Creating a Culture in Remote Work
Pre-pandemic I was living in a world quite different from what I have today. I was commuting 2-3 hours each day, juggling work, stressing over traffic, and each day racing from the office in the hopes of reaching my 2 and 4 year old from daycare before closing. The whole time I wrestled the guilt I was feeling that I wasn’t putting in more hours at work, and that I wasn’t keeping up with cleaning, meals, workouts or spending enough time with the kids at home.
The office was a lively environment full of collaborative meetings from UI whiteboarding, architectural discussions, and code reviews. There were lunches, coffee breaks, team building activities and elevator talk to help build relationships with your peers. It was an open door policy that promoted face to face impromptu meetings full of teamwork and collaboration.
On March 11, 2020 our office was shutdown and employees instructed to work remotely for the next 2 weeks while the pandemic was brought under control. Weeks turned into months before our company decided to permanently go remote; selling off all furniture, leases, etc. for all office locations. This decision brought much relief for an improved work life balance, however, my immediate concern shifted to protecting and cultivating the team I had created in the office.
I worked tirelessly introducing meetings, events, etc. to re-create the environment we had in the office, but what I quickly came to realize is that you cannot re-create an office environment remotely, they are two different experiences. You need to define a new foundation, introducing policies and procedures that cultivate a culture that complements a remote environment. For managers, directors, and executives, creating a strong remote work culture is essential to ensure a collaborative, efficient, and engaged team. But what exactly is a good remote culture, and what are the benefits?
What is a Good Remote Work Culture?
A strong remote work culture fosters a sense of belonging, trust, and mutual respect among team members, regardless of their physical locations. It emphasizes clear communication, collaboration, and a shared vision.
Benefits of a Strong Remote Work Culture:
Enhanced Productivity: Remote employees with a strong sense of belonging are more motivated and productive.
Improved Employee Satisfaction: A supportive remote culture contributes to higher job satisfaction and retention.
Increased Flexibility: A good remote culture allows for better work-life balance, leading to happier employees.
Creating a Remote Culture
Many companies around the globe are embracing the "Virtual First" model including Dropbox, Atlassian, and Upstart to combine the flexibility of a distributed workplace with the power of human connection. To do this, they are focusing on the six key areas to promote a culture of collaboration and teamwork:
1. Defined Remote Work Policy:
Everyone has their own interpretation of what remote work should look like, which is why it’s important to establish guidelines and expectations to ensure consistency and clarity. Your policy should include information such as: working hours, availability, communication protocols, performance and deliverables.
2. Clear and Open Communication:
When working remote its easy to disengage from the rest of the team and fall into a pit of isolation. Having transparent and frequent communication is essential to keep everyone informed and engaged. The frequency will vary depending on the nature of the work, team dynamics, and individual preferences.
3. Setting Goals and Expectations:
Setting clear goals and expectations in a remote environment is crucial for maintaining productivity and alignment. Defining measurable goals, defining metrics and continuous follow up are key to success.
4. Providing the Right Tools:
Equipping your team with the necessary tools and technology to perform their jobs effectively. Whether it is managing tasks and projects, collaborating on an idea, or for communication your team needs to have the proper tools to perform their job effectively.
5. Creating a Structured Onboarding Process:
By providing a clear and supportive framework to onboard new employees helps new hires feel welcomed, informed, and equipped to succeed in their roles.
6. Promoting Team Building Activities:
Its easy to focus solely on work, leaving no time for team building and fun. But its in these moments of fun where teams are forming relationships, trust and teamwork. Its important to foster a sense of community where teams can grow and rely on one another. Activities likes these make team members feel valued for who they are, promoting a sense of commitment and purpose.
Conclusion
Establishing a strong remote work culture is essential to ensure your remote team’s effectiveness. If you pay attention to how you communicate, how flexible you are, and how you support your remote employees, you can create a positive remote work environment where teams can thrive and achieve something remarkable. Make sure to checkout my blog on building relationships remotely.
