How can you create and implement a collaborative company culture among your teams?

The rise of remote working has promoted the development of a collaborative culture, both remotely or in person, as efficient collaboration does not require a constant shared workspace. Relying on employees who know how to work together allows companies to gain in efficiency and performance, provided that a few well-established principles are respected…

Promoting a culture of sharing and collaboration

In a company, a collaborative culture goes beyond the mere sharing of resources and information. The idea is building a work environment where every team member feels heard, valued, and invested in the pursuit of common goals.

Everyone’s knowledge and skills are recognised and used to shape and drive projects forward. This not only assists better communication and collaboration between various departments but also increased motivation and job satisfaction.

Developing such a philosophy requires a commitment from managers and employees to work together, share ideas and experiences, and respect each other’s contribution. With a culture of collaboration and teamwork, companies can also attract and retain top talents.

There are several modes of collaboration that can be adapted according to the specific needs of the teams. For instance, teamwork, group projects, mentoring, and brainstorming sessions are all effective ways to encourage team collaboration. Ultimately, the most effective collaboration method will depend on the nature of the activity and the individual preferences of the team members.

Building a collaborative environment promotes creativity as well as productivity and well-being. Thus, the real challenge is to encourage the exchange and sharing among teams, whether they’re physically present in the office or working remotely.

Making the most out of collaborative tools

Thrust into the limelight during the health crisis, collaborative work tools hold no secret for (almost) everyone. Collaborative solutions, such as Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, or Trello, are excellent tools to encourage collaboration within teams, whether members are physically present in the office or working remotely.

Working on a single document together and simultaneously or developing a strategic thought process – all of this is possible thanks to these new work methods, often resulting in a better sharing of information. Collaboration tools are also valuable in limiting the effects of silos among departments:

• They contribute to spreading a shared company culture;
• They foster emulation;
• They disseminate a model of an open company;
• They soften the counterproductive effects of excessive competition among teams.

However, to create a truly collaborative culture, it is crucial to adopt a work environment that encourages information sharing, mutual trust, and respect. Technological tools are just means to facilitate this process.

Fostering knowledge management

As mentioned above, providing everyone with the best collaborative tools is simply not enough to create a culture of collaboration, as cooperation and sharing do not come by magic! It’s necessary to democratise their use and create a habit of utilisation. This is the entire challenge of knowledge management, which aims to enhance, retain and internally disseminate the knowledge and skills of each employee. This management of knowledge is a key aspect of the collaborative culture.

Make use of in-house webinars! Training courses led by employees themselves are a way of capitalising on their expertise. They foster team cohesion, strengthen the sense of community and make collaboration between departments easier by encouraging everyone to participate.

These training courses also have the benefit of being perfectly aligned with the company’s profession, processes and culture. In addition to encouraging mutual assistance and valuing employees, they boost their motivation and involvement. They also help in identifying business experts.

Developing mentorship

Whether in a virtual or traditional workplace, mentorship is a powerful tool for developing a strong and collaborative company culture.

It’s an effective way to promote collaborative culture:

• It facilitates the sharing of knowledge and experiences;
• It enables each employee to better share the reality of their position and better understand everyone’s stakes;
• It strengthens the relationships between team members;
• It enhances the sense of belonging to the company.

Mentorship also encourages cross-functionality, creates synergies and unites energies, but also makes the company more agile and transparent.

Streamlining the use of emails and meetings

An effective collaborative culture requires clear and consistent communication. However, too many emails and meetings can hamper productivity and collaboration, as they slow down production and encourage the loss of information.

It’s therefore essential to streamline these aspects to promote a collaborative work environment. Email management tools (such as Spark, for example) and meeting planning tools can help optimise these processes and ensure effective communication within the team. Meanwhile, instant messaging allows for simple and multi-party exchanges. Thanks to the thematic chains characteristic of these messaging systems, users can focus on their own files without getting scattered.

For optimal consultation and sharing, it may be beneficial to reflect not only on the channels and frequency of communications, but also on the number of participants in a video conference. A group of 4 to 6 people seems to be ideal to create great conditions for team collaboration conditions. In this regard, everything is a question of balance: a two-person team can sometimes be more effective than a large team. In other cases, a thought process can gain richness if conducted by a collective.

To build a collaborative culture within a company, commitment and efforts from all team members are required. From leadership to employees, everyone has a role to play in promoting collaboration and sharing.

By adopting the right tools and implementing collaborative work practices, companies can develop a culture that not only fosters productivity and innovation, but also employee well-being and engagement.

To learn more about how to establish a collaborative company culture, download our ‘Well-working’ white paper.