Workplace Collaboration Trends and Best Practices [Take Note, ERP Project Managers]

According to one report, only 7% of U.S. employees strongly agree that communication and collaboration are accurate, open, and timely at their workplace.

If you’re preparing to launch an enterprise-wide project, such as a digital transformation, we hope your company is included in that 7%. If not, it’s not too late to start prioritizing teamwork.

Many companies are embracing the latest workplace collaboration trends so project team members can more effectively collaborate – both with each other as well as with end-users and other stakeholders.

Today, we’re looking at some of these trends and explaining what they mean for companies on the brink of digital transformation.

The Importance of Two-Way Communication

During times of organizational change, employees need access to tools that can help them collaborate with their colleagues.

What type of tools? It might not be the first tools that come to mind. In fact, if your project is larger scale, traditional methods of connection might fall short, especially when you have multiple departments and locations.

As you prepare to implement new ERP, CRM, or SCM software, you need all your teams on the same page. This means you must establish a basis for two-way communication. In other words, you must ensure executives and members of the change management team are available to listen to employees’ opinions and questions.

Let’s look at a few of the benefits of this approach.

1. Ensures Business Alignment

Forging ahead without talking to employees could mean investing in solutions that don’t meet their needs.

When there’s a culture of collaboration throughout your workplace, you can involve employees in the planning process, which helps you align your project with core business needs.

Employees across functional areas can help you document where your organization is now, and where you want to go. This is known as software requirements gathering, and it’s essential to successful ERP selection.

2. Reduces Change Resistance

Team collaboration that includes both decision-makers and end-users is the secret to making employees feel heard and respected. When they feel this way, employees are more likely to work with the project rather than against it.

In fact, communication and collaboration are key components of any organizational change management plan.

The more questions that project leaders can answer, the fewer rumors will swirl. Some of the most common questions that workers may have during periods of change include:

• How will this affect our business processes?
• How will my day-to-day roles and responsibilities change?
• Why did you select this particular ERP system?
• What is the system supposed to do and how will it benefit us?
• What is the status of the project now?
• Will there be end-user training?
• What do we do if we have questions or problems?
• When will we officially adopt the new system?

At the core of all these inquiries is one burning question: What’s in it for me? If you can answer that off the bat, then the rest of the implementation will go much more smoothly. Aim to communicate consistently and regularly, keeping those avenues open throughout the duration of the project and beyond.

4 Collaboration Trends to Consider During Digital Transformation

With so many new digital tools available, workplace collaboration is changing. Let’s look at some of the most notable trends.

1. Generative AI

In the workplace, generative AI is being incorporated into collaboration tools, from Slack to Google Workspace.

This is possible because of large language models (LLMs). In short, LLMs are deep learning algorithms that can identify, summarize, translate, and create content from incredibly large data sets.

In a large-scale project, such as an ERP implementation, generative AI can streamline collaboration efforts by performing tasks such as automatically summarizing meetings or automatically generating an internal email message.

2. Multi-Faceted Platforms

While smart tools are advancing at a rapid pace, the good old telephone isn’t quite obsolete. In fact, many employees still prefer to use phones to collaborate.

From voice calls to video meetings and VoIP connections, employees need multi-faceted solutions that offer more than one way to connect. Programs like Google Meet fit the bill, as do Microsoft Teams and Zoom. These allow remote, on-site, and hybrid workers to share insights and updates in real-time.

3. Collaboration Analytics

When project delays occur, ineffective communication is often the cause.

Today, there are tools that help organizations better understand the effectiveness of their communication and collaboration.

For instance, leaders can use advanced data analytics to identify the number of messages sent between team members. In addition, they can quickly view how many meetings someone attended. This can help you identify bottlenecks and information siloes so you can break down common barriers to communication.

Embrace These Workplace Collaboration Trends

Successful project collaboration hinges on equipping team members with the right tools. When they can efficiently communicate and share knowledge, your digital transformation or ERP implementation is more likely to bring the benefits you expect.

If you’re thinking about adopting any of these workplace collaboration trends, give us a call. Our change management consultants can help you develop a change management plan that outlines how you intend to use digital technology to communicate with various project stakeholders.