How to Measure Collaboration
So, you already know how to increase collaboration between teams. You’ve implemented initiatives such as regular brainstorming sessions, guest reviews, and team-building activities.
But how do you know if they’re working? What metrics can you use to determine whether or not your teamwork-related efforts are successful? Here are a few tips on how to measure collaboration in the workplace.
Establish clear targets
It’s impossible to measure collaboration without setting defined goals and targets. How will you know whether or not increased collaboration is benefiting your organization?
Outline your key performance indicators (KPIs) and share them with your teams so that everyone is on the same page. Examples include customer satisfaction, employee attrition rate, and margin of profit.
Monitor team performance
Once you have established your KPIs, you’ll need robust reporting software to measure your team’s collaboration. On an individual level, you can monitor performance with online workload charts, weekly timesheets, and task timers. To get a team-wide view of performance, you should consider Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and automated reports.
By regularly tracking your success metrics, you can identify which collaborative methods are working and which ones should potentially be scrapped.
Talk to employees
While collaborative tools are extremely useful, there’s nothing more valuable than real-time communication with your employees. They’re the ones actively working through new methods of collaboration so they will have the best insight into what actually works for the team.
You can opt for one-on-one meetings with individual colleagues, host a regular feedback session where teams discuss the pros and cons of various collaborative initiatives, or create an anonymous survey or suggestion box.
Measuring collaboration is vital to the success of your organization. By following the above steps, you will be able to effectively create a sense of community among teams and increase employee satisfaction.
