Sustaining workplace culture in a remote work world requires employers to be intentional about how they demonstrate their culture in every aspect of the organization\u2019s environment. Cultivating a culture starts during the Talent Acquisition process and continues throughout the exit or offboarding of an employee.<\/p>\n
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The challenges associated with building and maintaining workplace culture have become even more complex now that the majority of knowledge workers are working remotely. In fact, according to a recent survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, nearly two-thirds of HR professionals believe the pandemic has made implementing and sustaining workplace culture<\/a> more difficult . The survey also found nearly one-quarter of those surveyed responded that their organizations\u2019 cultures have worsened during the pandemic. Workplace culture can be complicated. Yet it can be defined as a multi-faceted system of values, beliefs, ‘norms,’ objects, and technologies that shape an organization; it outlines the behaviors and attitudes employers desire from their workers. Regardless of how your organization perceives culture, a strong one keeps talent connected and should be leveraged as a primary attribute in recruitment and retention. However, the culture your organization has spent years cultivating, more likely than not, won\u2019t directly translate to a remote work environment. A recent Procom report<\/a> finds less than 4 per cent of workers want to return to the office five days a week. When taking in-person interactions online, employers can\u2019t simply virtualize aspects of their organization\u2019s culture with the expectation that the experience will immediately resonate with all workers. Levering a strong and positive work culture is a primary strategy for many organizations to engage and retain workers. This also, however, requires conscious effort backed by transparency and consistency. <\/p>\n How and where knowledge workers do their jobs has changed. The importance of workplace culture, however, has remained consistent. Workers who fit in with your culture are less likely to leave the company. Lower rates of turnover mean less time and money spent on recruiting, hiring, and training. <\/p>\n When interviewing talent, be clear about worker expectations and managerial style. It’s also important to discuss the level of connectivity you want remote workers to maintain and what these connections consist of (i.e., daily status updates, weekly meetings, scheduled social chats). Establish new norms<\/strong> Prioritize keeping current talent happy<\/strong> <\/p>\n A strong remote culture not only keeps current talent motivated<\/a> and connected, it also helps them to feel seen, even as they work remotely. When your remote work culture is prioritized, workers feel a sense of belonging, helping them to stay aligned with the organization and business goals. Procom recently surveyed over 1,000 knowledge workers to discover how and where they prefer to work as offices re-open across North America.
However, as more organizations embrace long-term remote work, now is a perfect opportunity to be intentional about establishing an engaging, remote workplace culture. <\/p>\nWhat is workplace culture?<\/strong> <\/h3>\n
The information below will provide information on how to develop, sustain and demonstrate workplace culture in a remote work model.<\/p>\nCreate a strong remote work culture by focusing on <\/strong>intent<\/i><\/strong> <\/h3>\n
It\u2019s important to avoid translating in-person events to a digital format without modification or communication detailing the transition. Instead, think about the goal of the initiative and get creative. <\/p>\nUnderstand remote work culture is cumulative<\/strong> <\/h3>\n
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\u2022 Recruitment
\u2022 Organizational hierarchy
\u2022 Day-to-day practices
\u2022 Internal communications
\u2022 Performance management
\u2022 Workplace processes
\u2022 Social media platforms,
\u2022 Educational or training opportunities,
\u2022 Social events.
\u2022 Corporate responsibility initiatives
\u2022 DEI commitments <\/li>\nENGAGING TALENT in a remote work culture<\/strong> <\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Have a strong employer brand \u2013 and communicate it in the job posting<\/strong><\/h3>\n
To effectively demonstrate culture to talent during the initial step in the recruitment process, it\u2019s critical to have a strong employer brand. This means organizations must prioritize building an employer brand and make recruitment marketing a key component of the company\u2019s overall HR strategy.
The job posting can demonstrate culture by considering:
\u2022 What makes your organization unique?
\u2022 What makes your organization credible?
\u2022 What makes your organization the best place to work with?
\u2022 What are your competitive differentiators?
\u2022 How can you improve the working experience? <\/p>\nBe intentional about talking culture with candidates<\/strong><\/h3>\n
How easy is it for workers to use your organization\u2019s internal technology functions in remote settings? What types of communication tools does the organization use?
When including culture in the conversation, consider:
\u2022 What types of people tend to be successful in the organization’s remote work model?
\u2022 How does your organization stay connected on a professional and social level?
\u2022 Does your organization have any DEI or health and wellness programs?
\u2022 Does your organization offer \u2018Work from Anywhere\u2019 as a remote work option?
During the interview phase of the recruitment process, hiring managers and recruiters must be prepared to answer questions about how the organization’s workplace culture has translated to a remote work model. These responses should include specific examples of how, when, why and where the organization\u2019s culture is demonstrated. <\/p>\nRETAINING CURRENT TALENT in a remote work culture<\/strong> <\/h3>\n
In a remote work culture, it\u2019s important to establish any new policies or procedures that workers must be aware of. These new \u2018norms\u2019 can be established through leveraging feedback from your talent.
For instance, what does \u2018remote work\u2019 mean to your organization? Procom\u2019s Voice of Talent report finds 34 per cent of respondents indicate they expect remote work, as a \u2018new norm\u2019 to include engagements that cross global boundaries<\/a>. Is your remote work model defined? <\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to think about how you\u2019re communicating the vision for the organization’s future and how you\u2019re empowering talent to make valuable contributions. Assess development opportunities that can diversify workers\u2019 skillsets and allow them to advance within your organization.
Each small, decisive step an organization takes goes a long way toward projecting its culture and building a sense of community in a remote work world.
When it comes to the smaller things that can mean a lot, consider:
\u2022 Scheduling occasional meetings with no agendas except everyone\u2019s favorite TV show of the moment.
\u2022 Encourage occasional virtual coffee breaks.
\u2022 Host a lunchtime chat-and-walk.
\u2022 Recognize employees and their contributions at virtual meetings.
\u2022 Get creative about celebrating special events like birthdays or employment anniversaries.
\u2022 Keep workers and new hires informed of any training and development programs.
\u2022 Do you support any charities or events that have gone virtual? Ensure workers are aware of how they can stay involved and celebrate team wins.
Creating and maintaining a strong remote work culture requires thoughtful planning and execution. However, it’s important to remember: Intention is the key. <\/p>\nThe Voice of Talent: Return to the Office Report<\/b><\/h3>\n
The Voice of Talent Report offers actionable insights into what workers expect in relation to mandatory vaccinations, remote work preferences, The Great Resignation, COVID-19 safety measures and more.
Access your complimentary copy to discover how to attract talent in 2022:<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload report\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\n