Company culture in the remote workplace: the simple things are important

As more and more companies transition to remote work, it can be difficult to maintain a strong and positive company culture. However, building a healthy and supportive culture is crucial for maintaining employee morale, productivity, and retention. Here are three simple strategies for building your company culture in a remote-first workplace.

1. Culture is nurtured through valuing and appreciating your team.

In a remote workplace, it's easy to feel disconnected from your colleagues and to lose sight of the company's values and goals. To counteract this, it's important to take the time to show your team that they are valued and appreciated.

One way to do this is to regularly recognize and celebrate employee achievements. This can be done through public shoutouts in team meetings or through individual emails or messages. Recognizing and rewarding employee efforts can go a long way in boosting morale and fostering a positive team culture.

Another way to show appreciation for your team is to prioritise work-life balance. Remote work can easily blur the boundaries between work and home life, leading to burnout and fatigue. Encouraging employees to take breaks and to log off at the end of the day can help them to feel more valued and supported.

2. Build an environment of trust.

In a remote-first workplace, trust is crucial. Without the ability to physically observe your team members, it can be difficult to know whether they are working to their full potential. However, micromanaging or constantly checking in on employees can actually decrease trust and decrease motivation.

Instead, it's important to cultivate an environment of trust by giving employees autonomy and flexibility. This can include allowing them to set their own schedules or to choose the tools and methods they use to complete their work. Giving employees control over their work can help them to feel more invested in their jobs and can lead to increased productivity.

Another way to build trust is to encourage open communication. This can include regular team meetings or check-ins, as well as one-on-one meetings with managers. Encouraging employees to share their thoughts and ideas can help to build a sense of collaboration and trust within the team.

3. Make time for non-work-related conversation.

Working at home alone, it's easy to miss that social connection with your colleagues. As a manager and leader, it's important to make time for non-work-related, rapport building, chats with your team.

One way to do this is to schedule regular virtual social events, such as happy hours, 11am tea breaks or to just make a conscious effort at the beginning or end of a call for casual conversation. Taking the time to chat about non-work-related topics can help to build relationships and to foster a sense of camaraderie within the team.

In summary, building a strong and positive company culture in a remote-first workplace is not all about team socials and pizza nights but more about the simple things; showing appreciation, giving autonomy and flexibility and really getting to know your team. Our clients that use this approach really do get the most from their remote teams.

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