Working in silos is a no-no, though it’s easy to end up in that situation when you barely interact with other departments. 86% of respondents in a Fierce, Inc. survey blamed lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures. On the other hand, cross-department collaboration can be powerful for driving business growth – especially in hybrid work settings.
“Collaborating across departments can be essential for generating new ideas and carrying out complex projects,” says Timothy Golden, professor at the Lally School of Management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and remote work expert.
“If departments are not physically collocated in the corporate office, then remote and hybrid work can actually make collaboration between departments easier, as it overcomes the distance and allows ideas to be exchanged conveniently and easily. With a simple Zoom/video conference, or a series of emails/texts, people can communicate easily and relatively seamlessly.”
That being said, fostering cross-department collaboration in a hybrid work environment can be challenging, too. You can’t just walk over to a cubicle and talk about a project. Here are some tips to break silos and nurture effective collaboration across departments in a hybrid environment, according to Golden.
1. Over-communicate across departments
In the Fierce, Inc. survey mentioned above, nearly 100 percent of employees said that they prefer a workplace in which people identify and discuss issues truthfully and effectively. Yet less than half of respondents said that their organization does so. Communication is always key but when it comes to cross-team collaboration, you’ll want to double down on that concept.
“Since you are not likely to casually bump into [coworkers from other departments] by the elevator or water cooler, you need to simulate that in the remote environment. Drop them a line frequently to check in, say hello, or catch up on the status of a project,” says Golden. It sounds obvious, but when your inbox is full and your next meeting is in 15 minutes, you’ll be tempted to focus on your deliverables instead of pinging that coworker from another team.
2. Match the right tasks with the right tech
In a hybrid environment, effective teamwork across the organization heavily depends on your tech stack. Here’s another nuance: Matching the right task with the right tech and communication platform is an art to master. Mastering it will naturally encourage collaboration between teams.
“Be sure to always match the task to the technology. Some job tasks are best carried out in-person or via a video call, while others match well with emails, texting, or Slack,” says Golden.
For example, smaller projects may only require a kickoff email, while bigger ones may call for a big Zoom meeting. Asking your coworker from another department for feedback in a Google doc may work in some cases but lead to confusion in others. Use your judgment.
3. Appreciate the complexity of problems to solve
“Remember that in collaborative activities, many problems seem easy from the outside, but once you delve into the details and see the full range of factors, they are frequently more complex than they initially appear,” according to Golden.
In a hybrid work environment, it’s important to take the time to fully appreciate the complexity of what everyone is dealing with. You can’t effectively collaborate with people from other departments if you don’t understand the situations they face and what they need to do to approach their work. Pick their brain with an open mind to improve communication, collaboration and problem-solving.
4. Be proactive about building relationships
Breaking silos is about breaking metaphorical walls. In your own team, it may be easier to forge bonds and build trust. But with people from other departments, you need to be proactive about nurturing relationships, which will serve you in the long run.
“Be proactive about reaching out to others in the other department to establish and build relationships. In doing so, consider how you would like to be contacted by coworkers, and how you would feel if someone approached you from a different department,” recommends Golden.
5. Put yourself in the shoes of other contributors
On that note, the encouraging cross-department collaboration also means encouraging empathy. “Do not assume that other people share the same perspective as yourself. They likely work on different considerations or aspects of problems than you do, so be prepared to share your view and engage them in a discussion that encourages them to share their view as well,” adds Golden.
The more you practice understanding how other teams work and what they care about, the better equipped you will be to foster a highly collaborative hybrid work environment.
