Enterprise collaboration tools cover a broad spectrum, and it’s important to educate users on choosing the right tool for a given context. If you don’t have efficient, organized ways of working, getting the latest tools or methodology won’t automatically make your company more efficient.
It’s no secret that having disorganized files and information slows employees down, but the stakes are higher with today’s digital workplace. Instead of just knowing how to file a document so that you’re able to find it again, now you need to know what information to put in an email, what to post on Yammer and what to upload to your corporate intranet or project site.
The big challenge for employee productivity isn’t disorganized content as much as the fact that there is no standardized methodology in place. Plenty of people have their own preferences and ways of working that don’t align well with others in the organization. When you don’t have a standard methodology and guidelines for what technology to use when, it creates a huge drag on productivity.
That’s why it’s important to identify the best tools for certain scenarios and educate your users on their differences. If you have a quick question, for example, use IM. If you need an acceptance from more than one person, and it needs to be recorded, use email so that you have a copy for future reference.
On the other hand, if you’re working on a team and tracking activities, use the team site or collaborative environment, so that the whole group is able to see the updated status, rather than just an individual. The point is to match the type of interaction with the best method and tool to get the most value from the collaboration efforts.
In the end, it’s not enough to just adopt the latest collaboration tools — if you don’t have streamlined processes and guidelines for using these tools, don’t expect significant improvements. The first step is admitting that your company needs to improve its approach to collaboration.
When organizations have good content management and collaboration tools in place, they’re often more successful in terms of delivery and acquiring new business. While there are countless ways to improve efficiency in collaboration and content management, don’t try to change everything at once. Identify a place to start — preferably a small activity in which many people participate. Your results in this initial effort should reveal the potential for greater organizational benefits.
Learn more about creating the right enterprise collaboration strategy for your organization by contacting Portal Solutions.