Collaboration is necessary, especially with how work processes are scattered these days. Creating a collaborative work environment is difficult in on-site work, but remote and hybrid working opportunities have become even more challenging.
Smooth communication and collaboration lead to higher efficiency and an increase in productivity. 75% of employees believe that collaboration and teamwork are important for efficient working. The power of collaboration can be deduced from the fact that effective collaboration has led to a 450% increase in employee retention.
Although it is difficult to keep everyone on the same page, modern advancements have led to the creation of Collaborative Work Management tools. These tools have made it much easier to communicate and collaborate with your team members via online meetings, comments, text messages, etc. In fact, around 56% of employers use software tools to communicate with their employees.
Since we are on the topic of collaboration, we would like to take you on a journey with us. On this journey, we will explore what collaborative work management is and what the term entails. Are you ready?
Hop right in and we are off!
What Is Collaborative Work Management?
Understanding the term collaborative work management is no rocket science. It is an offshoot of work management. It involves improving communication and collaboration within the organization.
The best thing about collaborative work management is that it does not rely on manual means of communication but uses software and tools effectively.
These tools offer a unified space to the employees where they can communicate easily, share files, documents, etc., hold discussions and do much more together. The shared space helps them stay in touch with each other even if they are not sharing a physical space.
We will talk about these tools in detail in a succeeding section below but first, let us delve into the whys. Why is it important to get tools for collaboration?
Featured Reading:
Why Is a Collaboration Software Important?
Good collaboration is akin to great results. Its importance is simply undeniable. 86% of employees and executives believe that lack of collaboration or ineffective communication accounts for workplace failures.
Using software tools to manage processes makes everything much easier. The more efficiently employees work with one another, the better the results will be. The same is the case with collaboration tools.
Moving on with the ‘why is collaboration important’ analogy, having collaboration software is important for a variety of different reasons. Following are some of the ways it proves beneficial for an organization:
1. Better Turnover:
Good collaboration translates into higher profits and generates more revenue. Uninterrupted communication means your teams work well together, leading to higher-quality products delivered on time. Better communication means fewer errors and more accurate deliveries, resulting in higher turnover.
2. Unified Platform for Data Sharing:
One of the biggest challenges teams face in modern times is sharing data with their team members. Employees must employ multiple tools and apps to exchange information with their colleagues.
However, collaboration software offers a unified platform wherein users can share data, exchange feedback, hold discussions, and leave comments.
3. Enhanced Transparency:
With the use of an appropriate collaboration tool, you can make the management process transparent to the whole organization. A bird’s eye view of the work in progress can help all employees gauge their performance and keep them updated on the project’s progress in real-time.
With the data in front of them, they can monitor their activities as well as keep up with the team.
4. No Restrictions on Locations:
Since Covid-19 hit, companies have started relying on modern modes of working i.e., remote and hybrid working. On the one hand, the unique modes of working have given way to new possibilities but, on the other hand, have also made businesses vulnerable to collaboration issues.
Collaboration tools, however, have offered the perfect solution. Employees can work from anywhere, any time, and stay on the same page with everyone else.
5. Accessibility:
Software tools are more readily accessible than manual options. Employees can be added to teams directly and start harvesting the fruits immediately. Employers can also manage accessibility with options for permissions.
Also, these tools are designed for all users and are, as such, user-friendly. Users can quickly sign up for their favorite tools and find their way through the tool in no time.
6. Higher Efficiency and Productivity:
Businesses strive to find ways that can help them improve their efficiency and productivity because both of these ultimately produce higher profits for the company.
Having a good collaboration tool in hand means you can avoid unnecessary delays, speed up the work, cut back on costs and improve the way you work. Accomplishing all of these is possible using good collaboration software and leads to higher efficiency and productivity.
How Is a CWM Different from Others?
Unlike regular management tools, collaboration tools for work management (CWM) are centered around the bottom-to-top approach, focusing on building team spirit while incorporating individual work. A collaborative work environment offers team as well as individual benefits.
Not only does it bring employees together but also makes them more self-sufficient. They learn from others and strengthen their footing in the company. The software unifies the whole business on one platform and closely binds everyone together so that the fruits of everyone’s success are also evenly distributed among all members.
Here are three ways collaboration tools work differently than regular management tools:
- Provides opportunities for new services. Users can collaborate with teams and customers to work on different services and find ways to improve these services for the customer.
- With a collaborative tool, you can promote your unique services to your customers and deliver the newest solutions to joint customers.
- Probably the best thing of all is that the capabilities of these tools are not limited to one particular department or team. They prove beneficial for the entire company. Different teams and departments get together on the platform to leverage the opportunities they offer.
Choosing The Right Tool for Your Business:
With remote and hybrid modes of working becoming popular in the world, more and more tools emerged on the scene. Now, there are hundreds and thousands of tools that have emerged on the scene. Each of these tools is specialized in one thing or another.
In the case of collaboration, the number of tools available online is frighteningly high. You can easily get lost in the hordes of online tools, and choosing a collaboration tool randomly is not an option since this tool will become an important part of your business.
But, on the same note, you cannot possibly go through all the tools and their features. To make this easier for you, we have curated some pointers to help you make the right decision. When picking a tool for your business, keep the following in kind:
1. Multiple Features:
There are tons of tools that offer specialized features. The only downside of these tools is that they only cover one aspect of the business. For a different function, you will have to invest in a different tool. Not only is this not cost-effective but also results in lots of juggling between the tools and costs a lot of time.
The best solution to all these problems is an all-in-one tool that caters to all your needs and provides a unified place for working. A tool with multiple features will help save time and will also be more cost-effective since you will only be spending money on one tool.
2. Easy To Use:
Whatever tool you finalize for your company, make sure that it is easy to use for all the employees working in the company. If you choose a tool with a complex user interface and requires lots of training before use, then it will be more harmful than advantageous.
Employees will find it hard to work with the tool, and a lot of their time and efforts will be spent navigating through the tool, pushing back the timeline.
Although you are the one choosing a tool, as a PM, it is your responsibility to take into account everyone’s skills and abilities. Before you invest in a tool, make sure that it is easy to use for everyone, not just you.
3. Foolproof Security:
A data breach is companies’ biggest concern these days. With the development of technology, new modes of hacking and privacy infringement have emerged that pose a threat to the security of your data. keeping that in mind, choose a tool that offers advanced options for foolproof security.
While you guard the data against external threats, you also have to ensure there are no leaks within. For this reason, a tool with advanced options for approvals and permission is a must.
These privacy options will help keep the info safe and secure and allow you to work with team members individually and in a group.
4. Integrations:
We have already discussed the need for a comprehensive, one-stop-shop tool, but we understand that finding such a tool is nothing less than a dream. You will have to work with multiple tools to make sure everything runs smoothly.
You can, however, make this easier by opting for a tool that allows third-party integrations. The more the merrier. It will allow you to integrate your tool with others and create a unified space where you will not have to juggle between different tools and can carry out everything using one tool only.
5. Compatibility:
Lastly, make sure that the tool of your choice is compatible with the systems already in use and that its features align with your requirements. It should support the file systems already in use in your company so that data transfer is quick and smooth.
Get. Set. Go!
If you are not already using collaboration software for work management, then it is time to do so now, lest you are left behind in the race. Find your tool and incorporate it into your business to streamline work processes and make work more efficient.
We are sure once you have the right tool in hand, your business will progress beyond leaps and bound. Don’t forget to let us know how it works out for you, let us know your experience with collaboration tools here. We would love to hear your feedback.
Till next time, goodbye!
