Inclusive Collaboration: What you need to Know in 2022!

In the new normal, digital platforms are essential to ensure inclusive collaboration in companies.

This year, the meeting of the World Economic Forum returned to face-to-face meetings, in Davos (Switzerland), and placed the “way of working” on the agenda. With the theme “Working Together, Restoring Trust”, the Forum issues a clear wake-up call to the importance of inclusive collaboration. But also about its impact on the lives of employees and companies. Working together has always been the core of the business' success, but “since 2020 it's moved from the soundtrack to the main act".

The cry for better inclusive collaboration, and effective strategies for connected growth to solve problems, is global. But challenging. The new normal is made up of geographically dispersed teams and multicultural work environments. Today it is normal, particularly in new technology companies, to integrate Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi members. With English, Irish and Portuguese, in companies that, in fact, only occupy an open space floor. The labor market no longer has borders and companies can recruit and retain talent according to the specificity of the tasks. But how do you manage a vast team spread across the world?

“We need to restore the atmosphere of trust that we need to accelerate collaborative action and face the multiple challenges we face”, emphasizes Klaus Schwab, chairman of the World Economic Forum.
Right. Collaborative action, however, has other requirements today. The new ways of working have changed the way we think about and manage teams. In a world of post-pandemic uncertainties, it has become clear that digital collaborative platforms are a must-have in companies. Remote and hybrid work has become standard. And Human Resources can no longer just rely on emails and the phone to communicate with a geographically fragmented team. So how do you apply in practice the crucial buzzword that is inclusive collaboration?

…but inclusive collaboration cannot be a headache for leaders and Human Resources. The world of work has changed and it has become evident that extra platforms are needed to increase effectiveness and gain in efficiency. The world is advancing but communication continues to have the queen crown in companies. Platforms that support strong and healthy inclusive collaboration are needed. A collaboration that includes all the company's employees.

Clarity and simplicity:

One of the advantages of a Portal do Collaborator platform is precisely to reinforce communication in teams, in a clear way. It's simple. Sharing a complex subject via email to the team is a challenge. But using the Employee Portal to submit or access information is intuitive and simple.

Efficiency:

when it is possible to communicate and collaborate with teams, without obstacles, this communication translates into greater productivity. And we are on the road to efficiency.

Engagement:

The world has changed and the feeling of belonging is at the top of the Global Human Capital Trends, one of the most important reports in the area of ​​Human Resources and which positions the importance of engagement for the success of the organization. The more connected employees are, the better the company's performance. Engagement improves employee satisfaction, increases talent retention. Low engagement is due, among other factors, to lack of communication. Communicating from a distance is a challenge. But it is also increasingly a smart strategy to increase long-term employee performance. Employee satisfaction and their experience in the company are enhanced by platforms such as the Employee Portal. The Employee Portal can monitor the employee's entire journey in the company, from the moment they are recruited, evaluated, recognized until the end of their stay at the company.

Trust:

Companies need to offer collaborative tools that promote inclusive collaboration. It is necessary to communicate clearly with all employees dispersed on the map or only remotely. Companies that offer clear, transparent communication reinforce trust with their teams.

Collaboration requires inclusion. Inclusive collaboration is the answer to many of the challenges and threats companies face today. Companies, start-ups, large and small industries are faced with this urgent need to use platforms adjusted to the diversity of their employees and that allow them to make decisions.

A platform like the Contributor Portal is an inclusive collaboration platform. Because it's for everyone. And having a portal that communicates with all employees, the company will show teams that it is possible to produce more and better. Inclusive collaboration will help retain talent in-house. That's why, more than ever, organizations are focusing on new ways of working, supported by collaboration tools that facilitate tasks and share feedback.

Managers need to encourage and motivate team members. Something as simple as providing employees with a self-assessment to compare with the manager's assessment is a step towards engagement. And it’s an alternative to just asking: “is there anyone here who wants to give their feedback?” The superior's question in the meeting room does not always win over the audience, no matter how loud the voice is.

Human Resources today have an additional mission: to create environments that encourage employees to feel part of the company. And one of the essential options is to turn to technology. On the Employee Portal, employees are invited to carry out a self-assessment and compare it with the manager's. It is possible to define the objectives and competencies of their functions, monitoring their evolution. The idea is to make the performance evaluation of your teams a simple task. And useful.

It's essential. Because – reminder – the culture of inclusive collaboration is also a culture of feedback.

Recently, the Harvard Business Review shared the curious results of an extensive survey of leaders in various areas of business. According to the data obtained, the recognition of employees for their work has an impact on productivity, performance and employee retention. Other studies guarantee that even negative feedback that no superior would like to give is “welcome” by the employee. In 2016, the Global Human Capital Trends work by Deloitte University Press highlighted that “the world of feedback is exploding (…) Engagement surveys are being replaced by tools that 'listen' to employees, feedback check-ins regular by superiors”. All these new approaches have given rise to ‘employee listening’, an important new role for Human Resources”. The 2016 trend is confirmed to be a certainty in 2022.

Feedback is essential in companies and can be ensured, in a simple, objective and efficient way, with the help of the Employee Portal.

Natalie Baumgartner has dedicated her career to advising companies of all sizes, from small and medium-sized companies to Fortune 500 groups. Says Natalie, an employee engagement expert, that feedback is essential for strong leadership.

Today, talking about growth is talking about tools that ensure and promote a culture of inclusive collaboration. Inclusive collaboration is at the top of mind for companies.

The culture of inclusive collaboration transcends physical spaces and differences in language or habits. It is a culture that, when implemented, increases creativity, innovation, and communication transparency. It is the culture of the new virtual and hybrid teams, marked by the pace of globalization.

The world of work is constantly changing, but there are macro themes that remain constant in a company. Employees still need to report holidays or changes of address. And, whether in a face-to-face, hybrid or remote model, there are procedures that cannot stop productivity with administrative time wasted. When it comes to inclusive solutions, they must be accessible to all employees, whether they are in the office, at home or in China. The Employee Portal allows employees to update personal data, vacation periods, absences. Allows you to communicate data such as time exemption or expenses for validation. All this on a self-service basis.

The fact that employees themselves can register and consult personal information is a giant step in optimizing human resources management. Collaborative tools such as the Employee Portal significantly reduce the effort of Human Resources. And not only. Everyone involved saves time.
time optimization

Employees save time because, in a simple way, and even when they are working remotely, they can manage absences, check work schedules or request time off. Superiors also save time by approving their teams' situations directly on the portal. Time is… productivity!
Collaborative digital solutions thus “engage” the team, allowing its growth and eliminating the distance that separates the different elements. As Tsedal Neeley, a professor at the Harvard Business School in the United States of America, argues, the first major challenge of a leading global team is to seek to eliminate the distance that separates the elements.

Receiving notifications to approve requests from collaborators, in a single platform for everyone, is not equivalent to filling out excel tables, sending emails in bcc or stacking piles of documentation in dossiers.

A collaborative platform like the Collaborator Portal allows you to share, save and share documents and files. It is possible to create and share checklists through the different functions of the employees. It is possible to organize work.

And communication is productivity. The modern world implies new rules in the market. Intuition is sometimes too costly. And luck takes a lot of work. Decisions are increasingly supported by information.

Collaborative platforms make it possible to gather, in an organized way, extremely useful information for companies.
Objective information, such as employee elements, reduces the chances of making mistakes and provides valuable metrics for the organization.

It is necessary to keep the teams permanently informed.

Successful companies depend on transparency, argue Human Resources experts. Quoting the American magazine Forbes, “Transparency in business is the process of being open, honest and straightforward about various company procedures.

Transparent companies share information related to performance, internal processes…”. In the Information Age, the author of the article continues, strong communication and transparency are required. Because? Transparency is valued. By collaborators. And by customers: Several studies conclude that 90% of consumers would be loyal to a transparent brand.

Collaborative platforms such as the Collaborator Portal foster transparency in the workplace. A transparency that is valued with satisfaction by employees. And that translates into results, growth.

Platforms for agile companies

Modern times have forced companies to move towards greater flexibility. Punching the point is practically a legend in some contexts and business sectors. On the contrary, schedules are flexible, contracts are hybrid, employees work remotely. There is a very distinct universe of collaborators to manage, dispersed across the map.

And all members of the organization have to embrace the same culture and feel that they are part of it. Without a fluid structure, it is difficult to “hold the ends”. Without inclusive collaboration, it is difficult for everyone to row in the same direction. Companies must adopt collaboration platforms that reduce the complexity of the process. The Employee Portal has the advantage of simplifying all information and connecting teams from different departments. Collaborative platforms are proof of the agility of companies. Because they help companies adjust to new realities.

Studies claim that agile companies are more likely (55%) to grow financially than most companies.

A Platform like the Contributor Portal allows multiple departments to communicate, work together and achieve goals together. A collaborative platform such as the Collaborator Portal has the advantage of being digital. And to digital, all employees can access: managers, customers, etc.

It is important to choose the right platform. The best way for companies to maintain and defend inclusive collaboration is to use digital tools that ensure their goals.

Companies that do not yet use a digital tool have the opportunity to start research now. Especially companies made up of employees spread across several countries, with different schedules and different teams. Not hiring a talent due to their area of ​​residence is no excuse in 2022. Digital collaborative platforms are able to bring together and cover entire teams. And they help turn obstacles into opportunities.

Inclusive collaboration can be based on digital platforms when teams are far apart, but the goals are common. Collaborating and communicating are timeless terms. Only the formats adjust to the new realities and contexts. For example, according to a survey, 53% of employees use WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger for work purposes, but 68% responded that they would stop using it if they had better internal communication tools.

Each company should choose the collaborative platform that best meets its priorities. It is a necessity for 'yesterday': because the lack of information and poor communication create misunderstandings that impair performance every day.

As hybrid work is here to stay, it is up to companies to discover the best tools that ensure the sustainability of the 'new normal'. Employees want to work in a hybrid regime. According to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, the hybrid model can reduce layoff rates in a company by 35%. But the truth is that, although employees want the hybrid option, studies confirm that these employees have some concerns about the new way of working. They reveal concerns, namely with:
– efficient collaboration;
– safety
Forty percent of respondents responded that creating a quality experience for hybrid teams is a big challenge.

It is also important to choose a tool that protects the personal data of your Human Resources.

The Uniksystem Contributor Portal collects, stores and deletes data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation. The GDPR is a European regulation that obliges companies in all sectors to comply with legislation. Failure to comply with these rules entails high fines. In addition to image and reputation damage.

Building an inclusive culture is never a complete task. But in the new normal, companies that bet on collaborative digital platforms are already a step ahead.

At the forefront of Inclusive Collaboration, tools such as the Employee Portal engage teams, facilitate tasks, solve problems, increase efficiency, and motivate employees to provide feedback. Making the difference.