How to Bust Through Information Silos in the New Hybrid World of Work – Pt 2
Information silos are a threat to your company's success. Learn how to break them down and why now is the perfect time to change corporate culture.
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATIONDIGITAL COMMERCECURIOSITY
Elon Musk might think hybrid setups amount to “pretending to work”, but the model is here to stay. A Microsoft study found 87% of UK companies have adapted to hybrid work, and that number isn’t likely to shrink.
Thus, the big question—for both employers and employees—becomes how to shape the future of work. The key to a collegial, de-siloed work environment is not about finding the right software platform. There are countless apps that fit any collaborative environment you can imagine.
Rather, it’s a question of mindset. Many companies are at an inflection point in how they structure their work environments. We’re beyond the hectic, early days of the pandemic where we threw together plans and programs out of sheer necessity. But as the digital work environment evolves, companies still haven’t settled on processes that support information and idea sharing.
As we all navigate a sea change of uncertainty, it’s the perfect opportunity to build a new, hybrid environment that breaks down silos permanently. So, how do you do that?
Keys to breaking down silos once and for all
Removing silos in business requires your entire company to work towards a single shared vision. And it requires daily, incremental changes, as well.
Here are some practical tips to help you embody the qualities of a collegial environment at every step:
Emulate the “watercooler moments” of an office by using Slack or other channels creatively—try setting up a #hangout channel and encouraging weekly threads to share jokes, pictures, or anecdotes about daily life
Digital communication lacks the human cues of sitting across a table from someone—train your employees on how to convey their meaning properly via Zoom or email, versus when a conversation is better suited for a one-on-one moment
Build transparency into your corporate culture with regular information-access checkups, data-sharing reports, and cross-departmental meetings
Utilize a survey or feedback platform to collect employee input, go through results in open meetings, and close the circle by making employees part of the decision-making process for how to act on feedback
If you use project management tools like Asana or Clickup, keep tasks public so that everyone can see who’s working on what
Use a public database like Notion to create a company-wide knowledge base so that information doesn’t die when employees move on
Foster open, bi-directional communication—leadership should be listening, not just talking
Your design team probably uses a digital whiteboard app like Lucid or Miro—open it up to the whole company to facilitate engagement and information sharing
Of course, these are only the beginning. It’s important to remember that cultural change doesn’t happen overnight. And sometimes, an external set of eyes can help. At Prospero Commerce, we encourage a holistic, collaborative approach to discovering and resolving the root cause of problems.
Our diagnostic framework takes feedback from every facet of your company (people, culture, process, revenue and more) into account. Doing so helps you develop a 360-degree view of where you are now, and a roadmap to reach the collegial, prosperous work environment you aim for. It takes a steady commitment to cultural change to break down silos. Prospero Commerce’s principals have over 60 combined years of experience guiding companies through growth and organisational improvement. Connect with us today to find out how we can help your team reach the next level.
Why now is the perfect time to address organisational silos
