With hybrid working becoming increasingly popular in many businesses, as well as increasing reliance on internet technologies within the office, it is time to get creative in the ways we can improve workplace collaboration and thus increase productivity.
It is fortunate then that we live in a tech-savvy world where advancements in technology are constantly evolving – so here are 7 technologies that can help improve workplace collaboration:
- Group Chats/Messaging Tools
How else can employees communicate with each other if they are working remotely? Instant messaging tools are ideal for instant communication between employees and may prove much faster and more reliable than email communication.
The ability to create group chats is beneficial for group projects or for overall workplace communication, especially if the number of employees is only small.
- Central Workspace
Workspace tools like Asana or Trello are perfect for keeping track of certain tasks and projects to ensure productive communication and effective project management.
Employees can monitor the ins and outs of various projects, setting deadlines and even making comments, so that everyone is on the same page.
This can help to avoid any confusion or mistakes that other team members may have so it is indeed a time-efficient and collaborative technology that should be used within the workplace.
- Video or Voice Calls/Conferencing
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt by businesses today, but something that really helped push collaboration during that time, and is currently pushing it now, is video and call conferencing.
Many applications like Microsoft Teams and Zoom enable you to host and join meetings even with more than two people, which can mean more dynamic team and group meetings.
A Unified Communications approach is recommended for seamless workplace communication, which in turn can encourage collaboration.
- Real-Time Collaboration on Documents
The ability to work on documents with others in real time is an exceptional technological evolution that is designed for optimum workplace collaboration, leading to excellent productivity.
Employees are able to edit and make comments on documents at the same time as other employees, not only saving time from having to edit it individually but also fostering productive synergy and building productive workplace relationships.
- Centralised Drive for Files/Shared Network
An easy solution to improve workplace collaboration is to establish a centralised place for employees to upload relevant documents and files for others to see.
This makes it easier for employees to view the necessary documents, relieving others from having to manually send the documents through emails which can result in delays.
- Calendar Apps
Having a calendar app has more uses than simply being able to tell you what day and month it is. You can efficiently set up meetings and invite others, and even be reminded of any meetings which can be useful if you are trying to arrange meetings for a large number of people.
- Screen Sharing
Sharing your screen with others has never been easier – workplaces can now utilise this function to effectively share their screens with other team members, saving time on having to send any documents as a quick and easy way to share information, or to even ask others for help on specific tasks.
