We all know what workplace culture is right? If lockdowns have taught us anything, it’s that not much can replace the social sense of community in the office. Positive culture and positivity full stop are integral to improving productivity and success, particularly if these tones are instilled and integrated into the company from the ground up and top-down. 

There are many challenges to creating company culture, particularly in our new work-from-home landscape. With the right recipe, company culture encourages engagement, success, productivity and innovation. Most of us have a grasp on how shared values lead to specific benefits, but how can we translate that going forward in a world where working from home is more common than ever?

Your team’s behaviours, principles and values are going to impact the culture and tone of your company. To define remote company culture is to refer to the connection that your team experiences with their work despite being away from the office. Let’s dig into some practical tips to build and grow the right vibe and culture within your remote team!

Communication

“We’re in this together” may have been used one too many times over the past 18 months, but it’s true! There is a necessity for kindness and respect when it feels like the world is going through a teenage-esque temper tantrum!

A huge obstacle to maintaining connections and culture within a team during remote working hours is the lack of communication. Working from home often sees the traditional 9-5 hours thrown out the window, so establishing communication norms and best practices can help maintain consistency. Consider leveraging the right tools for communication that allow connection, reduction of interruptions and keeping everyone on the same page like:

• A weekly round-up email or newsletter to highlight wins, important goals and department news
• Have one-on-one meetings with your colleagues for goal setting, short and long term!
• Cross-department WIP meetings to bring the entire business together

Couch Camaraderie

Gone are the days of water-cooler chats or pints at the pub on a Friday night. Our remote offices look more like our bedroom desk, the kitchen bench or the couch these days! Even with those of us doing both remote and in-person hours, there has been a clear drop off in the traditional social side of a company’s culture. By introducing a few fun activities, you can help boost camaraderie and employee mood across the board!

• Virtual social events such as game night, challenges or cooking classes are relaxing, pressure-free activities that can encourage bonding outside of the professional space
• Company-wide contests such as trivia, step challenges or the best Zoom background!
• Giving back to your community through fundraisers, donations to social enterprises or even simply raising awareness about issues that are important to you and your colleagues is a great way to foster a sense of community and understanding of who and what your company stands for.

Understanding the value of remote working

There is no replacement for face-to-face connection, but studies have shown that working from home correlates positively with increased productivity. Here at RIGA we often discuss satisfaction – whether to do with products, client relationships or even just with a coffee from that new cafe down on the corner. Some ideas to help improve satisfaction with the WFH lifestyle (or hybrid version) can include encouraging flexibility with your team’s work hours and style of work.

Understand that due to COVID-19 lifestyles have shifted. Without commutes and distractions, the benefits have seen boosts in performance, a greater sense of autonomy and loyalty to the workplace. By establishing safe and solid communication with each of your colleagues, you may discover that Stevie from marketing actually works 10x better starting their day at 10 am, whereas Joey in IT prefers kicking off their day at 6 am. With (hopefully) no more lockdowns, the combination of virtual offices and in-person work may be the new-new-normal. 

Creating comfortable and healthy company culture with the WFH umbrella overhead can’t be done without acknowledging the differences each employee has. As we enter the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies must be aware of transitioning effectively into the world of hybrid workplaces without changing the entire ‘vibe’ of the company. 

RIGA has fantastic solutions to help give your company the right technology and starting platforms to build a strong and steady workforce. With Discover, you can get a FREE review of your entire business landscape. Give the team a call on 1300 RIGAIT (1300 744 248) or email us at admin@realinnovationgroup.com and we can do a ‘vibe-check’ today!