Team Up: Improving Communication Within Your Organization
With the rise of the internet and globalization, businesses are enjoying more synchronicity across departments than ever before. Teamwork offers a myriad of benefits for the growth of any company, so it’s important to consider the best ways to encourage this within your enterprise.
The Importance of Interdepartmental Communication
Facilitates the sharing of ideas and resources
Certain procedures and ideas may have been applied in one department of the company that could, in fact, benefit the organization as a whole. Process mining can be implemented by using data in order to discover workflows that are most efficient and solve the most commonly encountered problems. Self-managing process mining is challenging, so map out a timeline and determine key stakeholders before getting started.
Encourages creativity
Many people work better when they are able to bounce ideas off each other and brainstorm as a team. By providing opportunities for collaboration, the ideas brought forward are likely to be far more structured and well thought out.
Increases efficiency
Turnaround time on time-sensitive tasks is likely to decrease when communication between parties is streamlined. Feedback between managers and their subordinates can take place quickly without the need to book meetings and factor in everyone’s availability.
Common Failure Points of Interdepartmental Collaboration
Silos
These are commonly-faced issues that occur when departments operate independently and do not share information and systems. Silos pose a serious problem when interdepartmental collaboration is necessary for task or project completion.
Distrust
Lack of collaboration and communication leads to mistrust, which ultimately hinders the growth of the company. It also makes transition challenging when employees or managers are appointed from other departments within the organization.
Guidelines
Since different departments may operate under distinct guidelines, the root cause of failure is often the lack of clear expectations for the completion of tasks. This often leads to miscommunication and conflict between teams and, in some cases, a complete breakdown in the process that halts progress.
Strategies to Improve Interdepartmental Collaboration
Facilitate Communication
- It’s important to implement a document management system with allocated file types and sending processes. PDFs are usually the preferred format for file sharing.
- Create a dedicated channel for interdepartmental collaboration where members from all departments can easily access information and resources. This can be done by setting up a shared drive or intranet site.
- Host regular meetings where employees can come together to discuss updates on projects. These meetings can be weekly or monthly, and they can be held virtually for easier scheduling.
- If your business is in a walkable locale, walking meetings are a great way to increase both the productivity and engagement of your employees. The simple act of getting up and moving helps to boost circulation and promote creative thinking, which in turn leads to more innovative ideas and solutions.
Reward Teamwork
Recognize and celebrate successes that have been achieved by giving awards, offering bonus programs, or simply by acknowledging the team’s efforts publicly. This can be done at social events or outings that allow employees from different departments to interact with each other and develop camaraderie.
It’s also vital to lead by example and show your team that you are willing to work with others to achieve common goals. This will inspire them to do the same and help to break down any barriers that may be preventing collaboration.
Report to Leadership
You can showcase the successes of interdepartmental collaboration to the company’s management or investors by creating a comprehensive report that indicates growth and improvement.
Start by defining the purpose of the report and be sure to develop a timeline for completion. Then, assign roles and responsibilities so that all stakeholders are aware of their duties. Next, set up communication channels and a document management system to share files and keep track of progress. Lastly, review the report to ensure that everyone involved is satisfied with the final product.
Interdepartmental collaboration is essential for the growth of any business. By implementing the right strategies, you can encourage a culture of teamwork that will lead to increased efficiency, creativity, and stronger relationships.
– Is your team aligned to your organisation’s vision and strategy? Consider completing a Runway Health Check – email hello@runwayhq.co for more details or contact us here.
The author: This article was brought you with thanks to our guest author, Chelsea Lamb. To read more of Chelsea’s work, please visit businesspop.net