Today, change – from macroeconomic pressures, to the emergence of generative AI in the workplace – is the only constant. But businesses can remain in control even as the world shifts, by following three mantras: sharing knowledge, engaging teams and automating work.

Sharing knowledge

To get started, organisations need to rethink how they share knowledge to maximise its value. The first step is moving communication to a shared productivity platform built around channels, not inboxes. Channels can be created for different projects, teams, or topics, with all relevant people included. A key difference between channels and inboxes is that everyone in a channel can access and search the information shared there. The effect is transformative – as the experience of the fast-growing Estonian mobility company, Bolt, reveals.

As Bolt’s team grew, they turned to Slack to build engagement and alignment. Today, email has been rendered obsolete within the company, as Bolt uses channels to organise all communication between its 3,000 plus employees. That includes critical company-wide updates in an ‘all-hands’ channel, social channels – like a ‘flea-market’ channel that sees employees sharing and bartering for each other’s treasures – and more.

In addition, Bolt also used its productivity platform to automate over 300 different processes right in the channel to further boost efficiency. As Bolt shows, sharing knowledge results in stronger, faster-moving teams that are well-placed to adapt rapidly as new information is shared.

Embracing new rules of engagement

Channels are just one element of transforming work in our changing world. Businesses also need other new, asynchronous ways to engage and connect.

For leaders, that might mean sharing a weekly video clip, providing an overview of priorities and shouting out successes. Employees can catch up when it works for them – and don’t have to read through a lengthy email.

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Alternatively, a hybrid team might need to brainstorm new ideas. Rather than sharing written updates or blocking time in calendars, using a productivity platform they can hop on a call in one click. It means that creative spark or problem-solving drive can flourish instantly.

These new rules of engagement are all about using the right approach for the situation, rather than always relying on emails or meetings. By embracing them, teams can keep moving at pace, while creating a more engaging environment – qualities that any business looking to bolster productivity and resilience should be on the hunt for.

Automating the team dynamic

Rapid advancements in automation and AI are having a profound impact, with Slack’s 2023 State of Work report revealing that automations can create time savings of one working month a year, per employee. That value is why the final mantra to focus on is all about unlocking the benefits of AI.

To start, organisations should look for pre-built AI integrations and automations. For example, integrations with generative AI tools such as ChatGPT directly in a productivity platform can provide features like conversation summaries or writing assistance.

Meanwhile, new developments in no code automations allow anyone – not just employees with a technical background – to speed up repetitive tasks. This can accelerate all kinds of work, from submitting expense claims to onboarding team members.

While automation and AI is evolving fast, early adopters are already benefiting – those who have implemented AI at their company are 90% more likely to report high productivity than those who haven’t.

By embracing these mantras as their guide, and using a productivity platform to transform their approaches to connecting teams and executing work, businesses can build efficiency, adaptability and, ultimately, strength. It’s these qualities that will enable them to not just navigate disruption and unpredictability, but continue to grow and thrive in our ever-changing world.