It is almost impossible to function in a technology-focused business alone, and collaboration facilitates brilliance, but it can get out of hand if not delivered in a lean and targeted manner. Teamwork is at the heart of any business; however, when there's too much information "noise" to cope with, collaboration can suddenly become a burden, halting productivity. Knowing how to resolve the issue is crucial for seamless business operation.
Be selective
When it comes to team meetings, liaison is important, but it's often easier to communicate without the whole company's attendance.
An alternative way to ensure the key points from a meeting are communicated is to have a designated point of contact. This means ensuring someone from the department attends the meetings and then discusses the takeaways with their individual team separately. This could be anyone from your team, not necessarily the most senior or knowledgeable member: the emphasis needs to be on obtaining the necessary info in a rounded, concise manner, without over-collaboration becoming a distraction or time waster.
Leverage the right tools
How you communicate is just as important as what you communicate. Tools can become an indispensable part of your teamwork strategy when properly considered. For example, how useful is your staff intranet? Is it easy to use and streamlined for efficient communication, or clumsy and inefficient? Can your employees instantly share ideas and chat with one another to resolve issues, or does poor connectivity and/or an outdated system make day-to-day operations slower and prevent simple discussion?
If you're a team leader, you also need to assess what will be the most beneficial to your team. Consider individuals: would it make sense for them to have regular video calls, especially if you have remote workers? Would they prefer to have set times during the week where they can raise issues with you directly, rather than mentioning them as and when they arise?
Filter out the noise
Investing the time to involve and consult your team members when appropriate creates a happier and more productive team. Old and clunky technology can make communicating a chore, while some of the more modern chat platforms can make it near impossible to keep up with what's relevant.
It’s really quite simple: ease of communication + increased relevance = increased productivity. Filter out the noise and super charge your team - sign up to Noddlepod today.