Crafting a vibrant company culture across borders

It wasn’t all that long ago that the term ‘remote working’ only really meant one thing: that we didn’t need to stand up and walk halfway across the room in order to change channels on the television. However, things are quite different today. Not only is working from home much more commonplace, but smart TVs don’t tend to have any buttons on them.

The Office for National Statistics reports that between May the 22nd and the 2nd of June 2024, 14% of the UK workforce worked entirely from home, with a further 26% having some kind of a hybrid working arrangement agreed with their employer. So that’s some 40% of all Britons working entirely or partly from home. US statistics show that a very similar number of Americans and western Europeans work remotely at least some of their working week too.

A good deal of employers have embraced this new way of working, while others have proven resistant to change. Many, often larger, organisations were quick to demand their employees return to the office post-Covid. In part because they did – and continue to – operate under the common misconception that remote work somehow weakens company culture.

However, the smarter, more dynamic and perceptive employer sees remote work for what it really is: an opportunity for – rather than a barrier to – culture building.

Is Remote work the death of company culture?

When the world shifted to remote work, many business leaders wrung their hands, convinced that their carefully cultivated company cultures would wither and die without the water cooler chats and impromptu brainstorming sessions of office life. “How can we maintain our values?” they fretted. “What about team spirit?” they worried.

But here’s a plot twist for you: remote work isn’t killing company culture. It’s evolving it.

Far from being the death knell of workplace camaraderie, remote work is offering us a chance to redefine what company culture really means. It’s pushing us to be more intentional, more inclusive, and dare we say it, more human in how we connect with our colleagues. So, buckle up as we explore how savvy companies are not just preserving their culture in the digital realm, but supercharging it.

Here are some ideas to try out if you’re yet to fully embrace the concept of remote working or have trouble seeing how – in terms of culture – it can actually be a benefit, rather than something to simply tolerate…

Look around at successful peers

Lots of major companies thrive while working with remote setups. For example, the heavy-hitting financial firms Deloitte and PwC have both shifted to flexible work models in the past few years, with each reporting significantly enhanced productivity and employee satisfaction. These businesses illustrate that with clear legal frameworks, trust-building strategies and a focus on connectivity and data security, remote work can be highly effective for everyone.

Trust, it appears, is a seriously key crucial factor to establishing and maintaining a successful remote workplace. PwC reports that while remote and hybrid work models have boosted productivity, establishing trust between employers and employees is still sometimes a challenge in a remote environment.

Many businesses found that remote employees delivered higher productivity during the pandemic, but still there appears to be a lack of trust. This is, one would imagine, something of a hangover from the old days. Management has had physical oversight over staff since time immemorial. That’s now changed and some employers and managers, those reluctant to change or put in trust in people, are still hesitant. Despite the statistics that show the stark benefits of remote working.

Make sure you get everyone on board (literally and metaphorically)

Setting up or adapting to a remote working situation requires a kind of multilateral buy-in, to use a needlessly elaborate term. Basically, you want everyone to agree it’s a good idea and embrace it. You can – hopefully – do this by explaining the advantages of the team working remotely. If you’ve made the decision to go that way, you must be sold on the concept yourself. So preach! Testify!

A solid onboarding process is crucial to all new starters, regardless of how your business operates. In a fully remote workforce, it’s particularly vital. It establishes the foundation for success, fostering as it does (or at least can – if done right…) connection, trust, expectations and clarity.

Effective onboarding should ultimately boost employee engagement and enable new hires to integrate seamlessly into the company’s pre-existing culture and workflows. Despite the physical distance. It should also ensure, on a more practical level, that they understand tools, processes and procedures, reducing confusion and errors. Companies with structured onboarding programs report up to 50% more productivity in new employees.

High quality onboarding is vital to ensure remote employees feel supported and engaged from day one, which can significantly impact retention and long-term performance. After all, once you’re on board something properly, it’s much harder to fall off it.

Look for the diversity opportunities

It’s understandable that top brass may be concerned about a degradation of ‘the company culture’ when staff work remotely. But here’s the thing, now the workforce is decentralised and – potentially – geographically democratised, an opportunity is presented. The company’s culture can actually be informed and encouraged to grow by tapping into other cultures. Helping created a truly global atmosphere and set of values.

Remote work opens the door to unprecedented diversity and inclusion by allowing companies to hire talent from all over the world. Managed correctly, this global reach can enrich a team with varied cultural perspectives, really helping drive creativity and innovation. A study by McKinsey highlights that companies with diverse teams are 36% more likely to outperform their peers financially.

The open source software firm GitLab is a prime example of a company that benefits from a globally-distributed workforce. Operating with over 1,500 employees spread out across more than 65 countries, they use their all-remote model to access a vast talent pool, which fosters cultural diversity and positive change. By hiring like this, the company allows itself to draw on diverse perspectives that enhance problem-solving and creativity.

Use technology as the backbone of remote culture

Nowadays, technology plays a super crucial role in fostering a strong company culture. And this is never more true than when setting up and maintaining successful remote teams.

Tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams facilitate instant communication, while virtual meeting platforms enable face-to-face interactions, helping to establish, build and nurture relationships. Fully embrace the ones that suit how you work.

Foster trust and connection

Building trust takes time. That applies to everyone in every situation. In remote teams, it’s best to assume that deliberate effort is required. Consider leaning into things like regular communication and never passing up on opportunities for connection. Regular check-ins – both one-on-one and in team settings – create transparency and allow employees and employers to voice concerns and highlight achievements.

Virtual social events like online coffee breaks, game sessions, or team-building workshops may seem silly or forced and can require a little cajoling with shyer members of the team, but they can really work. Schedule them regularly but sensibly, and these kinds of activities can help build camaraderie and foster positive informal relationships, which are often much harder to develop in an organic way remotely.

Balancing autonomy with accountability really is key. Remote workers appreciate the freedom to manage their time, but clear expectations and progress tracking tools like project management software can ensure accountability. All without the dreaded enemy of good management that is micromanagement looming its truly ugly head.

Lead by example

One really simple but effective way to show people how remote working can work well is to have management in your organisation lead by example on it. Leadership has a sizeable part to play in ensuring that company values and missions transcend physical locations.

With higher-ups actively participating in virtual meetings and embracing the same tools that the team’s been asked to use, buy-in is much more likely. Regularly sharing company updates builds transparency, helping employees feel informed and involved. By celebrating remote work successes, leaders can highlight its benefits and keep the team nicely motivated.

Encouraging collaboration through team chats or brainstorming sessions is also useful, showing that remote work can still foster connection and productivity. Ultimately, when leaders are engaged, open and adaptive, employees are far likely to follow suit.

Overcome challenges with resilience and smart thinking

Okay, so it won’t always be plain sailing. Especially not in the beginning as you begin to plot a course to the promised land. There may be some choppy waters as you try to navigate your way to stable and functional remote working. Recognise the potential pitfalls and those holes in the bough can be easily patched up, though…

• Offer flexible schedules – Let employees manage their own hours while keeping the team on track
• Set core hours – Establish overlapping time for real-time collaboration
• Use ‘asynchronous communication’ – A fancy way of saying tools like Slack or Trello / Asana help team members update at their own pace
• Pre-record meetings – Record sessions so everyone can stay updated regardless of their time zone

And if some people are still resistant to embrace your new remote culture, you can always make them walk the plank… No, please don’t force your people to have to plunge into shark-infested waters. It’d be a Health & Safety nightmare, for one thing.

Measure and maintain a strong culture

Regularly assessing your company culture through employee surveys, feedback and engagement tools ensures that remote work remains effective and sustainable. By actively listening and adapting, leaders can nurture a strong, resilient culture. Embrace remote work as an opportunity to build connected and thriving teams, ones that are ready to meet the challenges of the future with flexibility and reciprocated trust.

If you set up your remote workforce correctly, making sure you’re listening to (and acting on) feedback, there’s no reason why your company culture needs to suffer at all. It may alter a little, but that’s a positive.

At the risk of sounding like we’ve stolen a lyric from A Tribe Called Quest or some other ‘80s rappers, our advice is ‘don’t stagnate… instead motivate, innovate and elevate!’

Don’t worry, we’re not going to start breakdancing.