Future of Work: Insights on the Collaborative Enterprise

Masha -

Dan Pontefract recently wrote in a blog post titled "The Holy Trinity: Leadership Framework, Learning 2.0 & Enterprise 2.0" about some interesting intersections for collaboration within companies. Regarding Enterprise 2.0 (social media/technology for business), he notes the following:

  • Employees in the field of learning and knowledge management try to integrate these into formal strategies (Learning 2.0).
  • HR and organizational development consultants focus on leadership, values, and training programs ("Updated Leadership Framework").
  • IT staff try to adapt these to tools already in use within the company (Enterprise 2.0).
  • Corporate communications and marketing look for ways to use these independently to simplify and optimize their work.

He is convinced that this isolated collaboration strategy creates the "holy trinity" of what prevails in many companies.

Simply put: such organizations do not really work collaboratively, but rather attempt to use social tools in separate areas without a clear plan. However, to take full advantage of all the benefits, the collaboration strategy must be consistent, coherent, and holistic for the entire company.

When I think of an organization, I envision a more mature start-up company, except that the policies, structures, and norms have often limited the organization's ability to innovate compared to earlier (the start-up). Why is that? As companies grow and become more mature, particular interests emerge. Everyone wants to protect their own areas, whether it's to secure their job, increase prestige or power, or protect colleagues. Inevitably, policies and procedures arise from thousands of meetings, which distract from the original goal of the organization – to be productive and innovative in a specific market.

The strength of Enterprise 2.0 lies in the integration of the organization, so that existing communication barriers transform into collaboration. When people work together, talk to each other, and act collectively, the organization can truly achieve more than the sum of its employees. However, organizations often achieve far less than the sum of their employees, partly due to obstacles that arise. E2.0 technologies (Enterprise 2.0) are only as effective as the structure, culture, and attitude of the leadership in an organization. Of course, employees also want to be rewarded for collaboration, but that only happens after the foundations have been established. In the future, I can support companies in measuring collaboration, assessing how collaborative employees perceive their workplace, and then rewarding them for corresponding behavior. However, large companies are looking for faster solutions.

Many people are urgently calling on companies to rethink their silos – perhaps more than ever. Yet only a few companies take proactive and strategic action against silos and barriers. Most adopt a wait-and-see approach. They want to test the ideal communication technologies before changing the previously proven, isolated practices. However, since Enterprise 2.0 represents a fundamental cultural shift, many changes are already underway.

Companies need to be aware of the dangers posed by isolated collaboration technologies and policies. We must not let Enterprise 2.0 develop in this direction; we need to enable it to fundamentally change the way people collaborate and act.

The inherent danger in Enterprise 2.0 implementation lies in its fragmented, isolated adoption across various departmental silos, leading to organizations achieving far less than the sum of their employees. True organizational strength and innovation are unlocked only when E2.0 technologies facilitate a fundamental, holistic cultural shift that transforms communication barriers into genuine, company-wide collaboration. This requires more than just new tools; it demands structural, cultural, and leadership commitment. For HR leaders, this underscores the strategic necessity of defining and measuring collaborative behavior. IceHrm's Performance Management capabilities are ideally suited to establish the foundation needed: by formally measuring, assessing, and rewarding collaboration, IceHrm provides the accountability and incentive necessary to drive this essential cultural change, enabling the organization to move beyond a "wait-and-see" approach and fully realize the immense, integrated power of Enterprise 2.0.