One of the indicators of success in a company is whether its employees can perform together as a team. This not only leads to a positive environment, but also a company that has an effective workflow. A positive workplace fosters creativity, which leads to innovation.
Software solutions like Microsoft 365 mean employees can log on wherever they are to collaborate and access their files. They have access to cloud versions of all Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and email from any device. It allows employees to work together in real-time on the same document and keep track of the changes made.
What this means for small businesses is there is reduced downtime even when employees are out of the office. If there is a question about a report or if edits are required urgently, the person responsible can make the required changes in the document immediately.
Project management tools like Asana and Monday record the progress of multiple jobs, and adds a level of transparency to the responsibilities of the members involved.
Instead of relying on email threads to keep the team informed of deadlines and decisions, these platforms help members organise individual or team tasks. Team members can contribute comments, files and updates to keep everyone informed of roadblocks, or assign tasks to other members.
Business owners and project managers are able to use these tools to plan their workload over time and have a better idea of which projects to allocate resources to. They also give managers a quick view on the progress of each project. At a glance, they can see what is on track, what is falling behind, and make quick decisions to get the project running efficiently.