Collaboration, just like communication, has experienced some evolution in recent years. In the past, if you wanted to collaborate, you’d need to pull a group of people together in person. 

However, today’s business teams aren’t always located in the same space as their colleagues.  

Remote working and globalisation mean businesses must work harder to keep people connected, even when they can’t share physical files or work side-by-side on a project. 

Collaboration is simultaneously a solution and a necessity for the digital workplace. 

Communication vs Collaboration: What’s the Difference? 

Collaboration is all about generating new ideas. However, it isn’t just a single event – it needs to be a constant part of today’s company culture.  

Productive employees need regular access to tools that allow them to stay connected to their co-workers wherever they are.  

Communication companies are looking beyond the basic workplace conversation to introduce applications that allow effective action in the remote workforce. 

Though communication and collaboration services often come linked as part of a UC strategy, they’re not the same things.  

Communication has always been a component of how we connect on a professional level and paves the way for collaboration.

The difference is that communication is about sharing knowledge, while collaboration is about putting that information to use.

If you call someone over VoIP to discuss the latest client project you’ve accepted for your firm, you’re communicating.

However, if you then followed up by asking someone to join you for a brainstorming session, you would be collaborating.  

Communication can easily exist without collaboration. However, without communication, it would be impossible to collaborate. 

The Wide Scope of Collaboration Technology 

As the workforce becomes increasingly remote and digital, collaboration tools have evolved beyond the standard whiteboard and meeting room session.  

Collaboration for a team today might mean getting together for a real-time conversation over Slack while sharing essential documents and coming up with new ideas for the future of the business. 

On the other hand, some businesses might use a tool like Microsoft Teams to communicate seamlessly while they work on a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. 

Just like communication platforms, there are many different types of collaboration technology available on the market today. 

Collaboration tools mean companies can ensure their teams always have the tools to work productively together and accelerate company performance.  

A collaboration app may include: 

  • Presence features show team members when their colleagues are online. 
  • Real-time messaging and file editing features. 
  • Video and voice solutions so employees can discuss and work together on projects from different locations. 
  • Connections to digital whiteboards. 
  • File sharing and screen sharing services. 
  • Video and voice recording. 
  • Integrations with other essential business applications like UC or CRM platforms. 

Collaboration: Taking Communication One Step Further 

Ultimately, the difference between communication and collaboration is simple.

The new definition of collaboration as a tool for digital success is something that’s emerged to suit a changing workforce.  

Collaborative platforms allow remote workers and dispersed employees to work together in any environment, regardless of where they are or which device they might be using.  

Businesses can access the talent they need anywhere in the world without compromising on effective teamwork. 

Collaborative tools also respond to a world where we have up to five generations in the workplace. Collaborative tools ensure that there’s a single universal hub for sharing and using business data. 

With collaboration strategies, companies can be more creative, diverse and inclusive with their teams.  

Many communication vendors are beginning to align collaboration services with their unified communication platforms.  

Businesses can connect with customers and co-workers and work on projects without switching to a different application. 

Communication Will Always be Crucial to Collaboration 

The thing with collaboration as the industry continues to evolve is that it can’t exist without effective communication. 

Teams trying to work together on the same project who don’t have a way of sharing their ideas and thoughts with their colleagues aren’t going to achieve much.  

Communication must be reliable and available across a range of touchpoints before digital collaboration can genuinely begin to thrive.  

One of the biggest mistakes that modern companies make is trying to embrace collaboration before they’ve finished refining their communication stack. 

If you want five remote workers to work on a new presentation, you can’t just give them a shared brief and a piece of PowerPoint software. That method gets you five versions of the same project.

Collaboration happens when you connect those pieces of presentation software and enhance them with communication strategies like instant messaging, video conferencing and business voice. 

 

 



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