There is evidence to suggest that people who collaborate tend to work faster and harder. They achieve more. So, should hiring managers pay more attention to the collaboration capacity and attitudes of new staff? I think yes. In fact, I think there would have to be an exceptional reason not to hire a new employee if they are a proven collaborator or have an attitude that, with some support, will make them one. Some research suggests that employees actually want to collaborate but are often not provided the right opportunities, support etc. There is a competitive advantage here waiting to be taken. For the interested, here is this week’s list of recommended reading.

Sincere thanks to those who have suggested articles for this edition of Roadmender Recommends

Why Collaboration Tools Matter in Today’s Workplace

Simply put, if you want to maintain top talent, build company culture, or increase productivity, then you need video and modern messaging applications. Even though today’s professionals may not call them collaboration tools, they use them every single day at work, and even in their personal lives – from video chat to messaging apps to cloud storage platforms…READ ON

Collaborative Innovation in Advanced Manufacturing: Just Getting Started

Advanced manufacturers—people who make “things”—face the same challenges in the Digital Age as their counterparts that traffic wholly in bits and bytes. Relentless immediacy. Increased transparency. In this article, the innovation architect Doug Collins reflects on the results from a survey that the analyst firm Frost & Sullivan conducted as part of the Manufacturing Leadership Council. What are the more advanced of the advanced manufacturing thinking these days about the practice of collaborative innovation? Are they on track?…READ ON

3 Reasons Why PR Is at the Heart of Marketing Collaborations

Today’s best marketing campaigns combine the efforts of many groups, including PR, advertising, social, content marketing and user experience, to name a few. The lines between marketing disciplines have blurred and there is no longer reason to label a great idea as PR, advertising or social. Consumers don’t care about these labels and neither should marketers. What marketers should care about is how to effectively bring these groups together to build trust with customers, enhance reputation, tell great stories and increase user engagement…

Digital business requires collaboration

A new leadership model is needed for digital businesses and most companies’ survival depends on their ability to exploit IT. This is according to Abbie Lundberg, president of Lundberg Media and contributing editor of the Harvard Business Review, speaking at the Oracle Cloud day in Johannesburg yesterday. One of the fundamental dilemmas of digital business is there is a need for high-end, sophisticated mature technology that is secure and on the other hand companies need a simple, intuitive and pleasurable experience for customers…READ ON

Nureva launches cloud-based collaboration system

Nureva, a collaboration solutions company, is launching two models of the Span classroom collaboration system, the WM210e and the WM220e. Designed for use in classrooms, media centers and innovation labs, the Span classroom collaboration system draws upon familiar, simple and flexible tools already widely used in paper-based creative processes in the classroom including sticky notes, sketches, images, and flip charts. The system uses a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model to enable collaboration on an expansive 40′ (12.2 m) digital canvas. Students create their input on their personal devices, either a computer or a tablet, and…READ ON

A brief guide to research collaboration for the young scholar

For newly admitted doctoral students and other young scholars, writing a scientific article is a major challenge that requires a great deal of preparation as well as enthusiasm, passion and a certain attitude toward scientific writing. As a young researcher, developing these capabilities can help you produce an empirical manuscript, but it will not guarantee its publication in a peer-reviewed journal with an Impact Factor. We know that scientific (or academic) research requires a diverse set of skills and…READ ON

Hiring Collaboration Tips From The Very First Thanksgiving

Every November, we all sit down with friends and family to celebrate the ultimate sign of teamwork: the first Thanksgiving. Back in 1621, a group of 53 Pilgrims and 90 Native Americans shared a harvest feast. Today, we celebrate this collaboration with tons of turkey, stuffing, and giant parade floats. Thanksgiving is about more than delicious food. It’s really about being able to put aside differences and help others in need. While the war for talent rages, it can feel like teamwork isn’t as important as beating your competition to the best people. Employers are regularly receiving 250 applicants or more for every corporate job posting, yet the skills gap continues to grow wider. It’s never felt more difficult to find the right candidates, but collaboration with your…READ ON