Having a strong company culture is key to company success. However, company culture can be threatened in a remote world. There could be compromise on the part of both employees and business managers.
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Maintaining your company’s culture is a must—both in the office and in a remote world. In this article, I itemize five tips for maintaining a strong company culture in a remote world.
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Redefine Your Company Values
In a world of remote working, fine-tuning your company’s value system is crucial. You must carry out reformed values that will edge well with the pandemic times. Drafting and amplifying these values can show your team the company’s vision, mission, and principles which can shape their behaviour, even as they work remotely. Tweaking company values is a coping mechanism, especially when the physical meeting is difficult, in ensuring that employees are guarded and do not go out of track.
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Place Premium Attention On Communication
Since the pandemic has hindered physical and one-on-one communication and we are currently in the midst of a virtual form of communication, there are possibilities of difficulty experienced, causing ineffective communication. Remote working can cut off communication if there are no provisions in place. Lack of communication is the beginning and continuation of the conflict. Studies show that communication and collaboration are leading problems associated with remote working. It has been a huge problem for companies who don’t prioritise it. In order not to make communication a problem, provide tools that team members can communicate with. Such tools include:
- Messaging software (e.g., WhatsApp).
- Video call software (e.g., Zoom).
- Work emails.
- Phone calls.
To ensure that these avenues are effective, scheduling time for meetings is a good way to go. Also, set communication expectations, agenda of the meeting and morning stand-ups.
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Focus On Building Trust
Building trust in the age of remote working can be difficult yet it is possible. We cannot underestimate the importance of trust in the workplace, and it is the bedrock upon which company success is built. When trust is absent, you can find it hard to delegate. In a remote world, you can build trust by:
- Being transparent.
- Maintaining open and honest communication.
- Recognising and rewarding good performance.
- Showing appreciation.
- Providing support.
- Giving time to building relationships.
- Empowering your team.
- Acknowledging your mistakes.
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Define Boundaries And Set Expectations
In a remote world, setting boundaries might be difficult, because one might likely fuse work life and personal life. There are cases where employees might work to burn out. The temptation of procrastination might also set in. Therefore, the use of deadlines and breaks must to adhered to, even in a remote setting. It will be unruly for a company to ask employees to work more than expected, simply because they are working from home. It is advisable to also set time for sending emails about the week’s work. Work emails shouldn’t be busy during weekends. Therefore, everything should be discussed on the last day of the working days, so that team members can be informed and prepared ahead of time for the new week. Sending emails on weekends might be counterproductive.
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Create Room For Feedback From Your Team
Feedback must be two-way. Just as you give them feedback, expect feedback from them. This is to give room for concerns, complaints, suggestions, recommendations, observations and so on. This will help you know how best to work with them, individually and collectively. Here are some ways you can gather feedback:
- Anonymous survey.
- Engagement survey.
- Review sites (e.g., Glassdoor).
- Employee suggestion box.
You need to ask for feedback often, listen to your co-workers, and make the necessary tweaks. Use feedback to make amendments and adjustments.
Featured Image Source: Hearth And Home Magazine
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