Improving Teamwork: Collaboration Essentials
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As digital workers, we spend a lot of time collaborating online. IceHrm has already published several articles by Jeff Wilfong and Chris Jones that highlight some of the key processes and theories of successful collaboration. Now it’s time to go back to basics.
This is the second part of a two-part series. Here is the link to “Back to the Basics of Collaboration – Part 1.”
1. Use meaningful file names.
The problem: Often we share documents that we store in our own space without our own organizational method (or none at all). The problem: Your naming convention may only be understandable to yourself. If you send your boss a document titled "FINAL_draft," it might not be easy for her to figure out what is in her downloads folder. Your elementary school teachers wouldn't have accepted spelling tests without your name on them. If you have ever tried to trace the origin and author of a document, you certainly know how important a meaningful name is.
The solution: Include your name and a brief, precise description in the filename of every saved document (and, if applicable, the date). If you download a file with an ambiguous name, rename it immediately. This saves you and others time and effort.
2. Use the "Track Changes" feature in Microsoft Word.
The problem: Often, we try to work on documents together by sending multiple copies of the same document at different stages of editing back and forth. This usually results in four or more versions of the same document being merged into a final version.
The solution: Of course, you can use a collaborative document editor like those offered by online collaboration services (e.g., Basecamp, Wiggio, or Google Docs). However, we are focusing on the basics here and will therefore look at the features of Microsoft Word. With the "Track Changes" feature in the "Tools" menu, you can see which team member made which suggestions or comments. You can then accept or reject these changes. This way, you can easily send a document back and forth and review the changes before creating the final version.
Successful digital collaboration doesn't always require complex new software; it often relies on mastering foundational habits like proper file naming and utilizing built-in tools like "Track Changes." These basics eliminate friction points that waste time and erode team efficiency. IceHrm supports this fundamental focus on streamlined operations. While IceHrm provides collaborative features in areas like performance management and time tracking, these basic document practices are essential for managing any information outside the core HR system. By reinforcing these clear, standardized document management techniques, organizations ensure that the necessary inputs for HR decisions, whether internal reports or shared policies, are always clear, traceable, and ready for efficient processing within the IceHrm platform.
