HOW TO BOOST COLLABORATION AT YOUR WORKPLACE
All great companies run off ideas, because they know that this will enable them to adapt to any industry changes that take place. If there’s a culture of creativity, then what shifts can stand in the way? It’s when a company is locked into one way of being that problems arise. One of the best ways to bring ideas into your business is to boost collaboration. This will help not only to give your employees a space to air their ideas, but also to receive feedback and actively work on them. But of course, collaboration won’t just happen: you’ll need to create an environment in which it can thrive. We take a look at a few ways to do this below.
Hire Team Players
It all begins with the employees that you’re hiring. If you’re bringing on board people that are not only capable of working with others, but actively thrive off it, then you’ll be off to a good start. Of course, getting the right people is a challenge, and even if a candidate has a history of collaboration, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll fit in with your business. Give yourself the best chance of success by hiring people that fit in with your broader company culture.
Give Them Space
It’s all good and well hiring team players, but you’ll also need to look at your role in creating collaboration, too. In some companies, it’s not the employees that are the issue, but the bosses. The main issue has to do with space. You should provide physical space and time for people to work together, and also creative space -- there’s only so much that they can achieve if you’re micromanaging them every step of the year. Back off, and trust them to work together and come up with good ideas.
The Right Tools
There are certain tools that you’ll need your business to have if it’s going to have a culture of collaboration. Your employees might be eager to work together, but they might find it difficult if the company doesn’t have the latest software and tools that’ll help them. One smart way to encourage collaboration is to get vdr software; this will allow your employees to securely access and edit files from wherever they are, so teams don’t necessarily have to be in the same space to work on their projects.
Getting To Know Each Other
It’s much easier for people to collaborate if they already know one another. As such, it’s recommended that you create an environment where colleagues can slowly become friends. This will involve having breakfasts as a company, or having after work drinks, or going on company team-bonding weekends. During the course of these social gatherings, people will have space to chat -- and might just find that they have similar interests to one another. They’ll also have a better understanding of each other’s skills and temperament, and of what each member can bring to the table when they’re working on a company project.
Host Regular Brainstorming Sessions
Brainstorming is a great way to develop new ideas and get everyone in the room involved in the creative process. But sometimes, brainstorming can be a bit too chaotic and unproductive. These creative thinking sessions will help to focus everyone’s attention and get the best ideas out of everyone in the room. Supply the team with THC drinks, snacks, and anything else they may need to get the creative juices flowing. So encourage employees to work together on projects and come up with new ideas as a team. This will help to foster a sense of camaraderie and collaboration amongst the group.