Since employees are no longer 100% office based and instead a hybrid mixture of working from home and the office – collaboration in the workplace has changed, but how can you create a culture where team work still exists and improve overall staff morale for longevity?
Firstly, why is collaboration in the workplace important?
Individual employees bring different skill sets into the workplace, whilst certain team members may be better at organisational and operational tasks others may be more creative. By encouraging the combining of forces and learning from each other you can increase overall output and meet business goals.
How do you create culture where collaboration is important?
Firstly, the C-suite needs to be onboard with the idea that collaboration is important, an open culture will need to be created in the organisation. An open culture is where all employees (from senior to junior members of staff) feel valued and are encouraged to share knowledge, skills and ideas with their co-workers.
Regular team check-ins
Whether you are organising a weekly team meeting (virtually or in-person), it is good for team morale to have regular check-ins where everyone can talk about projects they have been working on, pain points during the week or discuss their achievements. It is also an opportunity for team members to ask for help if they are unsure about a challenge they are experiencing. For collaboration purposes and to get the most out of the team meeting it also important that there is a time limit on these meetings to keep them productive and efficient.
Accountability
In a collaborative workforce model, it is important to highlight the knock-on effect if tasks or projects are not finished or completed satisfactorily by individuals and to clearly demonstrate what it will mean for colleagues who have to pick up this shortfall and how it may increase or impact upon their own workload. Ownership and responsibility plays a big part of collaboration and it should not be underestimated.
How can collaboration play part for longer staff retention?
A collaborative workplace ensures that employees feel valued, trusted and feel part of a wider team where they can make an impact during their careers.
Do you have any additional suggestions how to create a collaborative workplace? Let us know!