Cross-team Collaboration Still Delivers in the Digital Age

In the 1990s, Jack Welch, the former chief executive of General Electric Company, introduced the term "boundaryless organization." This concept entails everyone working together to lessen decision cycles, create high employee engagement, and stronger cooperation among team members.

Welch predicted that industries would evolve significantly because of technological advancement. Thus organizations must enable teams to come together or what we refer to as cross-team collaboration for quick problem solving and decision-making.

Welch’s prediction of the evolution of industries did come true. But many businesses still have fragmented teams and processes, making it difficult for them to deal with the fast-paced global economy.

The same can be said for many players in the retail and trucking and delivery industries as organizations still need to improve collaboration between teams. It would be of great value for companies to learn the concept of cross-team collaboration to eliminate inefficiencies in their processes and to help in keeping employee retention high.

What is Cross-team Collaboration?

Cross-team collaboration pertains to a method found in organizations where teams from different expertise or functions work together to achieve the same goals. This can include people from various departments, offices, or levels throughout the organization.

How Do You Build Team Collaboration Across the Organization?

Experts have lists for improving cross-team collaboration. Here are nine ways according to an article in The Entrepreneur:

• Create a compelling cause
• Define clear goals for the organizations
• Communicate expectations
• Leverage each team member’s strength
• Encourage creativity and innovation
• Foster cohesiveness among all teams or members
• Honor requests and keep promises
• Cross-team collaboration activities outside work
• Rewards, recognition, and celebration of group achievements

How to Facilitate Cross Team Working in Logistics?

Because of their structural hierarchy, Logistics companies are organizations that would benefit significantly from cross-team collaboration practices. The industry, after all, has and still is experiencing tremendous growth and changes, thanks to advances in technology. Logistics workers, as Jack Welch stressed more than two decades ago, would benefit from a boundaryless organization.

The concept of team collaboration in logistics and how they affect work processes can be seen in the dynamics between drivers and fleet managers or dispatchers. A study named “Interactions between Dispatchers and Truck Drivers in A High Turnover Context” identified the relationship between drivers and dispatchers as one of the four critical characteristics that greatly influence the operations in trucking companies.

Businesses should remember that the failure to work fast and effectively for both dispatch teams and drivers can result in notable financial losses. Companies often ignore the “divide” between these two teams, failing to realize that many of the errors and inefficiencies stem from the lack of cohesiveness between management and drivers. Thus, it is essential to create not only a harmonious but also a seamless cross-functional collaboration between these two groups.

Technological Solutions Work Wonders

The best way to foster cohesion among fleet managers, dispatchers, and drivers is to equip them with the right tools that will pave the way for clearer and faster communication at the workplace. This is where the right technological solutions can be a big help.

There are many solutions available that can help dispatchers and drivers work together more efficiently. At DispatchTrack, we have Route and Planning solutions that allow dispatchers to give drivers solid plans, and the most optimal routes with just a few clicks. Our Telematics and Compliance solutions are fully integrated and allow for the office team to track drivers and send them real-time messages to ensure safety and sticking to rules without micro-management. Companies can leverage these tools to help improve communication and cohesion of all their teams in the supply chain process.

This fast and interconnected world we live in today forces everyone to rethink their strategies and workflows. It is imperative to heed Jack Welch’s watershed management invention for stronger collaboration among all teams for quick problem solving and better decision making. Fortunately for the trucking industry, there are technology solutions that can aid in the creation of an organization with fewer boundaries.