7 Mistakes That Hinder Team Collaboration in Your Old Saybrook, CT Business

When you run a business, ensuring employee buy-in is vital to promote job satisfaction and increase productivity. And when your teams collaborate effectively, your company will certainly thrive and grow. By avoiding these seven common mistakes explained by the Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, you and your staff will benefit from a healthier work environment that will lead to better performances all around.

1. Micromanagement

Constantly hovering over your team members as they’re working on their assigned tasks can really sap their morale. They can see it as a lack of trust in their abilities on your part, start feeling that you don’t think they’re competent enough to do their jobs, and ultimately disengage from the business, leading to poor performance and a decrease in productivity.   

2. Lack of Trust

If you often overpromise and underdeliver, then your employees will start seeing you as untrustworthy, and their productivity is sure to suffer as a result. For instance, if you tell a staff member that they’ll get a raise or a promotion if they reach a specific goal, but you don’t actually follow through, more than just that employee will become disgruntled. After all, why put in effort if it’s never rewarded? Being true to your word is a sign of good leadership.  

Conflictive Relations

Team members butting heads with each other or with management isn’t conducive to a pleasant workplace atmosphere. Nip that in the bud by establishing clear rules for everyone to follow, and facilitate cross-team collaboration by making sure everyone follows the same protocols. Use a PDF merging tool when you’re dealing with multiple documents, and upload important files on a collaborative platform, so that everyone can refer to the proper documentation in case of conflict. If you’re concerned about relying on PDFs, know that merging PDF files is easier than you think. Use a free online merge tool. They make the process as easy as drop, arrange, and merge!

Poor Communication

Keeping your team members in the dark about any aspect of a project can lead to mistakes and frustration. Miscommunication and lack of clarity are a major hindrance for an employee to perform well and properly complete a task. And with the availability of online collaboration tools, there’s really no excuse for poor communication. Document sharing platforms are here to help, even when your employees are working remotely.  

Constant Crisis Mode

Failing to properly plan ahead will lead to uncertainty and stress among your team members. So make time to review your business plan periodically, adjust your production goals according to consumer demand, and develop sound marketing strategies. Make sure your books and finances are in order and that your payroll is accurate to keep you and your employees anxiety-free.   

Discouraging Feedback

Just because you’re the boss doesn’t mean you always know best. Whenever you implement a new tool, roll out new software, or revamp a business process, make sure you get feedback from your team members. With so many new technologies making their entrance into office life, consult with the ones using them the most to ensure you did get the right tools for their needs, and be open to listening to their opinions and concerns. 

No Coordination

Failing to clearly define roles when you have several teams working on the same project can lead to redundancies and wasted time and effort. As the leader and manager, it’s up to you to equip your team members with project management tools and software to keep them on task and on track. With everyone able to see each other’s progress, it’s easier to feel more connected and work toward the same goal.   

Stay Connected and Grow

As an increasing number of employees are now working from home, it sometimes feels more difficult for business owners to improve collaboration between team members. Thankfully, online collaboration tools are here to help. So invest in the right technology, keep your staff engaged, and your company will keep thriving.