By Franco Alvarez
As the startup ecosystem continuous to change, the workforce manifests different demands depending on how CEOs and decision makers handle their team. In a survey conducted by Kelly Global Workforce Index, 57 percent of workers opt for a “highly collaborative environment” when asked about an ideal work environment.
Team collaboration plays a role in your startup team’s success. Not only does it benefit your organization, but it also imparts a significant contribution to your team’s morale as it exhibits a value to their skills and knowledge.
As a startup CEO, you must know how you can effectively promote collaboration within your team. Here are some notes you should keep in mind.
Align Your Team with the Company Vision
Your company may be small, but it’s not an excuse not to align your employees where your team is going. Be a keeper of your company’s vision and make sure your team is on the same track as you. Keep things on course by discussing your plans and achievements on a quarterly basis. Get their insights to strategize things accordingly.
This way, you’re not only promoting collaboration but also being productive at the same time since you’re able to deliberate important company reports and objectives.
Create a Culture of Transparency and Accountability
Transparency and accountability impact team collaboration. Teams need to be aware of your business processes, whether internal or external. Productivity and teamwork rest on how each of your employees sees the progress real time—from how their teammates are working to meeting deadlines of each responsible employee.
Giving your team a chance to calibrate their tasks by themselves offers space for team collaboration as they see their value in demonstrating responsibility, which results in employee satisfaction and retention.
Use Technology to Foster Collaboration
In this modern age, employees are now seeking ways to get things done efficiently without the hassle. Invest in high-performing office material and tools that enable your employees to work with ease. When your employees are equipped with the right technology, they’re most likely to cooperate with the team.
Maintain a Flexible Workspace
A crowded office space full of walls and doors is not helping your team’s collaboration. Nurture collaboration naturally by having cozier and open spaces. These spaces are perfect for meetings, discussions, or even for a casual talk.
Observe how they adapt to your new office and ask for their insights to help you out in making a more cooperative workplace.
Implement a Feedback Loop and Monitor Team Performance
Team collaboration starts with effective communication. Messages within your team should be conveyed to every key player and member accordingly, and a prompt feedback helps your startup team’s processes.
As a CEO, it’s your responsibility to know what’s happening inside your company. Remember that without your initiative, things won’t work out the way you planned it. Monitor your team based on the performance of each member, but remember not to micro-manage to see the overall organizational efforts.
Adjust your processes depending on what you have observed, and come up with new plans and strategies if things are not working properly.
A collaborative environment is vital to your startup company’s endeavors, and it’s your call as a CEO on how it will affect the team as a whole, as well as how it will contribute to your employees’ work to achieve a unified goal.
