An organization thrives on effective team collaboration. With the pandemic, companies became largely dependent on team collaboration tools to sustain the company. A study by GoRemotely shows that 75% of employees regard collaboration and teamwork as important. Keeping this in mind, management must create a collaborative work environment. Team collaboration must be a seamless and beneficial process for the organization and its employees.
5 Benefits of Team collaboration in an organization
Effective team collaborations result in higher business productivity. Team collaboration is not only necessary, but it also has many other benefits, such as:
- 1. Fosters innovative thinking
An individual employee may run out of ideas at some point, but a collaborative team can bring more creativity to the table. The benefit of team collaboration is that there is diversity in thought. A team comprising people of different talents and backgrounds can think of innovative solutions. The collective exposure of multiple individuals can bring out creativity and innovation.
- 2. Enables collaborative problem solving
Solving problems as a team is a highly creative process. Employees use their collective expertise to evaluate the problem. Collaborative problem solving helps businesses see the bigger picture and take calculated risks. So, collaborative problem-solving can help businesses identify better ways to accomplish business goals.
Nowadays, virtual brainstorming tools greatly help in effective problem-solving while working with a distributed team. However, brainstorming is often an unstructured activity in meetings. As a result, employees may be pressured into giving half-baked ideas. Fortunately, modernforex academy have plenty of interactive features for asynchronous brainstorming. Virtual brainstorming tools like Digital Whiteboards and Polls help in effective problem-solving. These tools help employees to bring well-thought ideas to the table. Using collaboration tools offers ample time for employees to articulate their ideas better.
- 3. Builds closer relationships and inclusivity
Team collaboration helps in building work relationships. While working on a project as a team, employees interact with each other daily. In this way, employees can bond over a project and form long-lasting social relationships. Statistics also show that teamwork lowers employee burnout.
With conscious team-building efforts, leaders can make employees feel included. Inclusivity creates a sense of familiarity and accountability in employees. Employees who feel valued for their contributions are likelier to stay loyal to the company. Effective team collaboration can be a memorable and fulfilling experience for employees.
4. Increases business efficiency
Team collaboration is the convergence of diverse minds. Employees from various departments can collaborate to contribute effectively instead of working independently. Employees with varied expertise and standpoints come together to collaborate as a team. This helps companies break departmental silos as well as individual barriers.
Collaborative working helps a team become more productive and efficient. Businesses can save on cost and time by making judicious decisions. It improves business efficiency and helps companies explore new avenues
5. Encourages individual growth and development
Employees value companies that add value to their career graph. Team collaboration is an excellent way for employees to gain work exposure. While collaborating with team members with specialized expertise, employees get to learn new skills on the job. Managers can also ensure that new recruits are not left out by assigning each fresher to a mentor who can give them the necessary guidance to work effectively within the team.
Team collaboration helps employees to learn new techniques and approaches to resolve tough situations. Employees can also make valuable contributions to the team based on their previous knowledge. Research also shows that team collaboration leads to less fatigue, higher engagement and success rates. Leaders must ensure that employee contributions are valued, recognized and appreciated.
5 Best practices for effective team collaboration
Good team collaboration is a result of good teamwork practices. Here are a few practices that can help companies enhance the quality of team collaboration:
- 1. Review and upgrade team collaboration software
Usingforex academy software in the workplace has become a norm. Companies use many communication and productivity tools like Clariti, Microsoft Teams and Asana to make team collaboration easier. With a myriad of collaboration tools available in the market, companies can choose the right software to fit the team’s needs. Using a single team collaboration tool improves productivity to a significant extent by ensuring that employees do not need to switch between too many apps. But implementing software is only the first step. It is also important to make sure the software is kept updated.
The IT department should also conduct regular reviews and provide employees with necessary technical guidance if there are any gaps in understanding the tool.
- 2. Build personal bonds with team-building efforts
Team building is a core requirement for effective team collaboration. Employees must be provided with a space to be open, uninhibited and creative. Team building efforts make employees feel comfortable with the other employees on the team.
Regular team activities like a team’s lunch-out or a company sports event can help employees know each other on a personal level. Personal bonding translates to open communication in team meetings. The best collaboration experiences stem from mutual understanding. Encouraging work friendships can open up even the most hesitant speaker in the room. Managers must ensure that their team interactions are positive and equal. Employees must feel free to express themselves without fearing being judged or unheard.
- 3. Create a culture of inclusion and flexibility
Today’s workforce is a mix of different kinds of employees. Some work from remote locations while others work on-site. There may also be cultural, racial or personality differences. Flexibility is also significant for employee retention in modern workplaces. Employees look for companies that provide them with opportunities to work from a location of their choice.
The management must build a system of inclusion and flexibility. Building an inclusive and flexible workplace has many benefits. It drives employee engagement, improves business productivity and attracts global talents. Formulate a Diversity and Inclusion policy that establishes inclusion as a core in the company’s work practices. Train managers to demonstrate inclusive and empathetic behaviours. Leverage the right team collaboration tools to integrate remote employees seamlessly.
- 4. Set rules and goals
Setting goals and assigning roles are crucial for smooth team collaboration. Managers must express their expectations and the team goals to employees. Every employee must have a clear idea about their roles and responsibilities. This gives them a sense of accountability and avoids misunderstandings.
Similarly, managers must also establish a set of ground rules for effective team collaboration. For example, if a team conducts meetings weekly, managers can set a fixed day and time to hold the meeting at a specific time. Such rules help employees understand the workflow and company culture better.
- 5. Appoint empathetic leadership
Strong leadership is the backbone of successful teams. Team leaders must be trained to practice inclusion and empathy and encourage individual creativity. A good team leader must be able to observe employees and identify deficiencies in the workflow. An empathetic leader is an active listener. Managers must allow employees to express themselves freely. Demonstrating empathy can create trust and honesty within the team. Empathetic leaders empower employees to be driven, creative and productive.
Conclusion
Effective team collaboration is beneficial to both the organization and the employees. Teamwork improves business productivity and drives employee engagement. Employees also get the opportunity to learn, grow and contribute in a collaborative environment. Leveraging the right team collaboration tools is also an important factor. Organizations with successful teams have been pioneers of some of the greatest innovations in the business world. Effective team collaboration is a result of empathetic leadership and employee-driven company culture.
