Fostering a collaborative culture in tax teams

Knowledge-sharing and cross-functional alignment are now mission-critical for in-house tax teams. Whether it's navigating regulatory changes, embedding new technology, or supporting cross-functional initiatives, the ability to work effectively with others has never been more important. 

A growing body of research shows that collaboration can transform how professional services teams operate, enhance productivity, and even reduce operational waste.

So, how can tax leaders build a culture that makes collaboration the norm, not the exception?

1. Complexity demands collective expertise
   Tax teams are dealing with global compliance issues, real-time data requirements, and ever-changing regulations. It's no longer realistic—or effective—for expertise to sit in silos.
   
   As our In-house Tax Technology Report 2025 found, tax is shifting toward a strategic, cross-functional role. Stephen Payne of LVMH UK and Belmond explains:
   
   “Tax is no longer siloed – our team is working closer with other departments and operations than ever before to address complex issues that impact the wider business.”
   
   This aligns with The Oxford Handbook of Professional Service Firms, which notes that in professional services, collaboration is evolving from rigid team structures to more dynamic, peer-driven models. It’s less about formal hierarchies, more about mutual contribution.
2. Collaboration drives performance
   A Forbes study conducted with the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) found that companies promoting collaborative working were five times as likely to be high-performing. The conclusion: collaboration isn’t just good culture—it’s good business.
3. Ineffective collaboration is costly
   Zoom’s Global Collaboration Report, based on data from 8,000 knowledge workers, estimates that poor collaboration costs organisations up to $874,000 annually due to wasted time. For tax teams juggling compliance, reporting, and advisory responsibilities, the cost of inefficiency is even higher.

The barriers to collaboration

Despite the benefits, collaboration still proves difficult for many tax functions. 

• 57% of in-house tax professionals in our 2025 survey said embedding new tech—a key collaborative effort—is the slowest-moving area of their work 

• 32% said communication with other departments is “slow or very slow” 

• Only 28% rated their cross-departmental communication as “fast or very fast”

This isn’t just a tax issue. A government-commissioned Collaboration Literature Review in Western Australia also found that trust, shared goals, and leadership are the most common barriers to successful cross-team collaboration—insights that apply across sectors.

How to build a collaborative tax team culture

1. Lead by example
   Culture starts with leadership. When tax leaders involve their teams in problem-solving, actively share updates, and ask for input, collaboration becomes the default.
   
   One in-house expert in our report noted:
   
   “Tax professionals will need to adapt quickly. The profession is changing and we need to be comfortable working with tech, understanding its outputs, and challenging them where necessary.”
2. Make collaboration part of the workflow
   Regular stand-ups, post-project retrospectives, and “lunch and learn” sessions are easy ways to embed collaboration into the day-to-day.
   
   The Health Policy and Planning Journal emphasises that successful collaboration depends on shared decision-making and mutual respect, practices that can be supported through simple rituals and repeatable processes.
3. Recognise and reward it
   Collaboration shouldn't go unnoticed. Whether it's mentoring, sharing knowledge, or stepping in to help another department, recognising these behaviours sets the tone for the team.
4. Break down silos with joint projects
   Look for opportunities for the tax team to partner with IT, legal, or finance. This not only builds mutual understanding, but accelerates the adoption of new systems and processes.
   
   Peter Dobson of Amey puts it this way:
   
   “To obtain certainty for all stakeholders, we continue to invest in policy, planning, compliance, and resolution, with technology supporting, not replacing, this foundation.”
5. Foster psychological safety
   People contribute more when they feel safe to speak up. Leaders should make it clear that questions, feedback, and occasional missteps are all part of healthy collaboration.

What collaborative tax culture looks like in practice

It’s one thing to encourage collaboration. It’s another to build systems and habits that support it. A collaborative tax team:

• Shares expertise openly 
• Seeks feedback early in processes 
• Joins cross-functional initiatives from the start 
• Supports peers and celebrates shared wins
• Embeds technology with input from all team members

Jonathan Scriven of LexisNexis sums it up: 

“The most impactful tax professionals are finding creative ways to solve problems, structure solutions, and support fast-moving commercial decisions. That’s what earns trust from stakeholders, secures a seat at the table, and shows the real strategic value the tax team can deliver.” 

In a world where tax teams are under pressure to do more with less, collaboration might just be your strongest advantage. It speeds up decision-making, surfaces smarter ideas, and helps teams avoid costly mistakes. 

Whether you’re rolling out new tech, navigating global filings, or advising the business on what’s next, working together makes the whole team sharper, faster, and more valuable. 

The research is clear: collaboration isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a must-have. And the teams that get it right will be the ones shaping the future of in-house tax.