While many organizations around the world are scrambling to adapt a remote work set-up, those who have operated either partially or fully work-from-home teams for years were already ahead of the curve. Still, regardless of company size or the industry they belong, there remains a challenge: building a strong remote work culture.
So, how to build a strong remote work culture?
First, let’s define culture by itself.
Culture is “the set of shared attitudes, social practices, and material traits that characterizes an institution or organization.” It can also be “the customary beliefs, values, goals, and practices of a racial, religious, or social group.”
Remote work culture is that sense of connection and belongingness between and among team members which holistically guide their priorities, actions, and interactions towards achieving a common goal. This cohesive digital bond that transcends physical boundaries enables meaningful engagement, productivity gains, and positive impact on a company’s bottom line.
Do you have a great remote work culture? Here’s an insightful guide to help you figure out how to get it.
- Be intentional.
A great remote work culture isn’t an accident – it starts with purposiveness. Let your team know what remote work means for all of you, how to treat one another, and which short-term and long-term goals you must focus to achieve. Company policies, professional traditions, and unwritten rules are some of what you can call ‘culture drivers’ which can either improve or hinder worker performance – all crucial for upholding and nurturing a strong remote work culture. - Set the example.
Instead of forcing the team to follow, leaders must adhere to the same expectations and boundaries to inspire motivation and positive attitudes. Whether in a traditional office setting or working remotely, a leader’s values and actions can greatly influence an organization’s culture. - Have critical technology in place.
There are numerous digital platforms that can support an organization’s efforts and implementation of remote work. Whether it’s for communication, document sharing on cloud, project management, or other business functions, find the right technologies that will ensure seamless, real-time, and secure collaboration. - Make time for fun.
A blurred work-life balance in the new normal may lead to burnout and added stress, even for the highly driven. So, take time to inject fun into the mix where people can just switch off from what they’re doing and be in a celebratory mood with fellow team members. - Let your team make a difference.
It would be difficult to tell the remote team to ‘think outside the box’ while still expecting them to attend to tasks in a pre-programmed manner. Instead, get people out of the grind and hear out what they have to say about the job, the company in general, and the future of remote work. - A strong remote work culture propagates.
It takes intentionality to build a strong remote work culture and when that happens, it permeates within the consciousness of each team member and their virtual spaces. Most importantly, it will yield dividends for other stakeholders, the company, and clients too! - Make remote work part of your brand.
On this site, you’ll find several posts about all things remote. It’s more than a life’s worthy pursuit – it’s part of our DNA. Experienced remote teams are well aware that success in this non-traditional way of work means fully embracing the “remote first” philosophy. It’s not just dipping your toe in but investing significant time and resources to make it work and have a considerable edge among competition in the industry.
Want to bolster your remote work culture?
Even if your company potentially returns to fully onsite work, strengthening team cohesion, trust, and capability to work remotely will always be a win. Strong remote work culture is a strong culture – period. Let’s have a chat today.
