7 Innovative Ways to Improve Collaborative Working

Although you can’t choose your co-workers, you can decide to do what you can to improve collaborative working. Keep reading for 7 of the best ways to do it.

1. Know Your Co-Worker’s Strengths and Weaknesses

We all come from different places – so, inevitably, we’re all going to have different ideas about how to get things done. By identifying what people are good at, and what they’re not so good at, you’ll be able to work out how to pair people together to make the best team.

This will help in terms of collaborative working due to a better understanding of the different types of personalities that make up your team.

2. Determine Roles and Responsibilities

Now that you’ve analysed your team, it’s time to assign roles and responsibilities. You can do so by dividing up the given project into tasks and allocating those tasks to the people who have the necessary ability to complete them. This will empower each team member by giving them a sense of importance within the wider team.

3. Create an Atmosphere of Trust

Trust is the foundation of solid collaborative working. Setting up realistic goals is a good starting point because it shows you are able to manage performance in a way that motivates the team members. Setting up these milestones will ensure that each member of the team understands what’s expected of them. And, when a team can trust each other, it’s easier to have a healthy approach to the project and admit if a mistake happens, minimising the damage.

4. Nurture Creativity

Encourage your employees and colleagues to question everything. Allow questions and put them in a non-judgmental framework. This will allow a unique company culture to be developed that will help your employees to feel fulfilled and work better together, especially when they’re in a collaborative role.

To further support your team’s creativity and collaboration, you might consider a Microsoft Teams phone system (such as this example from Gamma: https://www.gamma.co.uk/products/microsoft-teams-telephony/), allowing even remote teams to efficiently discuss projects from wherever they are.

5. Make the Workplace Homely

Most people spend as much time, if not more, in the workplace as at home, so it’s vital to make the workspace as homely as possible. Encourage employees to bring items into the office that can prevent them from feeling alienated or disconnected from the world. This is one of the best things you can do to ensure that colleagues feel happier and more attached to the company they work for.

6. Listen to Your Employees

Never underestimate the importance of employee insight. Putting an employee in a situation where they’re able to make decisions sends a message to everyone about the company’s commitment to a responsive workplace approach – something that’s vital in ensuring that everyone feels able to voice their opinions and collaborate as a team.

7. Lead by Example

As a leader in a workplace, you must support the strategies you propose, or the work will be in vain. No matter where you fall in the authority chain, lead by your own example as constructive change will affect you in a positive way. This means communicating, compromising and always staying open to innovative tools for better collaboration.

And there you have it, 7 innovative ways you can improve collaborative working in your business.