Remote work and an overall shift in mindset have changed the landscape of the modern workplace. Top-down leadership styles are increasingly falling out of favor while team-oriented efforts are gaining popularity. Business owners and managers must emphasize collaboration to create positive, productive work environments.

What Is a Collaborative Workplace?

In a collaborative environment, employees cooperate at all levels of the organization to achieve shared objectives. They also communicate frequently to ensure everyone is on the same page. Collaborative software has made it easier than ever to communicate remotely — the market was worth $5.1 billion in 2022.

The opposite of a collaborative workplace is a siloed organization where people work individually. In this workplace model, communication is sparse, absent or inefficient, and problems can arise due to miscommunication.

The Benefits of Collaboration

Cooperating on shared objectives creates a positive workplace culture where people can freely express their thoughts and ask for help as necessary. Collaboration dismantles rigid hierarchies and gives every team member a voice and the chance to contribute something meaningful. It also unifies the staff as they work toward a common goal.

In many cases, collaboration helps people accomplish their goals faster and more efficiently. Being part of a team can motivate people to perform better because their actions affect everyone. It also encourages transparency and honesty.

Collaboration also helps employees and managers stay on task and know what’s going on with each other. Open communication becomes especially important in remote workplaces, where there is no direct supervision.

How to Improve Collaboration

Remote work has made it harder for some team members over the past three years to communicate with each other due to time zone differences, slow response times and the absence of nonverbal cues. However, embracing collaboration is still possible even when people don’t physically interact in an office.

1. Use Digital Tools

Collaboration tools like Slack and Mango allow remote or in-person teams to communicate online. They make it easier to send quick messages to individual workers, post updates for the whole staff, share files in real-time or view to-do lists.

Videoconferencing apps like Zoom also foster collaboration — especially for people working at home — as do emails, instant messages and even phone calls. Sometimes, simplicity is best.

2. Schedule Collaborative Meetings

Collaboration usually happens naturally in an office setting. However, remote teams or workplaces without a collaborative culture often need a boost. Scheduling meetings to work on team projects or brainstorm new ideas nurtures team building, even if it initially feels forced.

It’s essential to organize the meetings in advance to ensure everyone — even lower-level team members and new hires — gets a chance to speak. Giving every worker a chance to talk can provide valuable insights and improve teamwork overall.

3. Reward Innovation 

Business leaders should look for people who think outside the box and create new solutions. Recognizing great innovations encourages forward thinking and can give the company a competitive edge in its industry. Rewarding people for expressing their ideas also fosters greater collaboration.

4. Host Team-Building Exercises

Team-building exercises don’t have to be formally described as such. They can be after-work social events like trivia parties, board game nights or even beach cleanups.

Giving staff a chance to befriend each other outside of work fosters collaboration on the job. It also helps newcomers integrate into the workplace and feel comfortable around their coworkers. When people feel like part of a social unit, they’re less likely to quit when the going gets tough.

5. Identify Strengths

When putting together groups for work projects, it’s important to be realistic about workers’ strengths and weaknesses. Recognizing these traits allows business leaders to assemble teams of people who complement each other.

For example, workers who struggle when talking to clients can pair with employees with strong people skills. What team members cannot do on their own becomes possible by collaborating.

6. Set Clear Goals

Business leaders should make sure their teams know what is expected of them. Workers need to know what time to show up, their roles, who they should be working with and how long each project should take. These expectations are a crucial component of decision-making when collaborating.

7. Encourage Open-Minded Thinking

Diverse workforces bring new ideas, experiences and behaviors onto the team. That’s great for collaboration and social bonding among employees. Business leaders should encourage creativity, open-mindedness and respect for other viewpoints among their staff.8. 

8. Celebrate Successes

Even minor achievements can be cause for celebration. Business leaders should publicly celebrate employees’ successes, whether by throwing a group party or even just giving them a shoutout during meetings. Boosting workers’ confidence shows them they aren’t taken for granted and inspires them to keep contributing to the team.

Fostering Teamwork

Collaborative working environments do more than just boost morale — they also encourage problem-solving, improve productivity and make the whole team more efficient. These changes can result in greater profit margins and better talent retention in the long run, so business leaders should take steps to improve collaboration.