Collaboration technology is readily available in the market today. You can find many positive reviews and reports lauding the benefits derived from using such technology. However, the key factor driving the use of online collaboration tools by any company or organization is going to be driven by corporate culture. Any company can purchase and implement the latest collaboration tools including Microsoft SharePoint 2010, Office Communications Server, some type of corporate VoIP telephony system as well as making use of the latest mobile devices such as Blackberries and iPhones, but the challenge remains in getting employees to use these tools. In order to facilitate the use of online collaboration tools by any company, a need exists to create a collaborative culture within the organization.
Big Brother Watching Is an Obst acleIf your company is one of those that does a headcount every morning throughout the cubicle landscape, the culture is not one that is going to encourage collaboration. Although maintaining in-seat, at-task work assignments is an old-school management demand, the workforce employed today has a tendency to run at different paces - following non-traditional schedules, often telecommuting or acting as offsite vendors and contractors. This will actually encourage basically a work-when-you- can, or will, attitude that demands access to information and tools whenever the user is ready to go to task. The collaborative work culture will easily dispel the age-old adages about employees having to spend time sitting in their office berths. Secretly Warehoused Knowledge There are many corporate cultures where employees are allowed to hoard their own company knowledge including key documents either on their local computers or most possibly in their own heads, just like someone would store precious objects in a limited access warehouse.
Companies that have a central depository for information encourage the sharing of tribal knowledge and communication. How often have you come across a situation conducting daily business where you could not get a document or an answer to a question because a particular person was not Kenya Phone Number List available for communication? A collaborative corporate culture would eliminate dependency upon individuals or groups to access information as well as do away with as much need for face-to-face communication. Contact Beyond The Office And Office Hours Personal time away from work is something that needs to be not only experienced but well guarded. However, there are many credible and necessary instances when communication must be made beyond what is the traditionally accepted 9-to-5 business day. One only has to look at the growing trend for global participation in commercial activity to realize that traditional schedules are thrown out the proverbial window. In a collaborative corporate culture, tools need to be implemented that allow communication around the clock no matter