The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us many things and has certainly redefined our work lives.
Working remotely is not going away anytime soon. While many employees have missed being in the office, many are not ready to give up the benefits of working from home. It’s being predicted that many companies will offer a hybrid workplace, allowing employees to work remotely or in the office as their work week dictates.
Whether employees are in the office or working remote, a workplace culture should support the team’s best efforts to contribute. It’s still important to foster a culture that allows employees to stay productive and find happiness and fulfillment in their jobs. Remote work doesn’t have to change a special culture.
To maintain a remote workplace culture, employers need to establish a virtual environment in which team members feel connected and protected. Employees need to know that their entire team is working hard together, staying productive, and that their opinions matter. To achieve this, there must be regular contact with management and colleagues. This will promote a feeling of being part of something bigger than themselves.
Communication Must Be Deliberate
Managers should schedule regular virtual one-on-one meetings:
- Take time to interact on a personal level with team members. Find out how their weekend was, how their family is doing, their thoughts on the ballgame; all the things that you would normally stop by their desk to ask about.
- Discuss projects and any roadblocks.
- Set priorities.
- Communicate expectations.
- Acknowledge success and share feedback.
Leadership should schedule regular team or department meetings.
- Start each meeting with an icebreaker or a fun question that allows all attendees an opportunity to share. This will warm up the conversation and help people be more comfortable interacting.
- Have employees share what they are working on; this will encourage collaboration and the sharing of ideas.
- Recognize accomplishments and thank the team for their efforts.
Leadership should schedule regular company-wide meetings.
- Prepare a well thought out agenda.
- Give others an opportunity to present or provide updates.
- Consider an icebreaker or game to kick off the meeting, bringing the social experience into the virtual meeting. Don’t forget that Zoom has breakout rooms to help facilitate some team competition.
- Provide updates, share news, and use this time to acknowledge others and show appreciation for hard work.
Duplicate what you did in the office to virtually
- If you talked with certain people every day, then call them daily.
- If you regularly had lunch with a colleague in the office, enjoy lunch together virtually.
- If you used to stop by certain desks to say hello – schedule a virtual “stop by”.
- Outline office perks and replicate them virtually, by mail or delivery.
- Go for a walk with a co-worker; take your phone and walk together virtually.
- Play virtual games with the whole team.
- Use the mail or delivery systems to send meals, snacks, or small tokens.
- Write a note and send it in the mail for someone, along with a coffee card.
- Schedule fun Zoom calls with the whole team to celebrate an event or special day.
- Assign people a virtual buddy who they must call and get to know on a personal level.
- Create a video to share with everyone.
Culture is Worth Preserving
Maintaining company culture while remote working is crucial to your business’s operational and financial viability. Revisit how your culture is defined and reinforce it through deliberate communication and duplicating what you do in the office virtually. This requires strong leadership and management team who cares. Your culture is worth preserving and a strong culture will help employees feel more engaged, connected, and motivated whether they are working remotely or in the office.
