management. Her sunny disposition is contagious, and she makes sure to always extend a helping hand. After careful deliberation, Greg chooses Simone for the promotion as he believes that her capacity for collaboration is of prime importance. He is aware that people look up to their leaders as role models — and Simone is fit for the part. Greg knows that in the long-term, it is better to place importance on teamwork, as it will eventually pay off through increased productivity and worker engagement. Set clear goals and define rolesHaving a clear purpose is the defining feature of successful teams. Another important factor behind high-performance teamwork is a team’s shared sense of accomplishment for contributing to a worthwhile goal. This sense of accomplishment comes from team members personally identifying with the set objective. When people reframe the company and team’s goals as their own, they gain intrinsic motivation to work on achieving them. In addition, many sources suggest that personally identifying with an objective makes a person less likely to procrastinate. When clear goals and objectives are set, people can imagine in greater detail what their contributions can be, and the sense of accomplishment they would feel after finishing their tasks. This mental image can help motivate people to be more productive and dedicated to their work. Why setting clear goals and defining roles is so importantHere is how clearly defining goals and expectations can be helpful:
How to set clear goals and define rolesSetting clear goals and expectations involves defining realistic objectives, and providing detailed instructions and examples of how to achieve them. To improve focus and encourage a maximally productive work environment, you can implement these tactics:
🔸Example of setting clear goals and defining rolesKayla is nervous about her first day of work at a luxury hotel. She is slightly intimidated by her new responsibilities and coworkers. Fortunately, during her training, she is provided with detailed guidelines on what is expected of her and what means will be used to assess her efficacy. She is informed of all possible scenarios and how to approach them. This has filled a knowledge gap that caused much of her uncertainty and anxiety. She can be more relaxed at her workplace as she knows what is expected of her and feels safe knowing what she needs to do when needing help. Use team collaboration toolsA fast-paced work environment requires the use of quality technology. Email is becoming obsolete due to being slow, ineffective, and hard to share. Other traditional means of communication may bring about a feeling of impatience to the younger generation of workers. Alternatives to traditional means of correspondence come in the form of team collaboration tools. Team collaboration tools are software products that provide more efficient solutions to team coordination and communication, as well as task and project management. Why using team collaboration tools is so importantHere are some major benefits to using team collaboration tools:
How to use team collaboration toolsSolutions to slow correspondence are especially relevant now that many employees work from home and need efficient means of staying in the loop. Provide your team with a way to remain connected by:
🔸 Example of using team collaboration toolsA company has a sudden spike in the number of people using its product. To accommodate this growth, new people are hired to tackle the increased workload. Over a period of a few weeks, it becomes apparent that there is a significant communication problem between old and new employees. The old workers were accustomed to the dynamics of a small team and used email to communicate. The newly hired people caused a disturbance by being used to and expecting faster means of communication. The company decides to start using a team chat app, as a more effective solution to a more fast-paced environment. In conclusionFluent teamwork is the core feature of successful organizations. It is ensured by setting clear terms of conduct among teammates. And, the most efficient way to facilitate cooperation among teammates is by having an adequate team collaboration strategy. A well-devised team collaboration strategy can put you at an advantage when it comes to group performance. It is also a great way to minimize communication failures and personal resentment among team members. Successful planning of collective work requires time and dedication but is nonetheless a worthwhile goal, as collaborative strategies ensure positive outcomes when it comes to productivity and employee satisfaction. References
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