How to build company culture remotely?
As a business owner assembling your A-team is a rising challenge but thanks to remote teams, the ability to pick the best-suited people for your company, regardless of locations and time differences, is easier than ever. Once your A-team is gathered, the last thing you want is to lose them because they’re isolated and disengaged from their colleagues. What keeps them together is the company culture present for them to feel as part of the team. The thing about company culture is that it transcends physical spaces, so whether you are working from a desk at home, at your company HQ, or meeting clients at your local coworking space, your company culture will be part of you. Previously company culture was limited to the office space surrounding your teams but with your team members working remotely and scattered from one another how is it possible to build company culture? Keep on reading this blog post to find out more ideas to help you better engage with your teams!
How to build company culture remotely:
Keep your remote workers engaged, productive, and happy with these 10 easy-to-implement and practical tips.
Start from the beginning : Onboard your employees the right way!
Distance doesn’t have to be a barrier, especially with the tools and technologies available to facilitate communication and connectivity. A remote office culture starts before your new team member ever logs in. First impressions are everything! You need to have a plan of action ready to ensure that they don’t encounter roadblocks, like failure to log in or incorrect permissions.
The right resources are not the only thing you have to set up for a successful onboarding process, but you should make sure that the welcoming is also included in your plan, the new team members can be introduced to everyone else on the team on their very first day.
Make their new environment as supportive as possible by initiating introductions and encouraging your team to be welcoming.
Go for a workspace!
Coworking spaces are everywhere! And they offer a dynamic environment that significantly contributes to building company culture. To improve the sense of community and collaboration between your remote team members you can opt for shared flexspaces for coworkers in the same area, or working on the same projects. Plus, when remote teams clock in business centers they benefit from working alongside professionals from different companies, remote team members have the opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and learn from each other, enriching their perspectives and enhancing creativity. Additionally, the shared space can help remote workers feel less isolated and more connected to their company’s culture, even when working remotely.
Support professional growth
Understanding your remote team goes beyond project expectations and due dates, takes the time to get to know your team, and what motivates and excites them, the same way you would do with on-site team members. Regularly checking in on your remote workers to understand their goals and help them upgrade their skill sets to advance their careers. A good idea to make your employees feel encouraged and valued is to budget funds for online courses, attending virtual seminars, or getting a new certification so they’re incentivized to expand their skills. This way you keep on supporting your team’s professional growth and strengthen your company’s culture and knowledge.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!
As a manager, it’s in your best interest to keep the connection within your remote team members flowing! Get in the practice to have regular calls scheduled with your remote team members to connect, answer questions, provide support, and establish team rapport. Schedule regular communications about both work and fun. Connect colleagues who share hobbies or common interests, and partner with someone new to a task or project with an experienced co-worker. Video hangouts, instant message chats, and other real-time communication channels provide simple avenues for connecting and collaborating on projects.
In conclusion, investing in building a positive company culture remotely is not only essential for retaining top talent but also for driving long-term success and employee satisfaction, but it’s not always an easy task. By focusing their efforts on effective onboarding, choosing spaces that represent an extension of the company like coworking spaces, supporting professional growth, and maintaining open communication, business owners can foster a strong sense of belonging and engagement among their remote teams.
