foster collaboration
/ˈfɒstər kəˌlæbəˈreɪʃn/
Meaning
This formal collocation means to encourage, promote, or nurture cooperative teamwork and joint efforts among individuals, teams, or organizations. It is often used by leaders and HR professionals to describe strategies for improving workplace culture, breaking down departmental silos, and driving innovation.
Examples
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The open-plan office design was chosen to foster collaboration among different teams.
The open-plan office design was chosen to foster collaboration among different teams.
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We are introducing new digital tools to foster collaboration across our global offices.
We are introducing new digital tools to foster collaboration across our global offices.
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The workshop aimed to break down barriers and foster collaboration between departments.
The workshop aimed to break down barriers and foster collaboration between departments.
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Leaders must actively work to foster collaboration rather than internal competition.
Leaders must actively work to foster collaboration rather than internal competition.
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Cross-functional projects are a great way to foster collaboration within the company.
Cross-functional projects are a great way to foster collaboration within the company.
Common Mistakes
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✗ We need to adopt policies that make collaboration foster.
✓ We need to adopt policies that foster collaboration.
'Foster' is a transitive verb; it must directly precede the noun 'collaboration' as an action.
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✗ The manager tried to raise collaboration between the teams.
✓ The manager tried to foster collaboration between the teams.
While 'raise' means to increase, 'foster' is the correct, highly natural business collocation used to mean nurture or encourage.
Related Expressions
Practice
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Our primary goal this quarter is to ___ between the sales and marketing departments.
💡 encourage teamwork
Show answer
foster collaboration
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Using shared online workspaces can help ___ among remote employees.
💡 promote working together
Show answer
foster collaboration