---
title: Get Off Your Phone and Collaborate
description: Companies that promote collaboration are five times as likely to be high performing. Here are three cost-effective ways to provide that support.
---

[Resources | Stratus HR® ](https://stratus.hr/resources)

# [Get Off Your Phone and Collaborate](https://stratus.hr/resources/collaborate)

 Written by [Laura Lancaster, PHR, SHRM-CP, Stratus HR Consultant](https://stratus.hr/resources/author/llancaster) | Aug 22, 2018 5:05:34 PM

Better workplace collaboration leads to more productive and happier employees.

Whatever happened to human contact and co-worker collaboration? Sometimes we’re so busy trying to meet yesterday’s deadline or prepare for tomorrow’s meeting that we shoot off a quick, stiff email rather than talk face-to-face. Or we send a “thx” to the person who saved our bacon, while we mind our own business staring at our smartphone over lunch.

Studies, including one conducted in 2017 by Babson College, have shown that [companies promoting collaboration are 5x as likely to be high performing](https://www.forbes.com/sites/adigaskell/2017/06/22/new-study-finds-that-collaboration-drives-workplace-performance/#37308d273d02). Additionally, providing "[social support](https://www.greatplacetowork.com/resources/blog/the-top-7-workplace-factors-that-impact-employee-health)" was one of the top 10 things that companies could do to help keep their workers healthy.

To us, more collaboration adds up to a better workplace. That’s why this week we’re focusing on ideas to get us all working together -- and having some fun while doing it.

## **1. Encourage more face-to-face meetings.**

No one wants another meeting on their calendar, but just getting up from your desk to walk to a meeting room can provide a nice mental and physical break. It will help get the creativity flowing, too! Face-to-face meetings also give interpersonal relationships a boost and help those workers with wallflower tendencies (who can easily hide in an online meeting) feel more included.

We’re not saying *add *more meetings, just switch some of the already-scheduled online meetings to in-person.

## **2. Try a meeting outdoors. **

There are some tasks that simply require four walls and a roof over your head to get done. Meetings aren’t always one of them. Our suggestion: if you’re conducting a quick check-in or brainstorming meeting, move outside whenever the weather is nice. You’ll get the same work accomplished but with a change of scenery that makes everyone a little happier to be there.

## **3. Post a “thank-you” board. **

While a simple board with push-pins doesn’t equal true collaboration, it DOES remind everyone to show how much they appreciate their co-workers’ impact and effort. When people feel appreciated, they tend to feel better about themselves and keep it up. A physical thank-you board conspicuously posted in a common area containing notes of appreciation will become a great conversation piece and a convenient place for everyone to congregate and celebrate wins on a regular basis.

For more health and wellness tips, please contact your certified HR expert. Not a current Stratus HR client? [Book a free consultation](https://stratus.hr/book-a-consultation) and our team will contact you shortly!

[View full post](https://stratus.hr/resources/collaborate)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Laura Lancaster, PHR, SHRM-CP, Stratus HR Consultant"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2023-04-18T22:24:55.330Z",
  "datePublished" : "2018-08-22T17:05:34Z",
  "headline" : "Get Off Your Phone and Collaborate",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 491,
    "url" : "https://21934842.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/21934842/blogs/2018/collaborate.jpeg",
    "width" : 750
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://stratus.hr/resources/collaborate",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "Resources"
  }
}
```