1. Wikis
The implementation of an internal office wiki gives employees instant access to the latest company information and current practices. It allows for a quick and easy way to contribute their own ideas and thoughts to existing issues as well as offering the possibility to introduce new problems and solutions. Many commercial real estate software systems offer features that allow for such communications.
2. Regular meetings
While fancy computer systems really can make life easier when used correctly, we should never abandon the tried and true system of face-to-face discussions. As long as there is a stated reason for the meeting and the focus is kept on the task at hand, meetings are an invaluable way for corporate real estate employees to share their thoughts with each other. Staying on the same page is essential in leveraging your market intelligence when pursuing that new property or lease. If meeting in person is not always an option, there are several online solutions to this.
3. Encourage feedback
Collaboration is a two-way street, where information traffic must flow in both directions. Traditional, top-down, "we tell you how it is"-type business models are not very conducive to the sharing of information. Corporate real estate department heads must make it known that they value employee input and are willing to work together with them to solve problems.
4. Define teams and roles
If we think of a professional sports team, or highly trained military unit, we immediately recognize that every team member has a well-defined role to play in order to achieve success. Each member is given specific responsibilities and expectations in order to contribute to the effort. It should be no different in a corporate real estate team. Each team member should be given ownership of his or her specific task so that all other team members know that in this or that specific case, we can always count on John or Sally as the expert on that topic. How can we collaborate if we don't know who to collaborate with?
5. Extra curricular activities.
Team building outside of the office is an integral part of improving the quality of collaboration within the office. The more team members know and respect each other on a personal level, the more they will trust each other on a professional level, and a quirk of office parties and excursions is that conversations will always revert to work.
Other great Corporate Real Estate articles:
Subscribe to our blog for great tips!!
