In a recent research conducted by business experts and data analysis, it was found that 39% of employees failed to collaborate with their colleagues, it was another shocker when 86% of higher executives and their employees had a lack of effective communication which ultimately led to workplace failures often.
How important is work collaboration?
Collaboration introduces exchange of ideas and paves way for an interactive atmosphere where each and every employee can get a brainstorming opportunity to extract the wildest thoughts possible. It eradicates problems like ego and other small conflicts due to the very collaborative nature of work. Creativity is encouraged and employees tend to indulge in healthy competition. It should be remembered that a collaborative workforce has the power to jump over any challenging deadlines and weight of expectation from the higher authorities.
These are the following steps that should be taken in a note by an employer.
• A leader’s duty
A leader should take care whether the employees are collaborating or not, proper examples should be set and gathering should be made in order to encourage collaboration at work. Creative methods should be introduced such as collaborating tools which are highly effective at this task. A leader holds an important position who is responsible for the work output and necessary changes to be brought in the workspace. Proper reports should be prepared and made available to the employees to make everyone knows where the firm is lagging and where the employees need to put in more effort collectively.
• Friendships are necessary
Employees are more likely to share and collaborate at work when they do develop friends at work and are comfortable while doing so when the friendship is stronger. There are reports which show that 27% of the friends at work were likely to admit that their friend’s opinion seen to count at work. Leaders should take care of this finding and shall see to it that friendships should be encouraged.
• Workspace diversification
When things are unplanned and happen with a blink of eye things turn out to be even more collaborative and occupying, though it also gives way to ‘collision’ at work. Offices with creative architecture which is diverse in nature boost mobility and interaction among employees. There is an increase in meeting new employees and an opportunity for the next big idea.
• Privacy shall be granted
There is a need of private compartments for important brainstorming sessions at work. With the increase in open-office concepts, there is fear among few that many important classified talks are prone to get leaked. It should be kept in mind that each workspace shall have a private room for the one and the groups who are looking for an important private discussion.
• Establish connectivity
In a big workplace it needs the employees and the employers to be connected at most of the times to discuss the goals and achievements in order to stay awake in the fierce competition it can be possible if things like ‘video connections’ and others are made possible at work it will increase the collaboration ratio and will also let the employees experience face to face interaction across corners while sitting in the chair.
• The need of social network at corporate level
This can foster employee friendships and can be the best way of sharing ideas and messages within offices in a fast way. Many companies which were facing serious employees conflict issues arising from lack of collaboration have made it evident through their data that social network in a corporate environment was responsible for catalyzing collaboration.
• Employee engagement programs are necessary
These programs not only bring multiple employees together but cultivate cultural change to accelerate workspace collaboration. Employees with similar vision and goals can come together and develop friendships thus, encouraging collaboration via the introduction to new minds.
It can be easily concluded that these steps are directed towards a better work environment which knows no wall between employees and also establishes transparency between employers and employee when it comes to knowing the organization’s workflow and performance graph. Results have shown that with the introduction of 'Open Office' architecture employees have begun to collaborate even more, scientifically it is due to the office cubicles being converted into benches and compartments being converted into brainstorming pods.
Collaboration is now easier with several third party available in the market that seamlessly integrate and provide a Virtual Social networking platform for the employees to form teams, showcase their accomplishments, appreciation, events, seek Mentorship, Learning management, and lots more. Collaboration is a core value that must be encouraged at the workplace for a Happier & more Productive environment.