When employees work together as a team, they are more efficient and productive than when they were to work as individuals. The challenge comes with organisation and getting effectual results from this coordination. For this reason, understanding ways teams can work with no limitations becomes essential as it brings about the best in employees and the company too. Andrew E Ivang from the Department of Clinical Biology-Huye Campus says that first of all, it’s ideal to understand that depending on the size and structure of your company, bringing people from different backgrounds and time zones together to work towards a common goal isn’t a walk in the park. Due to such limitations, he mentions that one of the key elements to consider for smooth collaboration is ensuring effective communication. “Communication is the foundation of effective teamwork. It applies in all areas, be it while working on presentations or different projects. It is vital to have open communication with your team on different matters that need to be solved or worked on,” he says. Communication promotes trust and makes for a positive team environment. Menelas Nkontanyi, a software engineer with Arc grid Consultant company ltd, Kigali says collaboration among employees leads to innovation. Coming together as a team brings people together to brainstorm on issues and come up with new ideas that will benefit an organisation. He goes on to note that working as a group makes it easier for individuals to learn and work on their limitations and challenges, with support from other members of the team. In addition to this, Nkontanyi points out that collaboration can ensure stronger teams all the time. As a team, you put your ideas and effort together to form stronger teams and social networks. “Working towards the same goal helps instil team members with a sense of purpose, and at the same time enable them to fill in each other’s skills gaps,” he says. Vanessa Uwimana, a young entrepreneur in the fashion field believes that while working, collaborating with your team members helps each and every one to learn new things about each other, which is essential as far as understanding your colleagues’ weaknesses and strengths is concerned. This, she says is beneficial for the overall personal and professional development of each member. She says, when you collaborate, it opens people’s minds on how to think differently and be competent in the working environment. “This in the long run helps an individual to build self-awareness and a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses in general,” she says. Dr Ivang says collaboration also ensures time management, as working together saves time as compared to when one is working as an individual. This he says is an added advantage to one’s career as one is equipped with such skills that can be applied in other areas. While collaborating with others, it also helps one to think outside the box, especially when faced with challenges, hence developing problem-solving skills, he adds. “This approach also helps uncover challenges that are inhibiting the team’s success. This gives the team a clear way of solving problems whenever they encounter them along the way,” he adds.
