Collaboration via the internet in complex businesses that we’re all familiar with, is much more than simply communicating. It’s about transferring views and ideas. In the end, team members who collaborate are more productive than they’d be without the toolkit.
A central cloud-based repository of documents, whether a simple video conferencing system or a more complex virtual workspace makes it easy to locate documents and share them with colleagues. This reduces the time people have to spend sending emails back and forth and searching for information across various sites, allowing them to save hours of their day on admin-type tasks.
However, even with best tools, effective collaboration online is dependent on two things that are process and people. First, there should be a clearly defined goal that everyone is working towards and is in alignment with. It doesn’t have to be a formalized plan. It could be as simple as an online discussion board which allows everyone to participate in discussions about how to solve a problem.
Next, the team that works together needs be able perform their work remotely. This requires a competent team that can adjust their workflows and be able to communicate with each other in different communication styles and settings. It is crucial to select the right group of employees when working on a remote task, or when moving an office. In general, you’ll need to locate people who take initiative, have solid technical abilities and are self-motivated.
