We may recognise the value of solid communication, and so have a passing understanding or acceptance of the idea that online collaboration software could become essential to how a team or collection of teams function, but what about the day-to-day value to management?

The chaos and complexity of email chains is something that we have all experienced in some form or another. Whether you’ve been left scrolling through messages months old, or suddenly found that you have unfinished work because a request vanished into the ether as it shifted further and further away from view, it is an undeniable fact that the more complex the organisation, the more simple the required solution.

What management cries out for, then, is visibility, simplicity and fluidity. By implementing the right solution, businesses can begin to benefit from not just a more competent workforce, but also a more confident workforce. One that is responsive, accurate and in control. Information is available to hand, and processes or special tasks can be reliably put into action.

Gathering Global Talent

Beyond the coolness that a smart, organised infrastructure for collaboration brings, there are hard, tangible gains to be had. Operations that don’t rely on paper require less space. There is less risk of security breaches or damage to sensitive documentation or data. Cloud storage means infinitely greater flexibility in terms of scaling up or down. There is better control over what is and what isn’t visible. Crucial data is instantly accessible to any team member. Version control means accuracy, and it also limits the possibility of tasks being duplicated. Where an operation or process has weak points, these can be not only better identified, but also better resolved.

Moreover, online collaboration tools facilitate the virtual office. And where there is a virtual office, there is also access to a huge talent pool, which in turn offers the employer not just more specialised work, but also the position of strength when negotiating compensation for those services. Trouble finding the right person for the job? Perhaps you can’t find the qualified designer you need, or perhaps that qualified designer is too expensive? Then look further afield – Glasscubes means remote workers and teams are now a viable solution for your project.

Project Management Tools for Fine-Tuning

With the framework for ultra-efficient (remote) teamwork in place, and a positive culture of collaboration at work, the job of management naturally becomes more focused on fine-tuning. Observing operations, attempting to understand them from the perspective of the team member, and then implementing subtle modifications to ensure optimised performance across all teams.

Here, the Glasscubes suite of tasks and project management tools offers essential support. Task assignment is simple and visible to all the team. Likewise, milestones, whether applicable to an individual, a group or an entire project, are easy to set, amend where necessary, and remain in the firm view of all team members. This is the benefit of a shared workspace – true teamwork, cohesion throughout the project and 360-degree visibility. Wherever stress points emerge, management can quickly identify them.

Learning & Innovation

Within a focused, ambitious team or organisation, what are the barriers to learning? What are the barriers to innovation? Chaos.

Where access to fundamental data is a challenge, time and effort is spent on retrieving even the most basic of information: logins, contact details, simple instructions and requests.... These might all subsequently get lost and searched again on multiple occasions by multiple team members.

This isn’t just inefficiency, it’s the duplication, then the multiplication, of inefficiency. On top of it all, management may have little or no visibility of this daily experience, and then quite rightly wonder where all the billable hours have disappeared to. Compounding the issue is that instead of utilising their skills, insight and creativity to enhance a system, team members – staff and management alike – are devoted to cleaning up messy practices.

Ineffective platforms for communication may indeed bring about a culture of problem-solving, but not the kind of problem-solving that propels an organisation forward. Rather, the kind of problem-solving that permits that organisation to tread water.

An effective solution to collaboration, however, brings down these barriers; facilitates better working practices; stronger, more fluid teams; and exciting, creative thinking.

Want your team to have effective document collaboration? Make sure your tool of choice has these seven features.

Glasscubes is a user-friendly collaboration software for teams. Connect everyone that you work with in an online workspace that improves the way you share files, manage projects and communicate with each other.

For more information, contact us by calling +44 (0)20 3274 2310 or email us at enquiries@glasscubes.com

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