Successful Collaboration in the Workplace

2 years ago

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success”.

This phrase from Henry Ford shows how to get to the stage of “collaboration”. The idea is to move from the individual stage to that of a group. Then from the group to the team. Finally, collaboration and team cohesion will help achieve the objectives set.

To work together is to collaborate. It is taking the responsibilities that are ours to move in the same direction as his colleagues. It is taking and holding one's place while being vigilant to the needs of others. All of this with the sole aim of achieving the objectives set.

The difference between a group and a team is the common goal. In a team, everyone is focused on the common goal. Working together is, therefore, to agree on the objective and want to obtain results

The Importance of Collaboration

Collaboration is interesting in that it, first of all, makes it possible to increase productivity. To collaborate is to contribute to a result.

The different parts of service must learn to work well together in order to achieve the objectives and results using a minimum of resources (time, money, material, etc.). To do this, teamwork must be initiated by one or more person (s) capable of leadership.

Collaboration is also aimed at sharing an interest. It can in particular make it possible to improve existing degraded working relationships with a person belonging to our professional environment. Collaborating on a project allows affinities to be created and/or reinforced, and

The social bond is developed thanks to the donation and the counter-donation. In co-working spaces, and given the new open-space way of working, exchanges between employees are inevitable and make it possible to bring together individual intelligence.

Collaboration tools make it possible to bring teams together. Making people work together, and carry out projects, the result of collaborative work.

Why Can Collaborating Be Difficult To Work Together?

Collaborating effectively requires a certain emotional maturity. Good management can help in this sense, as well as working in a group on a daily basis. The working relationship is accompanied by often irrational behaviors, due to the many inherent flaws in human beings: hostile envy, fear of losing, judgment.

The fact of working together in the right way is particularly correlated with the corporate culture and the tools made available to employees to develop collaboration.

Maintaining cohesion through team mobilization is first of all essential to the foundations of a solid collaboration.

The Importance of Tools for Working Together

In the digital age, technological tools are of paramount importance. They make it possible to work and exchange effectively and thus increase the productivity of the teams. The emergence of collaborative tools, such as Slack or Google drive to name only the best known, allows the creation of a virtual team.

Having to work together has never been easier. There is no longer any need to communicate verbally, just writing to each other or sharing documents online. The collaborative platform system is revolutionary since employees are equipped with tools allowing them to work remotely.

It goes without saying that real and personalized interactions remain essential for a long-term and quality collaboration. Working with tools is convenient, but human relations play a central role.

Since the start of the health crisis, teleworking has however reinforced the use of collaboration tools to the detriment of “physical relationships”. This can pose a problem in terms of human relationships, and psychosocial risks. But what undeniably helps to maintain the growth of companies.

External Factors That Greatly Influence the Way We “Work Together”

The ability to work together depends in particular on the personality. But, whatever your qualities or your faults, know that the collaborative spirit is not a natural characteristic.

This can be learned and requires certain behaviors, as well as certain tools.

It makes it possible, in all cases, to make links between the teams, to contribute to a better living together, and to federate the working groups.

Coaching such as training or seminars can encourage collaboration. In particular to make multigenerational strata and individuals work together from a distance.

Tips to effective collaboration in the workplace

Teamwork, with a great participation of all members, allows having a good result. However, it is not always easy to get everyone to participate. However, putting a few tips into practice can facilitate group work and achieve the desired result. Here's how to do it.

Create an Inspiring Work Environment

Whatever our preferred working style, sometimes we need to focus on a single task and sometimes work with other people. A workplace offering both private and common spaces is the one that is most likely to foster innovation and allow everyone to give better results. Office tables for independent work, meeting rooms for project groups, a relaxation area for social interactions offer everyone the possibility to choose the place that allows you to relax and invest the most possible.

Find the Ideal Balance between Open Space and Closed Office

Rather than making the choice of all open space or any closed office, it is better, first of all, to seek balance and see how your employees react to changes. Often the ideal is to have a mixed area that integrates the two models: offices without partitions, small individual booths for telephoning / concentrating, conference and meeting rooms.

Combining open spaces and closed spaces allows you to meet the different needs of employees. Your offices must be flexible to allow them to have both “us” and “me” spaces, reconciling discussion with concentration.

Always Respect Your Colleagues

Respect above all else, we cannot insist enough on this point.

Respect goes through politeness, “hello”, “thank you”, “please”, but respect is also:

·      Do not denigrate your colleagues

·      Wait until his colleague has finished speaking to address himself

·      Do not address your colleague like a child

·      Recognize the professionalism of his colleague, even if he has less experience than you

·      Accept that we are all different

Be Prepared To Share Ideas

In our personal lives, we are used to constantly communicating online with others. But it's often forgotten that it's the principles behind the technology (rather than the technology itself) that help us build these networks.

Yes, email is fundamental to effective collaborative work, but so are paper and writing instruments. Brainstorming allows people to think more freely, without fear of judgment. It also encourages open and ongoing collaboration to solve problems and generate innovative ideas.

Other Tips for Effective and Harmonious Teamwork

In a group, it is important to be considerate of each other. If one of the members becomes less efficient or if he shows signs of stress, do not hesitate to talk to him about it to reassure him. Everyone should feel supported in the event of difficulties. Likewise, if an employee finds himself stuck in a task, consider helping him or her to suggest some solution approaches.

In addition, in the event of a problem, avoid isolating yourself in the hope of finding the solution on your own. If you are in a team, it is good to face this kind of constraint together. In addition, it never hurts to use humor, even while working. On the contrary, it is a good way to relax the atmosphere and forget about possible personal problems.