Collaboration is critical for office productivity, especially for social media marketing firms. In the Philippines, teamwork is highly valued but bureaucracy and hierarchy tend to interfere with openness. A truly collaborative office can maximize the talents of each member through the constant updating of work processes and the reduction of barriers to cooperation. In return, collaboration presents opportunities to realize amazing ROI and a vibrant high-morale workplace.
Here are five tips to help your office culture become collaborative.
Know Your People
Teams are made of people. Companies may try to treat them as assets but to realize their potential, it's important to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and personal interactions with others. Teams work because each member gels together with others. To know everyone, work constantly with the others, get to know them, and make sure to partner those that are most productive together.
Set Up the Right Environment
People tend to act in accordance with their environment. A closed office with high cubicles and narrow paths will prevent people from interacting with others. At M2.0, we prefer a more open layout without cubicles, where people can easily walk up to one another.
Encourage Creativity
Employees should be free to express their ideas and think out of the box. Sharing thoughts is key to collaboration. It will also boost their confidence to express opinions more often. All ideas are good. While some will be uninspired, they can still stimulate other amazing ones.
Use Technology
Collaboration doesn't end after a meeting when employees go back to their spot. Individuals still need to communicate with others effectively and even apprise every one of developments. Technology turns this into a breeze. Apps like Basecamp and Slack simplify team cooperation and project management. Read more about our five favorite apps here.
Support Social Activities
Although technology helps communication, turning a bunch of employees into a team requires face-to-face interaction. People need to connect outside of work-related tasks. Social lunches and victory celebrations help to bring people together and make them think of everyone as a family.
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