Foster a Collaborative Culture

Today more than ever, companies that encourage collaboration to stand out on all fronts, whether it’s for better employee retention, a greater sense of belonging, or even increased productivity. But first, how is collaborative culture defined in business?

A collaborative culture is one where cooperation between employees is intentional and recurrent. It is present in the processes and does not depend on being initiated by anyone. In other words, collaboration is an embedded value of the company and dictates how it operates. This kind of organizational culture allows companies to grow by emphasizing collective rather than individual intelligence, and it promotes innovation!
Employees who collaborate are committed and stay in their positions. With transparency and communication, leaders can establish strong collaborative cultures in their teams.

Younger generations value these traits, which are important to highlight with managers and supervisors. When adopting a culture of collaboration, be careful not to leave women to carry the bulk of the load since, naturally, they tend to want to collaborate with their colleagues! When women make an effort to establish this kind of culture, it’s vital to ensure that everyone participates actively. The transparency and commitment of the whole company, at every level, will limit this gender imbalance.

Develop Human Potential

To move toward gender parity, no one can be left behind. A good inclusive leader is one who decides to develop all talents, not only those with high potential. Employee growth happens through professional development and support from managers and supervisors. Investing in training doesn’t just impact talent. 83% of American companies report that the talent skill gap has serious consequences on their revenues and expansion.

What’s more, when employees feel that support is lacking and that their development isn’t taken into consideration by their company, they quit. According to a LinkedIn study, 94% of employees would stay in their current jobs if their employers invested in their training.

Now more than ever, it’s the human factor that must be at the heart of decision-making. When recruiting, we can’t stop at diplomas and well-rounded resumes. The right candidate won’t fit into a ready-made box, but will fit into a team where they’ll complement their colleagues. Skills can be learned, but communication, sharing and transparency are essential qualities for group work.

Redefine Performance

Did you know that the definition of performance varies based on gender? Indeed, it’s been shown that annual reviews are often biased; women are judged on their behaviour rather than on their accomplishments. 87.9% of women receive criticism about their attitude, compared to 58% of men who do.

Training inclusive leaders is also about increasing awareness of unconscious biases they can have toward their employees. By training them to detect the double standards they may unconsciously have, they can go on to establish more equitable performance assessment criteria. Involving more people in the evaluation and recruitment process ensures them a more objective view of their current and future colleagues.

But more than that, inclusive leaders know the difference between individual and collective performance, and they favour the latter. This approach promotes reaching the full potential of the teams and of corporate objectives. Inclusive leaders value the success of the group over that of the individual.

Collaboration, an employee-centred culture, and the validation of collective performance are the foundations of leadership today. Leadership that propels employees and companies to the peak of their ambition. And to train those who will be in charge, companies must be actively committed to adopting these principles, so that tomorrow’s leaders can also grow in their roles!

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