Employees can use several methods for online collaboration to share information, such as by using software, teleconference calls and also by using documents that are stored on a cloud. Many document file formats, such as DOCX, PDF and Google Docs, have a feature for adding some comments, which could be used by several employees to add comments to a proposal for a project. The process for online collaboration is an efficient method for encouraging employees to work as a team and to submit new ideas and feedback. You could also use an InnovationBridge service to get some new ideas from your employees.
Collaboration for Employee Teamwork
A simple approach for encouraging teamwork is to ask each employee to evaluate a new idea or to suggest a new idea. The employees could begin the process for collaboration by providing feedback or by suggesting a new procedure for simplifying a current procedure. With online collaboration, the employees would not be restricted by a time schedule or by a location, such as a business office.
Employees Share Information as Team Members
When employees share information online, there are fewer restrictions for sharing the information, which can help to facilitate the process for the employees to solve a problem. The efficiency factor for getting new ideas for solving problems is important for managers who want to improve the process for idea management. The online environment is beneficial for efficient teamwork and for crowdsourcing for ideas because there are more opportunities for each person to share some information.
Factors for a Knowledge Management SystemÂ
The knowledge management system for a company could be limited to information from the employees or could include information from outside sources. Some company managers may want to search for ideas outside a company and could decide to use crowdsourcing for more ideas. There are usually several opportunities for collaborating online at an open innovation company because the company managers want to receive feedback and suggestions from the employees and also from other sources, such as professional consultants.
Request for Feedback from Employees
The feedback from the employees is an important source of information for identifying problems. A company manager could ask each team member to provide some feedback about improving employee wellness, or how to improve health and safety. When one large chemical company asked its employees about safety changes they suggested investing in Augmented Reality tools. This let workers experience the dangerous worksites virtually, and learn all the proper safety behaviour before experiencing it in real life. It was a great improvement over standard safety classes.
Teleconference Calls for Collaboration
Team members could participate in a teleconference call or could watch a video of a teleconference call and could then provide feedback to the other team members. With fewer restrictions to block the sharing of information, there are more opportunities for team members to improve the quality of the solutions for a problem, such as problems from costs or employee morale. The team members could experience an increase in the level of job satisfaction because the employees can use simple procedures to control company problems.
Cloud Storage for Files for Collaboration
If files are stored on a cloud, then employees could conveniently access documents from remote locations and with several devices, such as computers, tablets and smartphones. An employee could leave a comment on a document to suggest a change for a business contract or to notify a manager about a calculation error for the estimated costs for roof shingles. The opportunity for quickly and conveniently sharing information with other team members is an important advantage for a manager who wants to improve the process for idea management.
Software for Online Collaboration
A company manager could decide to use a software program to help his or her employees to collaborate online for projects, such as ProofHub or Troop Messenger. Some of the software programs can only be used by company employees and would not be beneficial for crowdsourcing for open innovation companies. There are several methods for online collaboration for efficient teamwork for employees, but company managers should carefully choose a method that would provide the most benefits for the team members. Many tools let people suggest ideas. With InnovationBridge, employees get to vote with their dollars and support the ideas they like the most. It gives employees “skin in the game” about decisions, instead of being a closed process where managers have all the control. Please book a consultation with CrowdBridge for more information.
