How an Online Whiteboard Can Improve Team Communication and Collaboration
How an Online Whiteboard Can Improve Team Communication and Collaboration
Statistics show that around 55 million are held every week, creating 11 million meetings each day. The average worker also spends 3 hours in meetings per week.
If you manage a team of workers, you may be focused on team communication. If you want to improve team communication, you have to find a way to collaborate.
This is easier said than done since hybrid collaboration can be overwhelming. This guide will help you understand how to use an online whiteboard to better manage your team.
Keep reading to find out how to improve team communication with an online whiteboard.
Benefits of Using an Online Whiteboard
Team communication is one of the main responsibilities of a team manager. It is up to you to make sure everyone is communicating to get projects completed.
Nowadays, the majority of workplaces have a hybrid structure. Some people may work in the office in their cubicles, while others work from home.
Some companies even employ workers on a global scale. This means you are having to communicate with people that are even in different time zones.
Because of this, keeping the team connected is more important than ever. It is no longer as simple as calling a meeting at the beginning of the day or in the afternoon.
Many people in upper management are turning to virtual whiteboard options. This gives you all of the benefits of a traditional whiteboard on a virtual scale.
Here are some of the benefits your team will have when using an online whiteboard for communication.
Remote Communication
The online whiteboard benefits include connecting a remote team. Whether your team is hybrid or fully remote, keeping everyone in contact is a challenge.
A virtual whiteboard allows all the team members to connect in one place. This allows the team to go on live chat and share files or presentations.
Anything that you would do in a traditional meeting, you can do with your online whiteboard. This is perfect for team communication when everyone needs to work together.
This provides much more than a standard communication app does. It allows team members to communicate, provide visuals, and even teach.
Organized Team Meetings
As a manager, the hardest part of your job is keeping your teams organized. This is especially difficult if they are hybrid or fully remote and still need to get in touch.
You are most likely managing several different teams. This is common in workplaces where different branches or projects are going on.
An online whiteboard allows you to organize these teams and create separate meetings. Everyone can be included in a single team meeting as well as their project meetings.
Everyone is on the same page while allowing team members to complete their projects. This gives workers a level of independence when it comes to their communication.
Helps With Learning
If you want to improve team collaboration, there is a great solution. Not only does a virtual whiteboard help with meetings, but it also helps with learning.
You may have hired some new employees and need to get them up to speed. This is quite difficult, especially if they are working remotely or in a different time zone.
Virtual whiteboard software allows you to easily teach people online. You can create educational content to help them at the start of their job.
You can also hold meetings with them to discuss any information or questions they have. This is also why teachers also utilize online whiteboards.
This technology can be used for long-distance learning and providing educational content. It provides a more creative option than other remote communication does.
Accessible Communication
Possibly the biggest benefit of team communication with an online whiteboard is accessibility. The Internet has opened up a world of new accessible options.
This is perfect for workers who may not be able to physically get to a meeting. They may not live in the area, or they may have certain physical disabilities.
This software has allowed companies to be more flexible with their employees. Everyone can still get in touch and communicate without having to physically be near each other.
Online whiteboards also make it easier for people to do what they need to do. If someone is working in a different time zone, they can still access the whiteboard.
They may not be there on time to communicate in real-time, but they can still get updates. This is because a whiteboard acts like a living document online.
They will be able to access the information and contribute to it on their own time.
Increases Engagement
Something that a lot of companies struggle with is engagement. Managers are supposed to make sure workers are engaged and involved in team meetings.
The problem with this is that the majority of workers don’t enjoy meetings. They may feel pointless, or they may take up too much of their time.
Online meetings have evolved into something much different. They are no longer as tedious or pointless as they used to be, increasing engagement.
Online whiteboards are especially good at creating more engagement. They are more creative and provide the opportunity for visuals.
There’s not only helps with communication, it keeps people’s attention for longer. Workers will understand what is being talked about and will be more motivated to contribute.
Some whiteboards even provide different quizzes, polls, or online games. These are perfect for breaking the ice and getting team members loosened up a bit.
It is a fun way to get everyone to interact with each other and engage with the team. It also improves company culture by removing some of the stiffness.
How Teams Can Collaborate With an Online Whiteboard
Now that you know about the online whiteboard benefits, how can it be utilized? Using a virtual whiteboard is a great option, but it needs to provide more value.
As a manager, you need to know exactly how it will impact team communication and collaboration. Here are some examples of how you can utilize this software.
Using Visuals
One of the main whiteboard benefits for teams is the ability to use visuals. There is a lot of online team software created to help with remote work.
But a lot of this software does not provide a key detail that is necessary. There are a lot of instances where the use of visuals is going to be important for your team.
Online whiteboards have gotten this name because of how they are used. You can use an online whiteboard exactly the way you would a physical whiteboard.
Workers can draw visuals and write out ideas. They can also attach documents or designs to help with the collaboration process.
For many projects, this is an absolute necessity. It helps with clearer communication and provides a way to explain complex ideas.
Step-By-Step Management
If you have a team working on a project, it is most likely a long-term project. Most company projects take anywhere from several days to several months to complete.
If the team is hybrid or working fully remotely, this can pose a problem. The good news is that an online whiteboard allows for step-by-step management.
Individual workers will be able to interact with each other and explain their work. They can keep in touch so that everyone knows the progress they have made.
A digital whiteboard also creates a landing place for information and infographics. Team members will be able to look back at what has been done and information that’s been shared.
This is vital for a team project where there are many moving pieces. It is easy to forget a certain detail and need to go back.
A whiteboard makes this possible so that members don’t have to explain the process again. It saves time and gives workers more independence during a group project.
This is very useful in the business world as well as the education world. That is why teachers and college professors utilize online whiteboards as well.
Easier Training
The majority of companies have continual training for their employees. This helps to keep everyone on their toes and increases their skill levels.
You may also have employees who are moving up the ladder and need further education. You can use an online whiteboard to help with these training purposes.
You can create engaging and informative training content that is easy to share as needed. You can also create individual whiteboard pages to work with those who are in training.
Easy Feedback
A very important part of teamwork is feedback. Using a digital whiteboard provides an easy space to communicate feedback to others.
Workers can provide feedback to each other or you as their manager. This in turn, can be used to streamline the teamwork process for better efficiency.
It also encourages employees to be upfront if they have any concerns or ideas.
Who Should be Using an Online Whiteboard?
You may still be wondering if an online whiteboard is the right fit for your team. The reality is that this is a tool any kind of team should be using.
This stretches across all industries where teamwork is required. It is even useful for teams that may not be remote at all.
It is an important collaboration of tools that keeps the project organized. It also ensures that everyone will be included and gets the information that they need.
If you are in the educational field, it would also be useful. It is a perfect option for teachers and professors who are engaging in long-distance learning.
They will be able to keep in touch with students and provide educational content. Students will also be able to brainstorm and explain their thought processes to their teacher.
How to Find the Best Online Whiteboard
There are many different online whiteboard options available. This is because this software is becoming more and more recognized for how useful it is.
The problem is that not every virtual whiteboard is made equal. Some of these whiteboards don’t offer nearly as many options as you may need.
If you are looking for an all-inclusive digital whiteboard, you need to check out HuddleIQ. This company provides all of the tools and features you could need.
This includes a variety of templates to help organize team communication. This includes brainstorming templates and research and design templates for better feedback.
It also has specific tools for creating educational whiteboards or team whiteboards. This makes it a perfect option, no matter what type of job you need to get done.
It also provides a variety of integration options, including Dropbox and Google Drive. You can even connect your Slack account for easy communication across all platforms.
Not only does it provide all of these services, it also provides free resources. These resources help you better understand how to use an online whiteboard and increase productivity.
Team Communication With an Online Whiteboard
If you are in upper management, you are probably in charge of several teams. When it comes to managing teams, team communication is a top priority.
In the modern-day workplace, this is especially important. More and more businesses are moving towards a hybrid and remote working strategy.
This has made managing teams a bit more complex when it comes to collaboration. An online whiteboard can help with this by providing the perfect gathering place.
Do you need a reliable online whiteboard for all of your team projects? Contact us today at HuddleIQ to sign up for free.