Teamwork tips: Blend technology with personal contact

  • Do the projects in your company seem to move along slowly, or even frequently stop?
  • Do your teams not seem to understand? Does information flow unsatisfactorily or unreliably?
  • Do your meetings seem to last for an eternity and are torturous for those who attend?
  • Are the objectives of your projects unclear and do staff keep doing things they’re not asked to do?

Despite all the signs that teamwork presents problems in your company, it’s quite possible that when staff are chatting in the cafe, they understand things very well, and when it’s necessary to buy the cake for the month’s birthdays, everything is resolved quickly and without conflict.

In this post, you will learn some tips on how to work as a team in your company. You’ll see that technology is a great ally, but relying on it alone is not enough.

Also see in our blog: Promote collaboration with process control software

8 Teamwork Tips to Increase Collaboration in Your Business

In a time when we’re only talking about digital transformation, using new technology to promote collaboration within the company seems to be among one of the best teamwork tips.

But what many forget is that without a collaborative context and a culture of consolidated teamwork, these mere technological measures may not produce the desired effects.

That’s why we’ve selected 8 teamwork tips for you to implement in your business and increase productivity at work.

1- Generate a sense of purpose

Whenever you start a new project, show that the objectives are not solely related to the goals and plans of the company. Make it clear to everyone that overcoming challenges and doing a job well done can be an accomplishment in and of itself.

Inspire people by trying to relate their personal goals to project development, such as professional development, developing leadership skills, or learning new technologies and methods.

If possible, throw a challenge that unites the group, such as making a presentation to the board if the project achieves the expected results.

2- Start with brainstorming

Not necessarily every project needs brainstorming, but this technique was developed precisely to encourage people to participate in a group discussion without fear of being criticized.

Maybe this is a good way to break the ice and make the group integrate and get to know each other better.

 

3. Determine a single source of truth

This is a teamwork tip that you should use regardless of whether a specific project is in progress. You need to create a file repository where you can archive the latest versions of documents, presentations, and spreadsheets.

The tip is to use shared drives such as Box, Dropbox, or Google Drive, for example.

4. Promote social interactions

People need to interact outside the work environment, to know how each one behaves in different situations and to break stereotypes and paradigms, generating empathy and bonds of companionship that will strengthen teamwork.

5. Get people to know each other better

Social networks can help involve people. They can show what people like to do in their free time, where they travel, how many children they have (or if they have), what their personal challenges and interests are, etc.

The more people get to know each other, the easier it will be to interact in groups and even know who’s best suited to perform different tasks. Allow the moderate use of social networks in the company, this can actually give you excellent results.

Steve [Jobs] and I spent months getting to know each other before I joined Apple. He had no exposure to marketing other than what he picked up on his own. This is sort of typical of Steve. When he knows something is going to be important, he tries to absorb as much as he possibly can. – John Sculley

 

 

Another of our teamwork tips is to use corporate social networks. These greatly increase the collaboration and circulation of information in the company. Some of the options are G+ corporate, Workplace and Yammer.

6- Choose a single channel of interaction (and decrease the use of email!)

Email is a form of communication that has become a real addiction in some companies. Processes become slow and information is slow to flow.

Try out new team communication platforms, such as Slack, an internal communication application that mixes chat, video and several other functionalities so that teams work better and in a more productive way.

On HEFLO the team can use the conversation tab to talk about a specific process instance.

Get to know more features of HEFLO.

7. Divide goals into smaller tasks: Create achievement milestones

Instead of setting a goal that you will only realize at the end of the project, in the not too near future, stipulate steps that the team can celebrate as partial achievements.

Surely your team’s motivation and engagement will increase.

8- Use visual progress signs

We’re not talking about the kanban methodology, although this is also an excellent tool for team and project management. We’re referring to using some form of public signage for the company, such as, for each group achievement. This can be graphics in a large picture on a wall that everyone can see, for example.

This progress “tangibilization” is another great motivational factor for teams.

Also read: Cloud-based BPM software: more mobility and collaboration

 

Do you have any other suggestion about technology and teamwork?

Any thoughts you’d like to share about today’s post? Let us know by leaving a comment!​

 

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