The typical office landscape as we know it has been shifting for some time now, thanks to the tremendous shift to remote work prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten major corporations have permitted staff to work from home on a long-term basis. As a result, many people prefer to work from a local coffee shop or a neighbouring co-working space, believing that these locations provide an excellent working environment.
Employee activities and interactions in the workplace are guided by culture in a holistic and mysterious way. When it comes to problem-solving, creativity, and communication, there is no alternative for co-presence, even in this digital age. Though remote working isn’t a new trend, the advantages of face-to-face interactions for employee happiness and business culture are undeniable.
The role of the environment in the creation of high-quality creative work cannot be overstated. Having said that, remote work is not appropriate for many businesses or individuals.
The following are some of the issues that businesses face in keeping their culture:
1 Alignment with the company’s principles and goals does not occur naturally.
2. The team spirit isn’t what it used to be.
3. It takes time to build trust.
4. Ownership and a sense of belonging to an organization require time to develop.
Workplace culture isn’t a specific place. Culture is a state of mind. Some ways in which companies can sustain their workplace culture are:
1. Define Culture Drivers
Organizations must understand the culture’s drivers, which include the values, beliefs, traditions, structures, unwritten norms, behaviours, and recurring events that make up the employee experience and shape the culture. Employees’ ability to succeed is aided or hindered by these culture drivers.
2. Have Critical Technology in Place
There are lots of tried-and-true digital platforms that can aid an organization’s attempts to foster inter-office communication and remote work. Project management (Asana), communication (Slack), cloud document sharing (Google Docs), and other corporate operations are all supported by these platforms.
Organizations can ensure real-time collaboration, automate repetitive admin activities so team members can focus on more important work, and virtually eliminate in-person project management with these tech solutions in place.
3. Coach Remote Employees
To ensure that employees are just as productive at home as they are in the workplace, companies must train them when the opportunity arises. They must be shown how to accomplish things before they can successfully do tasks on their own.
Companies can create routines that assist employees maintain a healthy work-life balance and set up home workstations that suit their preferences. Coach remote managers as well, because leadership positions are considerably more difficult when the workforce is spread out over several places.
4. Establish Regular Check-Ins
Organizations must establish a weekly ritual in which they gather as a team or have individual meetings with direct reports on their work. This will allow remote workers to stay informed about what’s going on in the office. Managers will also be able to see how their team members are doing in terms of deliverables and general performance. And, in order to achieve better results, this should be done via video conferencing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Organizations are finding it tough and complex to maximize the benefits and avoid the dangers of remotely working teams due to the restricted options available today. As a result, firms must protect what has been validated in order to create a high-performing official culture.