The answer is simple, but the solution is a bit more complex. Most collaboration platforms are designed as one size fits all. These solutions are rigid and typically built for knowledge workers only.
Further, the pandemic forced organizations to pick a collaboration solution based on necessity versus the best fit for the organization.
As many organizations have experienced, if you build it, they may not come. On top of that, the SEC continues to fine financial firms who are conducting business “off-channel.” The cost of low adoption will continue to ripple across all organizations and particularly those in regulated industries.
So how can an organization experience optimal collaboration adoption and overcome the significant technical bar that often inhibits overall adoption and sentiment toward new technology?
Top Tips to Help Improve Collaboration Adoption
Invest in a Verticalized Solution
Most collaboration platforms were built with one type of worker in mind to appeal to a mass market. These platforms can work for a specific vertical, but this one size fits all approach doesn’t truly meet the needs of a diverse workforce. Better solutions include tailored functionality for knowledge workers and features that cater to field and frontline workers.
A verticalized collaboration solution is designed with the workflows, processes, and requirements of a particular industry in mind. For example, Workstorm offers iManage integration and granular information governance policies for law firms seeking secure collaboration and matter management. By addressing industry-specific challenges and integrating relevant technologies, the platform becomes more intuitive and approachable for lawyers and paralegals.
Key points to consider:
- Enhanced Experience: Tailoring a collaboration platform to the unique needs of a specific industry improves experience and satisfaction. When employees find that the platform aligns seamlessly with their daily tasks and processes, they are more likely to embrace it wholeheartedly.
- Increased Efficiency: A verticalized collaboration solution can streamline workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and provide industry-specific tools that enhance efficiency. This targeted approach helps everyone perform their job functions more efficiently, leading to increased adoption and utilization of the platform.
- Focus on Individual Engagement: By involving team leads and stakeholders in the evaluation process, you ensure that the collaboration platform is not only aligned with industry workflows but also with the specific needs of different groups within the organization. This collaborative approach fosters buy-in and engagement from the early stages of implementation.
A verticalized collaboration solution not only drives higher adoption rates, but also contributes to improved productivity and overall success when leveraging the collaboration platform effectively within the organization.
Communicate
Enhancing collaboration adoption through effective communication strategies is a critical component of a successful technology implementation. A communication strategy creates awareness and creates space for teams to prepare for the change before, during, and after the new technology arrives. Workstorm develops client deployed communication plans for its customers. These plans include a series of communications that start two weeks before deployment, build to the day of deployment, and provide tips and tricks post deployment. Each short communication has a set purpose, ways to engage, and is sent from the project sponsor.
Key points to consider:
- Creating Awareness and Understanding: A well-thought-out communication plan ensures that all stakeholders are informed about the impending change, including the rollout of new technology. By clearly communicating (and not just telling) the benefits and reasons behind the change, colleagues are more likely to understand how the new technology will positively impact their work processes.
- Reducing Resistance to Change: Transparent and proactive communication helps to alleviate concerns and reduces resistance to change among employees. When individuals feel informed and involved in the decision-making process, they are more likely to embrace the new technology rather than resist it.
- Leadership Alignment and Support: Leadership plays a crucial role in driving change and fostering a culture of adoption. When leaders actively communicate the importance of the technology initiative and demonstrate their support through various channels like town hall meetings, newsletters, and memos, it reinforces the message and encourages buy-in from the entire organization.
Effective communication strategies play a pivotal role in improving adoption by creating awareness, reducing resistance, building anticipation, aligning leadership, fostering two-way dialogue, and providing necessary support. By prioritizing communication throughout the implementation process, organizations can enhance acceptance, engagement, and ultimately the success of new technology adoption within the organization.
Pilot and Champion Groups Support Organic Adoption
Establishing a pilot or champion group can significantly improve adoption by fostering a supportive environment for organic growth and team engagement. When leadership of a national commercial real estate firm sought to reduce oversharing of information and improve internal and external collaboration, Workstorm helped deploy a pilot program ahead of firm-wide expansion. The successful deployment helped the firm successfully evaluate the right solution, eliminate collaboration gaps, drive strategy, improve outcomes, and enhance their overall business operations.
Key points to consider:
- Top-Down Leadership and Peer Support: Pilot and champion groups offer a dual approach to driving collaboration adoption. While leadership provides guidance and direction for technology adoption, enthusiastic peers within the organization serve as advocates and mentors for their colleagues. This combination of top-down leadership and peer support nurtures a culture of collaboration and enthusiasm towards adopting new technology.
- Removal of Adoption Barriers: By creating a network of champions and peers who are knowledgeable about the technology, organizations can reduce perceived barriers to adoption. Teammates are more inclined to seek help and guidance from their peers within the group, rather than approach IT or submit formal requests for support. This informal support system accelerates learning and encourages everyone to explore and embrace new technology.
- Accelerated Learning and Feedback: Pilot groups comprising volunteers allow for active testing and evaluation of the technology in real-world scenarios. These tech-forward volunteers can provide valuable feedback, identify potential issues, and suggest improvements based on their experiences. This feedback facilitates continuous learning and refinement of the technology before broader implementation.
Pilot and champion groups serve as catalysts for improving adoption by fostering a collaborative and supportive environment, reducing adoption barriers, accelerating learning and feedback, engaging diverse groups, and cultivating change champions for successful technology adoption within the organization. By leveraging the strengths of pilot and champion groups, organizations can pave the way for seamless and successful adoption of new technologies.
Summary: One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Integrating a verticalized collaboration solution tailored to industry workflows can significantly enhance adoption rates by improving efficiency, individual experience, and engagement. Effective communication strategies play a vital role in driving adoption through building awareness, reducing resistance, and fostering anticipation. Finally, establishing pilot or champion groups support organic adoption by providing peer support, accelerating learning, and cultivating advocates for successful technology integration. Workstorm can help organizations create a conducive environment for collaboration, leading to increased adoption and overall success in leveraging the platform effectively.
