How to Overcome Collaboration Silos for Better Data Management and Communication
Much has been made of the evolution of work and the movement towards a more distributed workforce. According to Gartner, 82% of companies will allow their employees to work remotely in some capacity from now on while 47% will allow them to work remotely full time.
There are several aspects of remote work from which employees and companies can benefit. However, as the future continues to trend toward remote and distributed work, be aware of the threats to communication and security in the digital workplace. Here’s how to avoid some common communication and security issues.
Data silos have affected how employees communicate with each other and share data. According to Chris Byers, CEO of Indiana-based Formstack, a workplace productivity platform, multiple separate sources of data make it difficult for organizations to get a clear view of operations. “When you have to battle data silos within your organization, it can be a struggle to get an accurate and holistic view of everything going on,” Byers said.
To avoid silos cropping up in a digital environment, it’s essential to understand how data files are stored and how collaboration has changed now compared to in the past. There’s been a shift from systems of record to collaboration tools that drive productivity, said Rafael Solis, COO at Braidio, a workflow systems integrator based in the San Francisco area.
“Systems of record were one of the first steps in the digital transformation,” he said. “Systems of engagement took that a step further by driving collaboration and engagement of employees to stay connected and unlock knowledge, but now we’re seeing a drive to go beyond that, to continue on a purposeful path while driving productivity.”
The key is people. Organizations need to look at how to unlock more value from existing employees, Solis said. “One of the main ways they can do so is by eliminating silos and creating a unified view of data and knowledge needed to execute across various workflows while also ushering in productivity automation,” he said.
However, you can’t just go out and pinpoint particular silos and get to work. There needs to be a strategy. “Before you create an action plan, though, you have first to identify where the data silos lie within your organization and their root cause — such as too much software and disparate and unaligned teams,” Byers said.
