Creating a Positive Work Culture
In these ever-changing times, one of the common questions I get asked is, "How do we continue to embrace and grow our culture within our organization, with many of our employees working remote?". Truth be told, there are very successful companies that operate with 100% remote staff and have no brick and mortar office. Let's dive into a few steps you can take to maintain an engaging workforce while driving a positive team culture.
Embrace the value of remote work- In this Harvard Business Review, employees in a Chinese call center were given the opportunity to volunteer to work (remote) from home for nine months. Half the volunteers were allowed to telecommute; the rest remained in the office as a control group. Survey responses and performance data collected at the conclusion of the study revealed that, in comparison with the employees who came into the office, the at-home workers were not only happier and less likely to quit, but also more productive! It's also important to note that employees are not the only people who benefit from remote work. A company can benefit just as greatly (like increased productivity, decreased stress, and a healthier bottom line) from a remote employee, seen here in this article from Monster.
Manage the "downside" to remote work- The three most talked about impacts of a company shifting to remote work is the effect on culture, communication and overall productivity. While these areas can be negatively impacted if not addressed properly, all the above can have a successful outcome on remote teams if planned for and executed effectively. Start with communicating your company values and how it ties back to the work being done remotely. This will do two things; 1. Create a consistent message to your team(s) and 2. Help bridge the gap for those who feel "less productive" and removed from delivering a meaningful result. From there, communicate your culture. While it is great to create with a list of "buzz words" or values, it is even more important with a remote or distributed team, to document what you hope your company culture becomes. Be specific, be thorough, and articulate the company culture to everyone. Be clear about expectations, how performance/productivity will be measured, and how you diligently assess employees' culture fit when hiring, while continuing to develop culture with those already employed. In order to grow a positive company culture with a remote team, you need to continue to monitor your culture and values, and never stop. Lastly, understanding your workflow, delegating to teams that are most capable within the confines of the tools/skills needed to complete the work, and providing flexibility for everyone to make the adjustments needed to succeed is very important.
Allow for open communication and feedback- In my opinion, (and most importantly), keeping your team(s) communication channels clear and open will promote transparency while enabling communication that organizations so desperately need. Encourage an environment where everybody contributes, not just the loud extroverts amongst your team. Reduce any red tape or formality associated with communication, to avoid employees keeping quiet, which isn’t healthy for them or for your team dynamics. Depending on the size of your company and team size, the more casual and laid-back you are with team communication channels, the more prone they are to being open and transparent in return. Secondly, setting clear expectations on the communication style you're going to use and having accountability is key. For example, you may want legal and ‘serious’ documentation done via email or your cloud file server, whereas casual discussion or team huddles/video chats are to be done via Slack or Skype. It is important to ask team members to stay logged into these tools as well; any barrier to that communication, such as one of the team never logging into to the company’s IM system, can be detrimental and kill productivity and the remote culture your trying to embrace.
These 3 steps are just the beginning of a shift in how we do business today. The more you open the door for collaboration, communication and feedback, the better your outcomes will be. Remember, you're not in this one alone and everyone is navigating this new landscape of making adjustments that will reposition their company's culture as it stands today. Stay positive, keep the transparent communication flowing throughout the organization, and rally the troops to create a plan of attack that will build-on the better times ahead!
3 Quick Tips for Managing Your Remote Employees Daily:
Offer Help/Suggestions - Be armed and ready to lend a hand and provide helpful suggestions for getting in-front of whats needed for your team to feel fulfilled in their job.
Have Empathy - Things happen! Allow for more patience and flexibility in your expectations. Be a partner, not a dictator.
Embrace your tools- Be creative with the new way of connecting. Make work fun by adding Virtual happy hours, or meet-and-greets with new employees. Breaking up the mundane brings excitement to this fast-paced and changing landscape.