5 Ways to Improve Workplace Collaboration

1. Provide inspiration: Business leaders need to be active collaborators, receptive to hearing new ideas as well as working with teams on promising new concepts. Leaders should make it a habit to use collaboration tools, such as web conferencing and social media, when interacting with coworkers.

2. Foster creativity: Leaders should have the courage to shift from a command-and-control management philosophy to an approach that is more collaborative. When a co-worker’s promising idea becomes reality, organizations should reward creative thinkers with recognition, bonuses and promotions.

3. Help workers “collide”: Great ideas are often born when coworkers literally bump into each other. This doesn't happen much when they hide inside their cubicles. A powerful wireless network and the freedom of a bring-your-own-device policy can allow the mobility that fosters this movement.

4. Set aside private spaces: The traditional conference room may be receding into history, but workers still need a quiet, comfortable location where they can talk to each other face to face.

5. Encourage cross-functional interactions: An organization’s engineering and marketing teams may not have much in common with its finance or human resources staff, but getting departments to work cooperatively spurs innovation and helps enterprises grow. Department leaders should meet regularly to identify areas where interdepartmental collaboration could be beneficial to the entire organization.

To learn more about how collaboration is changing and impacting enterprise IT, read our story "What Businesses Need to Create Collaborative Workspaces."