We talk a lot about the importance of culture and the benefits that ripple through an organization when the culture is healthy and vibrant. As the workplace continues to adapt to the post pandemic environment, we wanted to revisit culture development.
Specifically, how do you develop a cohesive culture when your employees may not be in one place?
It is clear that remote work benefits many employees. It provides a flexibility that they have come to treasure. A study from the American Sociological Association shows that employees with flexible work schedules exhibit more job satisfaction, feel more supported by leaders and have less probability of burnout.
But culture is not just about individual experience. It is also about developing a sense of community within an organization. In a productive corporate culture, employees have a sense of connection to each other as well as to the values of the organization. Developing this type of connection can be challenging when your workforce may literally be spread across the globe.
When people are all in the same building there is a natural, personal touch that builds culture. Just meeting others in the hallway and chatting about your weekend can develop connection. It is also easier to get people together for team building events. In remote environments there are no casual encounters and team building has to be implemented differently.
So as hybrid and fully remote work become the norm, putting intentional effort into developing a dynamic remote culture will reap many benefits. It can help curb isolation and unite employees through shared experiences enhancing their sense of purpose and connection to the organization.
So how do you create a remote work culture that cultivates an atmosphere of respect, trust and support? Check out our next post which outlines the ingredients for a robust remote culture.
Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash