Collaborating and working in teams in an office setting is nothing new. But in today’s modern world, connectivity has allowed us more mobility than ever before. Teams are now able to come together to collaborate from remote and geographically dispersed locations without sacrificing productivity and performance.
2020 has been a year for the books, but one thing we learned from our collective experience is the significant role that information technology plays in our daily lives. Successful collaboration in the workplace is already challenging. And it’s even exponentially harder if your team is not working in a single place, with no assistive technology to support your needs. The global pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges but has also underscored how useful and necessary technology is.
Technology is vital to overall operations and it does more than just digitize and automate. Here are some collaboration tools examples: teleconferencing software, cloud-based simultaneous file editors, as well as project management training apps.
Below are five (5) ways collaboration software and teamwork applications can boost productivity:
1. Increase Inter-Office Engagement
Communication is integral to workplace operations. And with internet connectivity, people, information, and data become readily available even when employees are working remotely. Organizations will be able to reduce fragmented structures that see departments and offices working in isolation from each other. Using collaborative software like online document editors bridge employees fostering greater information sharing and reduces redundancies in terms of work output.
2. Flexible and Remote Work Arrangements
The New York Times reports that roughly 50% of workers in the U.S. work remotely in some capacity. There are various benefits of collaboration in the workplace, but being able to adapt to remote collaboration is just as crucial.
Team collaboration tools are essential to ensuring that employees are able to remain in close contact and stay connected. Communication platforms pave the way towards flexible work environments that can support mobile workforces.
The option to work from home, work from out of state, or relocate to another country allows companies to accommodate different lifestyles and routines employees may have. This leads to employees that have a better work-life balance which in turn boosts morale and work performance.
3. Improve Business Process and Workflow
One of the biggest myths related to collaborative tools is the idea that the adoption of platforms will lead to an overabundance of software. However, most systems are compatible and can be integrated into a single platform.
Instead of having employees use their own systems, through the use of productivity platforms, team members can all access a synchronized technology environment where team members can work together effectively. Using project collaboration tools with integrated features like chats and messages, teleconferencing and the like helps with prompt troubleshooting and problem solving with greater ease.
4. Improve Transparency and Accountability
Teamwork software means increasing transparency and keeping people updated on the status of projects. Collaborative tools help employers easily monitor progress and individual performance for internal assessments and project completion. When it comes to working with partners, there is no better way to keep everyone abreast of statuses than displaying progress using a range of tools.
5. Skills Development
This new normal and fast-evolving world requires constant adjustment, retooling, and skills development in order to be able to compete and stay ahead of the competition. Collaboration software makes learning easier, more accessible, and at times, more affordable for businesses. Mastery of these tools and applications in real-world settings leads to wider adoption across an organization leading to collective growth.
Collaboration is the Future
The advantages of project collaboration software for collaborative working lies in the tools you use. The key to maximizing digital collaboration is creating a system that works for you. There is a wide range of applications in the market but in choosing your platform, two (2) key considerations must be made. First, you need to align your system to your existing resources that include your technology, manpower, and budget. Secondly, choose tools that will help you reach your business objectives.
In order to fully maximize the opportunities of technology, team members need to buy into the use of the tools. Teamwork is challenging but technological aids can improve the way we communicate, engage each other and over time, transform the way people work. Collaboration working tools allow team members to work in real-time from all across the globe. Modern workspaces need to be early adopters to avoid being left behind and attract young talent.
The future of collaboration tools is bright – as technology continues to evolve, we will see collaboration becoming more convenient, seamless, and affordable. Tools are expected to integrate with artificial intelligence and machine learning that will be able to make intelligent and accurate predictions that can direct decision making.
With the right team productivity tools like Leverice, enterprises can fast-track growth by improving productivity, fostering collaboration, and even increase innovation.
