Software or offices: if you had to only choose one for your workplace, which would you keep? As recently as twenty years ago, when most internet users were still on dial-up modems, the question would’ve been easy to answer for many. But the past few years have shown that work culture can thrive when physical spaces shift to digital ones.
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How does collaboration drive our evolution?
From hunting and gathering to working in a modern company, collaboration is at the heart of human innovation
Work today can be done in-house or sometimes remotely, but you need more than a fast internet connection — it’s critical to be able to share information using digital tools. This advanced form of collaboration is inspired by a deep human need. In fact, it’s a core piece of what’s allowed us to thrive as a species.
Species that work well together often have a survival advantage. Sea otters hold hands to keep group members from drifting away, orca whales coordinate tail splashing to knock seals off sheets of ice, and ants serve specific roles to keep their colonies functioning. “Most species cooperate to a certain extent,” says Dr. Shona Duguid, a researcher on comparative cognition and cooperation. “For example, chimpanzees spend lots of time grooming — looking through the hair and skin of their friends and family. And this is something that we know relaxes them.”
We see how essential collaboration is, even in modern-day cultural practices that elevate individual achievement. “Whenever an Olympic gold medalist is interviewed after they’ve won their medal, one of the first things they say is thanks to their team,” says Dr. Duguid. “Although they were the ones who…ran the fastest, this was about the teamwork behind that whole process.” Collaboration is so ingrained in humans, in fact, that we often don’t even recognize we’re doing it. “You share the space inside the bus or however you’re getting to work, and all of that is a way of cooperating” shares Dr. Duguid. “You might not realize it, but it’s part of the system that our society has set up.” Many of the ways we work together are invisible, and the tools that support these systems get taken for granted. These tools range from conference calls to instant messaging to cloud computing.
And the most impactful modern innovation in collaboration may be software. It’s behind programs for presenting ideas, balancing budgets, and visualizing what’s possible. And it’s also responsible for virtual platforms that can capture the connective energy physical headquarters used to have. With the right software, leadership, culture, and collective vision can live and thrive.
Slack supports our collaborative nature by making gathering and sharing information intuitive. It’s organized into topic-based channels that replicate the focused nature of effective in-person work. Its flexibility allows for groups of any size, anywhere in the world, to come together and get things done — with automations that eliminate time-consuming tasks. By supporting the core mechanics of cooperation, and eliminating the barriers of distance and disorganization, Slack allows us to do what we’ve evolved to do best: work together, both today and in the future.