Education
3 Ways to Enhance Your Collaborative Working Skills
Have you started working from home due to COVID? Well, you’re not alone! A whopping 31% of employees made this switch between March and April last year.
Remote working has its perks, but there are undeniable challenges too. Case and point? Collaborating well with your team when you’re no longer in the same room!
Know the struggle and looking for ways to remedy the situation? Check out these 3 effective ways to enhance your collaborative working skills in 2021.
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Leverage the Right Tools
The secret to effective collaboration within remote teams comes down to technology. Everything from CRMs and specific collaboration software to tools for project management (not to mention good old-fashioned email and phone calls) play a major role here. They make it possible to stay in close communication with colleagues, track workflows, access data, and stick to deadlines.
With no shortage of tools available, though, the trickier part’s picking the best ones for the job! To decide, start by thinking about your personal challenges when it comes to teamwork and then experimenting with viable solutions. From Zoom and Slack to the specialist software on this page, it shouldn’t be long before you find something that fits.
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Schedule Regular Online Meetings
Trust us, regular and ongoing communication is another core component to success here! Not only does it facilitate problem-solving and project management, but it also improves camaraderie, reduces isolation, and builds relationships. People feel supported too, which boosts both teamwork and productivity even more.
Alas, with different time zones, schedules, and home-life responsibilities to consider, finding the perfect moment for a conference call can be easier said than done.
That’s why it’s important to schedule them in advance! By booking meetings and check-ins ahead of time (for specific days/times of the week), the team can organize their other responsibilities around them. That means no more missed meetings and long absences of contact!
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Utilize Different Channels of Communication
It’s true that communication’s crucial for collaboration. Yet it’s important to employ channels that are appropriate for a) the messages being sent and b) the person/people receiving them.
For example, it’d be inconvenient and unnecessary to schedule a video call to ask someone on the team a quick question. A direct message on WhatsApp might be better for the task. For more complex matters, though, a quick conference call could be preferable over a hectic group chat with hundreds of messages.
Read Also: Communicate Better By Practicing Purposeful Facial Expressions
The result? You have to exercise care when choosing the right channels for the task. Always stop to consider which one will deliver the results you want in the quickest and most efficient fashion.
Time to Enhance Your Collaborative Working Skills
Working as a team is a core element of everything from productivity to employee satisfaction. Unfortunately, it becomes a much greater challenge when you transition to a remote work setup! With any luck, though, the suggestions in this article will help enhance your experience of collaborative working in these situations.
Would you like to learn more about this important topic? Search ‘Team’ on the website now.
