Collaboration Basics: 5 Fundamental Rules for Teamwork

This is the first part of a two-part series on the basics of online collaboration and the everyday tools we often overlook or use incorrectly.

1. Email Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

The problem: Many email programs have evolved far beyond the simple sending and receiving functions of the 90s. Many of us unconsciously use our inboxes as a data storage. Problems arise when we search for information from last week, last month, or last year. We sift through old emails and attachments, spending hours of our workweek looking for information we have already read.

The solution: Understand the basics of search engine optimization and how to apply them to email communication. I once received an email from my father with an attachment containing important information about ophthalmologists approved by our health insurance. The subject line was "Here it is," the text read "You're welcome," and the attachment's file name was a string of numbers. How I was supposed to find this email in a moment of urgent need to call a doctor during office hours is a mystery to me. The simple solution: Fill the subject line and body of your emails with relevant keywords. Always ask yourself when writing an email, "Does this email contain information that the recipient will need later? If so, how can I phrase this email so that it appears in an email search?"

2. Save your Microsoft Office files in the more common formats .DOC and .PPT.

The problem: We waste a lot of time and energy dealing with the consequences of Microsoft's attempt to force its "customers" to buy the latest software. With the release of Office 2007 for Windows, the new default file format .docx was introduced, which could not be opened with older versions of Microsoft Word. The same issues occurred with the formats .pptx (the new PowerPoint standard format) and .xlsx (the new Excel format).

The solution: If everyone saved everything as .doc and .ppt files, the world would be a safer and happier place. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a digital paradise. Keep in mind: since newer versions of Microsoft Office are backward compatible, saving files as .doc and .ppt is always the safest choice. However, you can’t expect your colleagues, clients, and classmates to be as tech-savvy as you are, dear IceHrm, reader. Download a reliable file converter to spare yourself the stress. (However, note that file conversions are not error-free. So if you need to share files, you should still consider this suggestion.)

3. When writing or replying to a group email, carefully consider who should be included in the recipient list 'To:' and 'Cc:'.

The problem: The biggest disadvantage of emails is that the 'Cc:' and 'Reply All' functions are used for online collaboration. A classmate of mine was working on a group project that triggered an email thread with over 100 messages. Since she didn't use an email program that grouped these messages into a single conversation, her inbox was flooded with countless messages with the same subject when she retrieved the emails.

At the other end of the spectrum: How often do we wait for a response to an email from someone, only to realize (days later) that they weren’t even copied on the original reply? It has certainly happened to me.

The solution: Think carefully about who needs to be copied in an email chain and who doesn’t. Email is not the best tool for online collaboration. Therefore, it is advisable to discuss longer and more complex, group-related topics in a meeting or conference call whenever possible. This way, everyone saves the time of having to explain their points again in plain text.

Mastering these basic digital communication habits—specifically email optimization, universal file formatting, and thoughtful recipient management—is foundational to efficient workplace collaboration and combating digital burnout. The principles of clarity and accessibility, whether applied to an email subject line or a shared document, directly impact team productivity and knowledge retrieval. For organizations utilizing IceHrm, efficiency and clear communication are paramount to managing human capital. Just as structured processes within IceHrm simplify complex HR tasks (like leave or performance tracking), adhering to these collaboration basics prevents digital clutter and wasted time. By instilling these simple, fundamental best practices, companies can ensure their digital tools effectively support, rather than hinder, seamless employee collaboration and communication.