Collaboration is key to any organization's success. It boosts productivity, engagement, and interpersonal relationships, ultimately leading to a 50% reduction in turnover rates. With the rise of remote work and global outreach, the need for a collaborative workspace has never been greater. Unfortunately, physical distance can lead to social isolation, which can severely impact employee performance.
Twitter isn’t the only company to ban remote work; in fact, recently many corporate giants such as Apple, General Motors, Yahoo, Reddit and Google have revised their work from home policies and have switched to on-site work, on the other end, recent studies and surveys suggest that remote work is currently thriving and will continue to do so in future. In a survey by Gallup, conducted in 2022, it was revealed that 8 out of 10 employees are either working in a hybrid or a remote work environment. As for the future, an AT&T study showed that by 2024, it is predicted that the hybrid work model would grow up to 81%. Numerous other studies have consistently shown tremendous benefits of remote work, including increased employee productivity and profitability of an organization. Despite all this, why is it that many big companies are turning away from it?
Here’s how:
Improving communication:
When looking for collaboration tools, make sure you prioritise rapid and seamless communication that reduces chances of conflicts and miscommunication. In remote work, distrust due to lack of visibility may occur between managers and their teams if there isn't a portal for fast communication. Disputes and conflicts may also arise between team members unless they are given a platform to frequently communicate. Lack of good communication may lead to a plethora of issues that have a negative impact on the morale and performance of the employees.
Increasing employee satisfaction:
It has been estimated that employees who have an excess of digital collaborative tools are up to 17% more satisfied with their jobs. There are many explanations as to why it is so, but the main reason could be because they allow employees to build relationships and showcase their work. They also make the life of employees easier by automating many mundane tasks giving them time to focus on other important projects. Imagine how employee satisfaction could rise if all these collaboration tools were incorporated into an all-in-one platform, allowing for seamless connectivity between each need.
Another important feature to look for is quick access to information, tools that include portals where company policies and rules can be accessed, and conversations on upcoming projects are easy to contribute to - can have a great impact on employee performance and productivity.
While micromanagement and constant checking on employees can demoralise them, regular check-ups are important to keep employees engaged. Accountability encourages employees to be more proactive and organised in their role, whilst also taking pride in the work they do. If they know that at the end of the day, they are accountable for their daily performance, employees should be more determined to meet their goals. A lack of accountability may cause employees to disengage, a problem that can be persistent in remote work. Collaboration tools allow managers to monitor and track their performance.
With the world heading towards a digital revolution, companies from various industries are adopting remote work as a norm. Even companies that offer an on-site working space need to digitalise and streamline their work to meet the increasing demands of their business and handle various aspects of it. Collaboration and modern HR tools not only organise workspaces but also greatly increase employee productivity and ultimately the profitability of an organisation.
