July 16, 2021

How to Shift Your Remote Organization Culture

Sam Caucci

Like it or not, remote work is here to stay and has had lasting effects on corporate culture. In fact, many companies found that remote work offered many benefits to their employees to their surprise. A survey conducted by Korn/Ferry International found that almost 80% of managers found an increase in productivity from remote workers. In addition, Chinese company Ctrip partnered with researchers at Stanford University to show that employees who work from home have a “higher positive attitude, less work exhaustion, and less attrition.” 

Many companies are looking to add permanent remote work options for their employees, despite vaccines becoming widely available. Some have opted to keep remote work full time, and others a few times a week. Whatever the case, many leaders and managers are wrestling with how to develop a cohesive vision for their company’s remote work division which aligns with the missions and values of the larger organization as a whole. 

While you may think it will be a huge challenge to get your team of employees scattered across the country on the same page, it is possible with a bit of practice and elbow grease. And, it’s important to create a sustainable, more effective work system and online culture for your organization. 

Tips for Creating an Effective Remote Organization

Remote workplace culture plays a huge role in the way remote work looks as the world begins to adjust to a new normal. It might seem difficult to develop the culture of teams scattered across the country, or even globe, but with some dedication and a few pointers, you can create a sustainable and effective remote organization. 

Start at the top.

Managers and leaders set the tone for the company, Its business goals, and its employees. If managers are not on the same page, or dedicated to creating a good remote work culture, then no one else will be either. When you decide to start rolling out your remote work plans, then be sure to brief leadership about what is happening and how to demonstrate the new remote cultural norms. Discuss leaderships’ role in enforcing these norms onto those who work under them and let them know why these matter for the organization’s future. 

Place clear expectations.

In order to implement any organizational changes effectively, everyone needs to be on the same page. Any expectations for remote work will need to be understood clearly and concretely. They also need to be practical and enforceable. Be sure to outline whether or not employees are able to make their own hours. If this isn’t clear employees will be unsure, resulting in nervousness and inconsistency. 

You also need to make sure that expectations make sense for your team. To test your expectations, are you able to give out the exact reasons they are put into place? If not, your employees might become resentful. 

Accountability and trust should be balanced.

Accountability is always necessary, so if you have an employee who is always missing deadlines then maybe remote work is not for them. However, you also need to trust that your employees are doing their work even if you cannot physically see them. It doesn’t mean that they aren’t working hard or aren’t invested in your organization. Employees who feel as if they are not trusted have lower morale or become uninvested in the company’s broader goals. This is also likely to create a communication barrier between managers and their teams. 

One way to help establish a balance of accountability and trust is to use project management tools as a team. There are many out there, and you might find one that works the best with your team and provides the right amounts of accountability while also allowing your employees a good level of independence. 

Set boundaries.

Sometimes, it’s normal for employees to be on-call, even if they aren’t on the clock. However, the best practice here is to develop boundaries with your team that will make sense for your workflow. This is an important step in creating a healthy remote work culture that helps avoid employee burnout. If an employee feels that their work is constantly infringing on their personal or home life, then they will be stressed and less likely to take their work seriously so they can create their own boundary between work and home. 

Some examples of boundaries can include:

  • No emails outside of work hours;
  • Giving team members the option to turn off their cameras during video calls;
  • Allowing team members to mute group messages when they are focusing on a task; or
  • Not expecting team members to reply to messages when they are on their lunch.

Create a Healthy Remote Work Culture with 1Huddle

Each and every organization is going to have different needs and requirements to create a healthy remote work culture. These will depend on the company’s values, team members, and industry – all of which should be taken into consideration. The tips outlined above can help set you on the right path to creating a fully functional system that works for your organization. 

At 1Huddle, we offer cloud-based employee gamification software that can easily adapt to any employee development plan you want to implement. You can customize your content for a seamless experience and all of your employees will be able to access their training anywhere, anytime, and at the push of a button. You can use our gamified training platform to measure their performance and make key decisions on where you should take your gamification strategy next. 

Do you want to learn more about how 1Huddle can help you level up your own workforce? Request a demo today.

Sam Caucci, Founder & CEO at 1Huddle

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