Rethinking workplace collaboration – an old topic with a practical view
ISSN: 0025-1747
Article publication date: 2 June 2023
Issue publication date: 28 November 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Research has long lauded collaboration at work as one of the best management strategies to increase employee engagement, raise productivity and enhance innovation. In real life, many businesses also strongly encourage and enforce workplace collaboration. However, the purpose of this paper was to examine workplace collaboration from a practitioners' perspective who experienced collaborations firsthand.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper takes a practical and ethnographic view and examines collaboration in three different organizations which varied in mission and size.
Findings
The findings identify three major drawbacks of collaboration including repetitive meetings, slowed business process and a reduction of recognition and accountability.
Practical implications
Three practical suggestions for leaders and managers to improve their collaboration strategies are discussed.
Originality/value
This article is one of the first to examine collaboration from a practitioner's point of view while providing detailed examples. It is also amongst the first to provide actionable suggestions to practitioners that can be implemented immediately.
Keywords
Citation
Drake, R. and Chen, W.D. (2023), "Rethinking workplace collaboration – an old topic with a practical view", Management Decision, Vol. 61 No. 12, pp. 3637-3643. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-01-2023-0044
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited