Are Your Collaboration Tools Actually Isolating Your Employees?

Many businesses were very suddenly introduced to the capabilities of modern collaboration tools, as… circumstances forced them to either go remote or cease operations for an unknown amount of time. However, while collaboration tools were suddenly a requisite for work, could these tools now be responsible for isolating your team members from one another?

Let’s dive in and examine the situation.

Asking the Workers How Collaboration Tools Have Impacted Them

Software developer Lucid conducted a survey in conjunction with The Harris Poll to evaluate how we collaborate—fittingly, compiled in their 2022 The Way We Collaborate report. This report revealed something specifically telling amongst its various stats and figures. While 90% of those surveyed predict a continuation of remote work, and 87% claim to have grown more comfortable with digital collaboration solutions, it isn’t all great.

For instance, as different people prefer to collaborate in different ways, the report reflected that 57% have communication preferences that aren’t supported by the tools they are using.

There are three primary ways that people tend to communicate in the workplace:

• “Expressive” workers prefer visual information—charts, graphs, and diagrams—as a means of collaboration.
• “Relational” workers are the ones who thrive when they are able to form bonds with their coworkers.
• “Introspective” workers embrace the chance to independently ponder and consider ideas before bringing them into the fold.

With these archetypes in mind, it's easy to see how concrete means of collaboration—while extremely effective for some—might not be as effective for all.

Providing Additional Options Can Only Improve Collaboration

More and more collaboration tools are now available that are well-suited to different forms of cooperation, and that enable those with different preferred styles to thrive.

SMART Services is here to help you acquire and maintain the solutions that are best for your individual team. Give us a call at 586 258-0650 to learn more.