Workplace Collaboration Made Easy: Strategies, Templates, and Best Practices

Increasing workplace collaboration is crucial for fostering a productive and engaged team. By embedding collaboration into the company culture, setting clear communication guidelines, and encouraging teamwork at every level, organizations can create an environment where employees thrive together.

Collaboration can help your team improve the quality of what’s known as middle work or, as described in the Smartsheet Future of Work Management Report 2023, “the work that happens day in and day out as teams work to complete a project, such as establishing reliable workflows, incrementally completing smaller tasks, and communicating well.”

The authors of the report also note the boost to employee morale that comes with improved collaboration: “when projects run smoothly (as opposed to simply being delivered on time), people notice that the work feels more satisfying (56%), that stress levels are lower (54%), and that they have more control over their workday (49%). Smoother-run projects also enable team members to gain better focus on their project contributions while at work (42%).”

The following are key strategies to enhance collaboration in your workplace. You can also learn more about how to improve team collaboration skills in this basic guide to teamwork and collaboration.

• Foster Collaboration as a Value: Establish collaboration as a core value in your company culture. Clearly communicate its importance and set specific goals that emphasize teamwork. When collaboration is prioritized, it becomes a natural part of daily operations.
• Establish Communication Standards and Encourage Open Communication: Develop clear guidelines for communication to ensure effective teamwork. Regular team meetings and open dialogue should be encouraged to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing ideas. This openness supports innovation and ensures all voices are heard.
  
  

  

  
  Jillian Knoepfel, Content Operations Manager at Smartsheet, highlights the importance of clear roles and open communication in fostering effective collaboration.
  
  "Establishing clear roles and responsibilities ensures that each team member understands their role and how they fit into the greater team or organization,” she says. “By defining clear objectives and expectations upfront, we can avoid overlapping duties and ambiguity, which fosters a more collaborative environment. Encouraging open communication is also vital. We need to create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas, concerns, and feedback. Utilizing collaboration tools that allow real-time communication ensures that conversations flow in the context of the work being done."
• Invite Co-Creation: Promote a culture of co-creation by organizing brainstorming sessions and discussions. Encourage team members to collaborate on ideas and projects, fostering a sense of shared ownership and creativity.
• Lead by Example: As a leader, demonstrate the collaborative behavior you wish to see in your team. Actively engage in teamwork, encourage participation, and show that collaboration is valued at all levels of the organization.
• Build Time for Team Bonding: Organize team-building activities that allow colleagues to strengthen their relationships outside of work tasks. These informal interactions help build trust and understanding, which are crucial for effective collaboration.
• Highlight Successful Teamwork: Recognize and celebrate instances of successful teamwork. Sharing these success stories not only motivates but also serves as a model for others, demonstrating the tangible benefits of collaboration.
• Offer Mentorship Opportunities: Provide mentorship programs that focus on developing collaboration skills. Mentorship can facilitate knowledge sharing and support professional growth, helping to build a more cohesive and capable team.
• Set Goals Collaboratively: Involve the entire team in the goal-setting process to ensure alignment and commitment. Collaborative goal-setting encourages innovation and ensures that everyone is working toward the same objectives.
  
  

  

  
  Amelia Ransom, VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Smartsheet, shares her thoughts on the importance of goal alignment and open-mindedness in successful collaboration.
  
  "One of the things I think about when it comes to collaboration is that you should align at the beginning on what the goals are. What are we trying to accomplish?” she says. “If I'm collaborating with my colleague and our teams are working on a specific project, I like to align early.”
  
  Ransom also stresses the importance of listening and remaining open to other perspectives. “Don’t write other people’s lines,” she says. “What I mean by that is, when you collaborate, don’t have an expectation of what the other person is thinking or how they might respond. You don’t write other people’s lines for them; you write your own lines and take accountability for yourself. You can influence other people, but you can’t change them, particularly when you’re collaborating."
• Be Flexible: Adopt flexible strategies that accommodate the diverse needs of your team members. Recognize that different working styles exist, and support these differences to foster a more inclusive and collaborative environment.
• Use Shared Tools: Implement collaborative tools that centralize work and communication. Ensure that all team members have access to the same resources and updates, making it easier for them to work together efficiently and stay aligned on projects.
   

To learn more about selecting collaboration tools, check out this essential guide to collaborative work management software and this article on selecting the right online collaboration solution for your team.