The Benefits of Workplace Collaboration & Strategies for Improving It

As productivity and AI software tools continue to automate more and more repetitive, individual tasks, the higher-level work done by humans increasingly relies on collaboration. That shift is making “soft” skills—or more appropriately, people skills—every bit as vital for employees as their specific functional knowledge.

Virtually every phase of bringing new products or services to market—from ideation and development through production, delivery, sales, and support—is done by teams. When team members communicate and collaborate effectively, they make better decisions, faster, and accomplish more, all of which ultimately leads to organizational success.

Here’s a look at what workplace collaboration is, its benefits, the skills required for successful collaboration, and practical guidance on how to enhance collaboration within and among teams across your organization.

What is Workplace Collaboration?

Collaboration in the workplace occurs when a group of people work together to complete tasks, brainstorm ideas, or share knowledge. This can happen within a departmental team or across functions. Team collaboration, per Indeed.com, means:

“Working in groups where members know each other’s tasks, abilities and timelines for a given project. It allows each employee to contribute their specialized skills and receive support from others…(it) also means the entire group takes shared responsibility for difficulties and equal recognition for successes.”¹

Collaboration is different from coordination and cooperation; the three are related but different concepts.

Coordination involves organizing different elements or people to work together effectively, like an orchestra conductor. The focus is on timing, scheduling, and arranging activities to avoid conflicts and achieve efficiency.

Cooperation is when individuals or groups work alongside each other toward compatible goals, sharing resources and assistance as needed. The emphasis is on mutual support while maintaining relatively independent operations.

Collaboration runs deeper than either of those concepts. It involves people working together as true partners, co-creating and problem-solving toward shared goals. Every team member contributes unique expertise and perspectives to generate new ideas and solutions.

The Benefits of Workplace Collaboration

Collaboration is crucial in modern workplaces because the complexity of so many challenges requires multiple perspectives and disciplines to develop optimized solutions. Teams that are diverse, not only in terms of demographics but also age, expertise, and cultural perspective, develop more and better ideas than any single member could.

Collaboration drives innovation and creativity by surfacing different ideas, then building upon them with additional observations and suggestions from across the team. It helps team members forge tight bonds in pursuit of a common goal. The resulting relationships and feelings of working together to achieve something new and impactful deepens employee engagement and job satisfaction.

A few examples of companies that have benefited from a collaborative culture include:

Slack

This is not a surprise as the company is in the business of selling messaging apps that enable and support team collaboration. Per Trinet, “Within their own working environment, Slack instills open communication…One employee says they are both humble and collaborative. Other Slack team members declare that ideas are respectfully recognized as reliable contributions.”²

Pixar

Looking at the amazingly imaginative work produced by this studio—Toy Story, Monsters Inc., The Incredibles (and all of their sequels), just to name a few—it’s clear these must be the result of a phenomenally creative and collaborative bunch. Per Fearless Culture:

“While most creative organizations promote internal competition, Pixar adopts a different approach. Colleagues provide feedback to each other to help improve other teams’ ideas…Pixar practices radical candor to promote transparent conversations. Colleagues are not meant to judge their peers, but the work.”³

Muck Rack

While not as much of a household name as the two brands above, this developer of public relations (PR) software has done something uniquely challenging by fostering a strong culture of collaboration with a fully remote workplace structure. According to Purpose Jobs:

“While the Muck Rack team works fully distributed and has unique benefits like ‘no meeting Fridays,’ they still value teamwork. Their culture has attracted people who are excited to help others succeed, whether that’s customers or team members…at Muck Rack people at all levels and from all backgrounds are always available and willing to help.”⁴

Top Five Benefits of Effective Employee Collaboration in the Workplace

Fostering collaboration in the workplace offers a number of benefits that can significantly impact an organization’s success. Here are five key benefits of effective collaboration in the workplace./

1. Enhanced Productivity and Performance

Effective collaboration leads to increased productivity and improved performance across teams and organizations.

• A Stanford study found that employees who worked collaboratively were 64% more likely to stick to a task than their solitary counterparts.⁵
• Deloitte research shows that 73% of employees engaged in collaborative work report improved performance.⁶
• Companies that promote collaborative working are five times more likely to be high-performing.⁵

Michael Dell of Dell emphasizes this point: “People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses or the problems of modern society.”⁷

2. Increased Innovation and Creativity

Collaborative environments spark innovation and creativity.

• 60% of employees say collaboration sparks innovation, according to a Deloitte study.⁶
• Diverse perspectives in collaborative teams lead to unique approaches and solutions to problems.⁸

Brian Eno highlights the creative benefits: “Every collaboration helps you grow. With Bowie, it’s different every time. I know how to create settings, unusual aural environments. That inspires him. He’s very quick.”⁹

3. Improved Employee Engagement and Satisfaction

Collaborative environments enhance employee morale, engagement, and job satisfaction.

• 85% of employees feel happier at work when they have access to collaborative management tools.¹¹
• Employees are 17% more satisfied with their jobs when engaged in collaborative projects.⁸
• Happy employees are 13% more productive, with a 72% boost in effectiveness when collaboration is high.⁶

Suresh Kumar, Walmart CTO, notes: “As we’ve moved to virtual work, we haven’t just coped, we’ve actually thrived. We are more focused on the things that have the greatest impact for our customers, associates and the business.”7

4. Enhanced Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

Collaboration leads to more effective problem-solving and improved decision-making processes.

•  Teams of three to five members perform best when solving complex problems.⁶
• Collaborative environments that bring diverse knowledge and skills develop more efficient solutions.²

Henry Ford aptly stated: “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.”⁹

5. Improved Employee Wellness and Work-Life Balance

Collaboration can positively impact employee well-being and work-life balance.

• 60% of workers report that collaboration reduces burnout by providing mutual support.⁶
• Colleagues who co-locate no more than 50% of the time are twice as likely to report having a more sustainable work-life balance.¹⁰

Journalist Stephanie Ruhle emphasizes: “Work-life balance is not just a buzzy, self-help term that real business people laugh at. You need it.”⁷

To sum this up, fostering collaboration in the workplace leads to numerous benefits, from increased productivity and innovation to improved employee satisfaction and well-being. As organizations continue to adapt to evolving work environments, prioritizing collaboration will be crucial for success.

Which Skills are Essential for Successful Workplace Collaboration?

Team members need to have several skills in order to master successful workplace collaboration. Among the most critical skills are:

Communication

The ability to communicate effectively and professionally is at the core of collaboration. Personality assessment workshops such as our Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Training and DiSC Workshop help employees understand their own communication style and preferences as well as those of their colleagues, enabling more productive communication.

Conflict Management and Resolution

Disagreements are inevitable; emotion-driven conflict isn’t. Professional development programs such as Conflict Resolution Training teach participants proven methods for handling disagreements and discord in a respectful and professional manner.

Trust

Trust is vital for productive collaboration, and it’s developed through open, authentic communication. Team members need to feel confident that they “have each other’s back.” As the Pixar example above notes, it’s essential to critique ideas, not individuals.

Accountability

Teams function much better when everyone takes responsibility for their actions, even when they make mistakes. When employees have the confidence that they won’t be judged harshly for slip-ups, that their colleagues will take a “learn from it and move on” approach, it builds trust and fosters accountability.

Empathy

Teams function more productively when members understand and respect diverse perspectives and emotions—and that everyone makes mistakes now and then. Collaboration is improved when team members feel free to be authentic and open without fear of personal judgment.

Teamwork

In addition to empathy and conflict resolution skills, as noted above, teamwork requires cooperation—working jointly with others to achieve shared goals. Individual coaching combined with professional development training help employees improve their teamwork skills.

Problem Solving

Collaboration is enhanced when individual team members are trained in proven strategies to solve problems, and when the team as a group has experiences outside of the normal work routine in solving problems together. Team building and professional development programs like Igniting Team Performance®, virtual escape rooms, and murder mysteries teach problem-solving skills in a fun and engaging way.

Technical Skills

Teamwork is improved when members understand and use collaborative tools and technologies like project management software (e.g., Trello, Asana) and communication platforms (e.g., Slack, Teams). These tools support accurate and timely information exchange.

Strategies to Enhance Employee Cooperation

As noted above, effective communication is vital to building trust and collaborating productively. Regular meetings and open forums are crucial to enable team members to freely share ideas and feedback. Team leaders trained in Meeting Management skills are equipped to adeptly plan and manage productive, engaging team discussions.

Here are three more essential strategies for enhancing cooperation and collaboration.

Use SMART Goals

SMART goals are statements of the key results a team is striving to accomplish. They are designed to “foster clear and mutual understanding of what constitute expected levels of performance and successful professional development.”¹²

The SMART criteria are:

Source: University of California Office of the President

Implementing SMART goals helps teams focus attention on resources on their most important and impactful tasks.

Encourage Diverse Perspectives

Again, recognizing and valuing the diverse perspectives, and strengths of each team member, builds trust and encourages open communication. As noted in our post on improving cohesion and managing a team with diverse personalities:

“’Our diversity is our strength’ isn’t just a slogan. Dozens of research studies over time have shown that diverse teams are smarter, increase financial returns to the organization, and perform 30% better than homogeneous teams.”

Diverse teams can make better decisions, produce more innovative ideas, and collaborate effectively if members are properly trained and led.

Organize Team Building Activities and Social Events

By bringing employees together in a fun, stress-free atmosphere, team building programs and social gatherings enhance camaraderie and improve collaboration among team members. The next session looks at specific examples of team building exercises that can boost workplace collaboration.

Team Building Activities to Boost Collaboration in the Workplace

As noted in our expert guide to team building activities that work, these programs not only play a vital role in improving workplace collaboration but also increase engagement, strengthen workplace relationships, and support employee well-being.

By taking employees outside the work environment and giving them fun challenges that are unfamiliar to everyone in the group (and therefore place every participant on an even footing), team building events help build trust and rapport.

A few examples of team building activities that promote and foster collaboration include:

Bridge to the Future: This activity reinforces collaboration both within and across teams, as individual groups build sections of a bridge—using only cardboard and duct tape—that must be assembled at the end to create a structure capable of holding the weight of the entire group.

Pipeline: In another activity requiring collaboration both within and between teams, each group builds parts of a marble delivery system, which must be assembled at the end to successfully move the marbles to their destination. Communication and collaboration with other teams is essential to accomplishing the goal.

Build-a-Guitar® or Build-a-Band™: These charitable corporate responsibility (CSR) events promote collaboration as teams complete challenges and assemble musical instruments for donation to youth organizations and school music programs. The sense of teamwork and comradery is enhanced by the emotional impact of helping kids in need.

A regular cadence of team building activities helps sustain collaborative efforts. As explained in our post on managing passive-aggressive employees, “top-performing organizations make team building a regular event, often running programs several times each year.”

In one example of how team building helps build collaboration, we helped a Fortune 500 company improve cross-departmental collaboration between its headquarters and satellite offices using a unique activity. 12 teams each practiced assembling a 3D wooden puzzle. The activity was a success only when every team could complete the challenge within 60 seconds, which required teams to reach out and ask for or provide guidance to other teams.

Take the Next Step: Enhance Collaboration in Your Workplace

Ready to take action to foster more effective collaboration? Great! Teams that collaborate well are happier, more productive, and more engaged with the organization.

Actionable ideas for implementing collaboration strategies include using SMART goals; encouraging diverse perspectives; and organizing team building and social events. Make sure employees are trained in communication and conflict-resolution skills, and that they have access to and the knowledge to use collaboration tools.

Working with a highly rated, professional team building facilitator can be highly beneficial. The experts at Best Corporate Events start with a detailed assessment of your needs, so they can make knowledgeable recommendations on how to solve a wide range of business challenges, including workplace collaboration within and across functions.

If you’re ready to discuss your needs with an experienced consultant and find out how team building and professional development programs can be customized to address your specific circumstances, contact us to get started or get a quote.

Sources:

1. What does collaboration mean in the workplace?, Indeed.com, https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-does-collaboration-mean
2. 10 Companies Who Inspire Creative Team Collaboration, Trinet, https://www.trinet.com/insights/companies-who-inspire-creative-team-collaboration
3. 12 Examples of Powerful Cultures from Successful Companies, Fearless Culture, https://www.fearlessculture.design/blog-posts/11-examples-of-companies-with-powerful-cultures
4. 14 Companies That Love Collaboration — And Are Good At It, Purpose Jobs, https://www.purpose.jobs/blog/top-collaborative-companies
5. New Study Finds That Collaboration Drives Workplace Performance, Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/adigaskell/2017/06/22/new-study-finds-that-collaboration-drives-workplace-performance/
6. 47 Workplace collaboration statistics 2025, ProofHub, https://www.proofhub.com/articles/workplace-collaboration-statistics
7. Remote and Hybrid Business Collaboration Quotes from Top Leaders, CTi, https://www.cti.com/20-insightful-quotes-about-remote-and-hybrid-business-collaboration/
8. The importance of team collaboration in the workplace, Simpplr, https://www.simpplr.com/blog/2019/importance-of-collaboration-in-the-workplace/
9. 25 teamwork quotes to Inspire Collaboration, Teamwork.com, https://www.teamwork.com/blog/25-quotes-inspire-collaboration/
10. Teamwork as a Science: A Data-Backed Approach to Workplace Collaboration, SHRM, https://www.shrm.org/executive-network/insights/teamwork-as-a-science-data-backed-approach-to-workplace-collaboration
11. Teamwork Statistics: Importance of Collaboration in 2024, TeamStage, https://teamstage.io/teamwork-statistics/
12. SMART Goals: A How to Guide, University of California, https://www.ucop.edu/local-human-resources/_files/performance-appraisal/How+to+write+SMART+Goals+v2.pdf