12 Strategies to Improve Team Collaboration & Communication

Bigger teams don’t always mean better collaboration. Harvard Business Review found that while many companies form teams of over 100 for major challenges, collaboration often drops sharply once teams exceed 20 members. 

This issue highlights a key challenge: large teams can hinder productivity and innovation if members work in silos. True value comes when companies foster collaboration across departments, transforming potential bottlenecks into opportunities for innovation. 

This article will dive into how to improve team collaboration, offer strategies to overcome the obstacles, and explore digital tools that can help large teams function as unified, high-performing groups.

What is team collaboration?

Team collaboration is the powerful practice of working together to achieve goals that go beyond what any individual could accomplish alone. It’s where teams combine their skills to generate new ideas, share knowledge, and tackle challenging projects as a united force. 

The impact of collaboration shows up differently across the workplace: team leaders use it to bring out the best in their people and develop careers, individual team members rely on it to communicate better and reach shared goals, and departments depend on it to break down silos and keep work flowing smoothly. 

When done right, collaboration transforms a group of talented individuals into a high-performing team that consistently delivers exceptional results. To truly understand how to improve team collaboration, we must first identify the obstacles that often stand in our way.

Overlooked mistakes that hinder team collaboration

While collaboration is a cornerstone of successful teams, certain overlooked mistakes can hinder its effectiveness. In this section, we’ll identify these common pitfalls and provide solutions on how to improve team collaboration.

1. Too many meetings with unclear goals

While meetings can fuel collaboration, too many unfocused gatherings can stall progress. The issue often stems from including unnecessary attendees and lacking clear meeting objectives. 

To optimize your team’s meeting efficiency, start by carefully reviewing your recurring meetings and eliminating any that are unnecessary or could be handled asynchronously. For the remaining essential meetings, limit attendance to only those whose participation is crucial, and clearly communicate the purpose and expected outcomes in advance. 

Rather than having everyone provide generic updates, structure the meetings around targeted sharing, where each person highlights a specific challenge. This allows the team to offer more tailored support and creative problem-solving. 

2. Lack of transparency

Lack of transparency is hindering collaboration across your organization. When teams are unaware of each other’s work, it’s difficult to identify opportunities to work together effectively. Establishing clear visibility into the company’s overall goals and how each team’s efforts contribute can foster better alignment. 

Implementing a centralized software platform can provide this transparency, allowing all teams to easily track projects and connect with relevant counterparts. 

This visibility enables spontaneous collaboration, like a blogger reaching out to the social media team to contribute content. Removing informational barriers opens the door for more valuable, impactful teamwork across departments.

3. Inadequate onboarding

When new team members don’t get a thorough introduction to how the organization works, they can struggle to understand the workflows and processes. This makes it harder for them to start contributing right away and can slow down the team’s ability to work well together.

4. Unclear roles and responsibilities

If team members aren’t sure what their specific tasks and boundaries are, it can lead to confusion and overlap in their work. This problem is made worse when the team doesn’t know what responsibilities each person has, so they don’t know who to go to for help with certain things.

5. Failure to share knowledge

Sometimes, team members keep valuable insights or resources to themselves instead of sharing them. This prevents the whole team from benefiting from everyone’s knowledge and experience. When teams don’t collaborate and share what they’ve learned, the organization misses out on opportunities to learn and improve.

12 strategies on how to improve team collaboration

To foster stronger teamwork and seamless collaboration, here are 12 effective strategies on how to improve team collaboration, that can help elevate team synergy and productivity.

1. Eliminate common bottlenecks on your team collaboration

Take a close look at your team’s workflow and communication patterns to pinpoint common bottlenecks. Maybe it’s a lack of clear decision-making authority, outdated file-sharing processes, or too many unnecessary meetings. 

By identifying these collaboration chokepoints, you can implement targeted solutions to get information and tasks flowing freely again. This could mean streamlining approval chains, upgrading to more efficient collaboration tools, or simply making meetings more purposeful and productive.

2. Establish clear goals and communicate your expectations

Establish clear goals and communicate your expectations. When everyone is aware of the team’s goals and objectives, it’s easier to stay on track and hold each other accountable. Clearly defined goals serve as great motivators, helping team members envision the future of their work. 

Consider providing opportunities for employees to collaboratively set goals for themselves and the group. Make sure your expectations for collaboration are communicated from the start – even including it as part of the onboarding process so new hires know teamwork is a priority.

Differentiate individual and collective responsibilities. Employees should understand both their personal tasks and their role as part of the team. By outlining these distinct responsibilities in job descriptions, you set clear boundaries for what team members should take individual ownership of versus what they need to collaborate on. 

3. Encourage open communication

Collaboration thrives when team members feel empowered to share their full perspectives without holding back. Encourage everyone to participate, innovate, and communicate freely. Rather than reining in their thoughts and feelings, team members should be comfortable being their authentic selves. 

This doesn’t mean conflict-free – healthy disagreements and open dialogue are vital for unlocking the team’s full potential. The key is cultivating an environment where people know their honest input is welcomed and will be thoughtfully considered, not stifled. By creating this open, transparent culture, you unlock the creativity and collective problem-solving that make teams truly effective.

4. Acknowledge every individual strengths on your team

People are more motivated and productive when their contributions are recognized. As you build your team, be sure to identify and emphasize everyone’s distinct strengths. Not everyone has to be a leader or public speaker – the real power comes from tapping into each person’s specific skills and abilities. 

Encourage team members to share their strengths openly, whether through personality tests or group discussions. This allows you to strategically leverage everyone’s talents for collaborative success, rather than trying to fit square pegs into round holes. When each person feels valued for what they uniquely bring to the table, the entire team thrives.

5. Assigning leaders who are both task-relationship-oriented

The most effective team leads don’t just focus on tasks and goals – they also foster strong interpersonal dynamics. Look for people who can balance both task-oriented and relationship-oriented leadership. These “hybrid” leaders know how to set clear objectives and timelines, while also making team members feel heard, supported, and motivated. 

They create an environment where everyone’s contributions are valued and the group works together seamlessly. By identifying and elevating these well-rounded leaders, you cultivate a collaborative spirit where the team feels empowered to communicate openly, support one another, and reach their collective potential.

6. Create a communication guidelines to reduce unproductive meetings

Building a cohesive, productive team requires agreeing on how you’ll communicate. Sit down together to co-create communication guidelines that work for everyone. Decide what should be shared via email, messaging apps, project tools, or meetings. Agree on preferred meeting times and create rules for inclusive, focused discussions. 

Just as importantly, make space for uninterrupted work time – designate “no meeting” days or blocks where people can dive deep without distractions. By establishing these mutually understood conventions, you remove friction from the collaborative process and empower your team to work together effectively.

7. Create a safe & creative environment

For your team to truly thrive, you need to create an environment where people feel secure, supported, and free to think outside the box. When individuals know their contributions will be appreciated, they’ll pour their full effort into the work. Encourage your leaders to champion this sense of psychological safety, validating people’s ideas and efforts. 

At the same time, make it clear that creativity is actively welcomed – not just incremental improvements, but bold, imaginative solutions. By fostering this kind of open, nurturing culture, you unlock your team’s innovative potential and empower them to collaborate in groundbreaking ways.

8. Encourage co-creation and brainstorming over weekly reporting

To foster true team collaboration, invite co-creation, where team members actively build ideas together rather than working separately toward the same goal. Instead of just assigning tasks, encourage open discussions and brainstorming sessions, allowing space for different perspectives—even disagreements. 

This co-creation process doesn’t require everyone to be in the same room; it can be just as effective online. For example, a shared Google Doc offers a space for team members to add and expand on each other’s ideas asynchronously, making virtual collaboration smooth and dynamic.

9. Share knowledge, insight, and resource to reduce silo working

Sharing knowledge, insights, and resources can empower a team to work effectively and collaboratively. When everyone has access to the same information and tools, they feel more confident to contribute meaningfully. Use file-sharing and collaboration platforms to provide easy access to essential resources, but don’t stop there. 

Encourage open spaces—both physical and virtual—where team members can share their experiences, lessons learned, and constructive feedback. Leaders should also contribute by sharing their own successes and failures, guiding the team through challenges and helping them grow from setbacks. 

By fostering open communication, constructive criticism, and accountability, you create a collaborative environment that drives meaningful results.

10. Get to know each other by bonding outside work

Consider organizing end-of-week gatherings, where team members can bring a friend or partner if space and budget allow. This casual setting lets employees share more about themselves beyond work topics, building connections that might otherwise be missed in a busy office. 

If in-person events aren’t possible, a virtual social call can work wonders. Encourage everyone to share a bit about their backgrounds, interests, and even life goals. Knowing colleagues as people, not just co-workers, helps teams communicate and collaborate more naturally when it’s time to tackle the next big project.

11. Reward your team achievement

Successful teamwork is the backbone of any thriving organization, and recognizing it can work wonders. When two team members collaborate to bring a new idea to life or tackle a challenging initiative, take a moment to celebrate their accomplishments. 

Encourage them to share their insights – what strategies did they use to work together effectively? This not only shines a light on their achievements but can also inspire others to emulate their fruitful partnership, fostering a culture of collective success.

12. Use integrated tools to increase transparency 

Streamlining teamwork has never been easier – the secret lies in embracing a single, shared tool as your collaborative hub. When you consolidate your team’s efforts into a central source of truth, remarkable things happen. 

Updates, file sharing, and contextual information become easily accessible, removing barriers to seamless cooperation. By empowering your team to work together effortlessly, you unlock their true potential, fostering a culture of collective success that drives your organization forward.

Read More: SaaS Integration: Streamlining Your Digital Ecosystem

Collaborating better by integrated SaaS

The success of your organization hinges on how seamlessly your departments can work together. Picture this: your HR team updates employee information, and instantly, your finance department has accurate data for payroll processing, while your operations team can precisely plan resources. 

This isn’t just a dream scenario; it’s the everyday reality for businesses using Mekari’s integrated SaaS platform. Mekari steps in as an integrated cloud-based business solution, revolutionizing how departments interact and collaborate. 

Our unified platform seamlessly integrates essential business functions: from HR, accounting, tax, marketing, to legal. Instead of juggling multiple systems, your team works within one intuitive interface where data flows freely and securely between departments. 

Contact us today to schedule your personalized demonstration, or to speak with our solutions expert. Don’t let departmental barriers continue to hold your business back – join the thousands of companies that have already discovered the power of truly integrated business operations with Mekari.

References

Asana. ‘’Collaboration in the workplace: 11 ways to boost your team’s performance’’
Hubspot. ‘’12 Crucial Strategies for Promoting Team Collaboration’’