In recent years, collaborative tools in the office have become the standard for inter-office communication among small businesses and enterprises alike. These tools can provide a lot of help to ensure that workplace collaboration goes smoothly and efficiently. Here are some of the best tools to use for smart, effective collaboration in the workplace:
Set Meetings with EventBoard
Each team member has their own specific requests and suggestions for better collaboration in the workplace. Most of the time, it falls upon a project manager to hear these suggestions out. Making sure everyone’s voice is heard is an important part of successful workplace collaboration, and all requests for team meetings should be honored and taken seriously. However, it’s also the place of a project manager to ensure that meetings are kept efficient, productive and to the point. One of the best collaborative tools in the workplace is EventBoard, which provides a strict template to make sure that meetings stay on-topic and don’t go over time. Having a strategy for each meeting, however small, is key to making sure no one feels that their time is being wasted.
Many companies feel the need for regular, large-scale company meetings. While these meetings can accomplish a lot and be great for collaboration in the workplace, they also have a tendency to drift off and become unfocused. EventBoard lets managers control the size and frequency of team meetings, and provides tools to help teams stay focused. Meetings work best when each team member knows what’s expected of them, in terms of timing, points of discussion and problem-solving. Keeping meetings focused on solutions and strategizing will help everyone stay on task.
Establish Accountability with Planview AdaptiveWork
Project management software like Planview AdaptiveWork can be one of the most helpful collaborative tools in the workplace. By using Planview AdaptiveWork to schedule meetings, set concrete goals and implement working strategies, most of the potential for confusion and crossed wires is removed from future workplace collaboration. Planview AdaptiveWork also makes it possible for each team member to know exactly what their duties are in any given project. One of the dangers of a collaborative office environment is the possibility of workers being able to “pass the buck” too easily. This can be avoided with a project management system that allows project managers to openly assign roles and create specific responsibilities for team members. Clarity is the most important aspect of any collaborative project—the clearer each team member is about what is expected of them, the more smoothly the project will go.
Establish “Think Time” with MindMeister
One of the dangers of running a collaborative workplace environment is the potential for over-communication. When companies begin investing time toward scheduling meetings about meetings, the result can be unproductive for workers. Chat apps like Slack can be great for establishing a running dialogue between key team members, but an app like MindMeister fosters a deeper kind of creative independence for individuals. The app allows team members to share their ideas and suggestions in a collaborative way via a cloud-based format. Establishing a part of the day when no one is allowed to have meetings is not only good for team morale, it offers workers a chance to nourish their own skills and problem-solving techniques. MindMeister gives workers a chance to think critically and use their individuality to solve problems.
