Sometimes, collaboration solutions are obvious — smattered all over the first page of Google. Other times, it takes a bit more ingenuity and creativity really boost workplace collaboration.
With many offices transitioning to a hybrid workplace or remote work conditions, the use of collaboration technology has never been more important. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there. Any company that falls apart gets left behind. If any technology can improve interactions among employees, it’s well worth the investment.
From strategies to technology, every little bit helps. Let’s have a look.
Collaboration strategies
Collaboration begins with an idea and is spurred to life by supporting systems and technology. Still, the foundations for collaboration are just as important as the supporting software. Here are a few strategies to build a solid foundation for the best workplace collaboration:
- Lead by example. Encourage employees to connect and collaborate through example. This investment can improve the workplace experience, giving employees the confidence to make other connections.
- Set quantifiable goals. Achievable goals boost morale and support momentum. Teams can work together to achieve these goals instead of employees competing with one another.
- Offer one-on-one guidance. Make your interactions personable, therefore encouraging interaction through example and guidance.
- Encourage responsibility. Take care to not micromanage. Instead, delegate roles, make sure the team is aware of who is responsible for what, and let them figure the rest out.
- Encourage relationship building. Set up social time outside of the office so employees have opportunities to build relationships that aren’t job-centric.
Collaborative technologies
With your foundations in place, the right tech can turbo-boost the effectiveness of your in-house collaboration. Below is a selection of the best workspace collaboration software:
SaaS solutions
SaaS tools are cloud-based solutions that support users via an internet connection. Meaning, most SaaS platforms can be accessed from nearly any device anywhere.
This type of technology is perfect for connecting employees. Some SaaS communication tools are must-haves for effective team collaboration.
- Project management. SaaS project management tools are designed to unite teams toward common goals. The best project management software is scalable to accommodate your team size, budget, and guest access (as needed). Examples include Monday, Trello, and Jira.
- Collaboration solution. Collaboration solutions are SaaS tools that connect employees, allowing them to converse and collaborate no matter the distance. These solutions support conversations that flow naturally, compared to halting discussions over email. Collaboration solutions include Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Chat.
- Video conferencing. Video conferencing is a must-have for any flexible workplace or hybrid office. Employees can only achieve limited teamwork through instant messaging or emails. In a video conference, participants see a bigger picture complete with facial expressions, tone of voice, and other body languages. Video conferencing tools include Zoom, Google Meet, and Webex Meetings.
Workplace management
Over the last two years, there’s been a focus on remote teams and hybrid work. Yet, many companies are forgetting that the work environment can be enhanced too. Drastically so.
Which is the reason we released Joan: the everything-workplace-management system. While many workplace management solutions cover the basics (meeting rooms, collaboration spaces), Joan aims to cover everything — quite literally. Find out how:
Meeting room management
Joan began as a meeting room management system — albeit a powerful one. Joan room booking lets users easily book any room or space from anywhere. The solution drastically reduces the occurrences of overrun meetings, room squatters, and no-shows.
Among Joan meeting room reservation solutions are the Joan 6 and Joan 6 Pro wireless room displays. These e-paper displays are the best defense against mismanaged meeting rooms. Employees can check a room’s schedule at a glance. If a room is available, they can reserve it directly from the device’s touch screen. The booking will update in real time, seamlessly syncing across the company’s in-house calendar.
Better yet, Joan analytics offer rare insights into meeting rooms and how they’re used. Office managers can discover which rooms are most popular, how many meetings went unattended, the types of meetings, and more. This data helps managers improve the workplace, making it as efficient and effective as possible.
Desk booking
It didn’t take the Joan team to realize the capabilities of asset booking. Before long, Joan was powerful enough to manage desk booking too. Through the Joan mobile app, employees can locate and reserve a desk, workstation, or company asset with a tap. What’s more, employees can now reserve company assets including everything from spare monitors to parking spaces.
Joan office wayfinding solutions help employees book the resources they need and find them too. The app is all-around user-friendly from setup to desk booking.
Extra extra
We’ve covered three points now: building your foundation, adding your collaboration systems, and setting up your office to support employee interaction. Still, with technology being released every day, there are some out-of-the-box ideas on the market.
Here are some:
Augmented reality
Some companies use augmented reality (AI) to support internal collaboration. Augmented reality is a technology that superimposes two or three-dimensional graphics over real-world objects. This technology can significantly help virtual team members share ideas and concepts over distances. Rather than tell their idea, they can show it.
Through visual stimulus, augmented reality has the power to get employees invested in each other and each other’s ideas. Much like seeing a jigsaw puzzle laying on the table in front of you, you get the urge to complete it. The experience prompts more engagement than video conferencing or instant messaging can replicate.
Brainstorming tools
With companies becoming increasingly distributed around the world, it’s hard to keep track of every project, every idea, every action point, priority, problem-solving, and more. Cloud-based brainstorming is a great way to keep all project information in one easy-to-access place and share information across teams.
Brainstorming tools are like giant virtual whiteboards. Only, they’re accessible from anywhere by any team member. Employees can catch up to their team’s progress by logging into their brainstorming solution no matter where they are or what timezone. The top brainstorming software includes Stormboard, Miro, and Cacoo.
Social platform
Social media is hype. It’s the addiction the majority of people feed in the morning, at lunchtime, at bedtime, and anytime in between. So, it’s only logical for companies to capitalize on our need to share ourselves and partake in online social environments.
Surprisingly, when it comes to company-based social media solutions, Yammer has a monopoly. The Microsoft platform acts similarly to Facebook, allowing groups of people to share updates, images, videos, and news.
Boost office productivity with Joan
When it comes to collaboration, the more corners you cut, the more you’ll fall behind. The companies that thrive have collaboration down-pat. They understand the importance of layering strategies, software, and tools to support great workplace collaboration.
When it comes to your office, Joan is your ticket to success. The best collaboration happens face-to-face. An office management solution can help employees have the resources they need, when they need them, to make the most out of their on-site days.
Contact our Sales team to learn more about how Joan can improve workplace collaboration in your office.
