Every business wants to improve productivity.
One of the most common barriers to workplace productivity is communication (or lack thereof). Are you wasting time on meetings, unnecessarily confusing email conversations, filling people in on details they were kept in the dark about or trying to communicate effectively with remote or part-time workers?
There is an abundance of new communication tools available to help teams buckle down and be as efficient as they can. While these tools are becoming more and more popular, a lot of companies are still missing a trick by not trying new tech.
Here are some of the best ways you can be using communications technology to increase workplace productivity.
Try instant messaging
While a moderate level of white noise in the office can actually have a positive effect on creativity and productivity, there’s nothing more distracting than being in the middle of several loud conversations between your team.
We use Campfire, an instant messaging service for businesses, to have conversations in the office without having to disturb everyone else. You can even set up different chatrooms for different projects so you’re only notified of messages you need to read.
Does your company use Gmail? Why not try using Google Hangouts instead?
Staying in touch has never been easier
With new technologies popping up left, right and centre, there has never been a better time for effective communication between your teams.
Project management software Basecamp makes it easy for your whole team (and clients!) to collaborate on projects, and tools like Skype and Google Hangouts mean you can hold virtual meetings without losing out on that face to face contact.
Contactzilla allows you to collaborate on address books as a team, so everyone in the company is always up to date with the latest contact details for colleagues, clients, and whoever else you may need to get in touch with.
Whatever your communications needs, there’s likely to be an app out there to help you with it, so start looking today!
Use tech to build happier teams (they’re more productive!)
Research has consistently shown that great culture and caring leadership makes for more productive teams.
Ideally, you’d all be able to sit around and talk about what the company can be doing to make everyone happier, but this isn’t always possible.
Try using tools like TINYpulse or iDoneThis to open up communication and get an insight into your teams, their work, their priorities and what makes them tick.
Use tech for better communication, not more
How many times have you been CCd in on an email that’s not relevant to you? Or lost your train of thought to an email saying “thanks :)” or “okay”?
Donato Diorio, CEO of Ringlead, suggests cutting down on unnecessary emails, which could save you hours on a daily basis…
“Be more productive by only using email to request an action. Do not CC people unless you want them to take action as well. Email should not be used to keep someone up to speed or as a way to say hello. If everyone in your organization used email this way, you’ll have fewer emails, giving you hours back in your day.”
Sometimes, tech isn’t going to be the best way to communicate a message. A project update might take you 15 minutes to write, and your colleague 5 minutes to read and 5 minutes to reply to with questions, etc, etc. Meetings get a bad rep among productivity hunters, but sometimes, a 5 minute conversation could save you more time in the long run.
While new technologies can seem a little offputting to people who haven’t used them before, they’re here to make your lives easier, so don’t be afraid to try them. Most apps come with a free trial so why not try something new today?
What are your favourite communication apps? Share your experiences in the comments below!
Photo Credit: opensourceway via Compfight cc
