Tech and tips: virtual first strategy for optimised collaboration

By Doreen Tan, Head of Asia at Dropbox

Source: Dropbox. Tan.

Ways of working have changed over the course of the past few years. The pandemic heralded a transition to either hybrid, remote or even virtual first models among companies and this is likely to remain status quo for the near future. With this shift, many employees have voiced an increase in productivity since, as compared to working from the office.

Although many tend to see productivity as a more quantifiable by-product of employment, collaboration has long been a key factor in business success. Employee ‘output’ should not be relegated solely to how much work gets done, but should also be measured in terms of how individuals work with and contribute to others' success. It is important to ensure collaborative thinking is cemented and kept creative between teams even with a virtual first approach.

To achieve this, it is crucial that virtual first work does not hamper or cause various teams to work in silos. It therefore comes as no surprise that 77% of employees have rated technology support to be the top priority for working from home. The choice of technology and type of leadership that trickles down are other critical factors that shape an employee’s experience to be one that is filled with meaningful collaboration. Organisations must focus on enhancing virtual first collaboration by leveraging the right balance of technology and leadership.

Finding meaning in collaboration

Leaders need to first define and communicate what collaboration means to an organisation. A company’s culture is characteristic to the way employees view their ways of working. While it might seem insignificant, how leaders define workflows, decision-making structures and the use of collaborative technology plays an integral role in shaping how teams function as one.

Actively involving employees to take this first step together to define their what meaningful collaboration sets the precedence for an open feedback loop. It is important that leaders establish a safe space for employees so that workplace expectations are addressed. This also helps to cultivate collaboration that generates creative business ideas or improves internal processes. Particularly in the context of a virtual workforce, the sense of belonging that is fostered even while teams are physically apart is empowering.

For example, leaders can look into incorporating technology that allows teams to host all their work files in one place. Better yet, using collaborative technology that supports various external application integrations required for executing day-to-day tasks, such as document signing, video conferencing, messaging platforms and more will allow employees to save time on managing content, and more time collaborating.

Fifty-two percent of Singaporeans feel that the presence of a clear link between their work and the company's strategic objectives is a driver for employee engagement. When teams feel engaged, ideas start to flow and evolve more progressively. Combined with efficient collaborative technology and the right leadership to guide employees, organisations thrive better as they find meaning in their collaboration.

Creating the ideal collaboration ecosystem

Every company has its own unique way of working, and how technology is adopted by employees must enhance this experience in order for teams to communicate and work together cohesively.

In the boardroom, productivity is often a topic that is up in the air. In fact, one major factor that has pushed companies to bring workers back to the office is the measurement of productivity. It is thus interesting to note that based on a recent report, knowledge workers are actually more productive and deliver better results when given greater flexibility. Simultaneously, leaders must question if productivity is the answer they are searching for, or if what they are after is team collaboration that gets the job done more efficiently.

The solution to a seemingly complex solution then, is simple. Organisations must relook at their current technology, ensuring that employees are well equipped with the right tools and training initiatives to achieve desirable results and work dynamically. The situation here is not even a nice-to-have, but something mandatory for employees to thrive. Collaborative tools today can no longer be seen just as a tool to facilitate communication but should be viewed as a platform that can enable virtual first, productive, and asynchronous collaboration.

Given today’s dispersed workforce, companies can make use technology can alleviate pain points. For example, cloud-sharing allows multiple collaborators to edit in real-time, tag team members for specific tasks, or even capture video feedback within the same working document for seamless work regardless of time zones. Especially when the use of a single platform supports multiple software, coworkers can avoid the hassle of downloading individual files or required applications. With tools such as ‘@mentions’; links that grant different levels of access; and even GIFs, technology makes work processes much more convenient and efficient.

Collaborative leadership breeds collaborative teams

While technology is pertinent to the efficacy of how employees work, leadership is equally as important to virtual first collaboration. Businesses will need to establish a solid foundation for best practices, focusing on trust-building, maintaining open communication, and creating agile systems.

First, it is critical that employer-employee relationships are built on trust. Senior leadership should communicate the organisation’s direction and goals to their employees with transparency. This is particularly apparent in the context of virtual first work as employees are given the freedom to plan their workdays for more effective collaboration. Be it the adoption of core collaboration hours, setting clear boundaries, or taking time to recharge, well-established confidence between leaders and their teams is required.

Second, effective virtual first cooperation depends heavily on open communication. By encouraging employees to voice opinions and actively participate in discussions, each team player becomes more aware of their function and how they can support one another. Aside from a clearer delegation of individual roles, this creates a culture of respect, acceptance, and shared values that makes working as a team more pleasant.

Lastly, leaders should maintain regular contact with their teams to assess both their work performance and personal wellbeing. An agile system where teams can adapt to changes quickly is vital for business continuity and continuous collaboration. For instance, executives should keep a lookout for significant changes in employee attitudes and working preferences and adapt where necessary.

As the future of work remains uncertain, companies need to harness the best of both worlds - from technology to the right leadership - that encompasses trust and flexibility. Similar to how a body functions, technology is akin to the blood that transports oxygen for survival, yet leadership can be said to be the heart that sets collaboration in motion. Leaders must ensure to deploy both in a tactical manner that motivates employees to spur towards greater, more meaningful collaboration.