Remote work culture has been on the rise for the last few years, and today, we can safely say that remote work is not going anywhere. This culture has evolved significantly thanks to technological advancements and changing work dynamics.
Going remote or hybrid can seem daunting for companies still mainly relying on the office to run their business. Before jumping in and building your remote culture, make sure you understand the movement and how to implement the culture, which will significantly help you transition to fully remote.
With more and more companies going fully remote, those that have pushed employees back into the office or gone against opening their business models to hybrid and remote models have suffered consequences. Many employees no longer see working in the office as the end all be all of productivity, and in fact, feel more balanced and productive working at home at their own pace.
Some of the significant benefits of working from home, or space of their choosing, that employees have reaped are:
- Less or no commute
- Less stress during the workday
- More time to take care of daily tasks like chores and small errands
- More time to spend with family and friends
- More autonomy
This list could be endless, but these points give you an idea of why so many people love working remotely. Of course, there are setbacks, like isolation and disorganization, that should always be addressed, but overall, it seems remote and hybrid work isn’t just the future of work. It’s the here and now.
How to build a thriving remote workplace
Building a solid remote work culture is essential for the success and well-being of your remote team members. A positive remote work culture can help increase productivity, engagement, and job satisfaction.
Here are some steps and tips from experts in the field to help you start building a remote work culture that will be blanched and productive.
1. Define your company culture
Start by defining the values and principles guiding your remote work culture. Consider factors like flexibility, communication, trust, and work-life balance. The founder of Melewi, Melissa Ng, emphasizes building a remote culture based on the type of job postings she would be drawn to. Of course, revenue is essential to running a business. Still, Melissa focuses primarily on creating a solid company culture with plenty of company retreats to ensure the team spends quality time together. Tune in to the Surf Office podcast for more insights into remote work from the founder.
Here are some ways to better understand your current company culture and what (if anything) needs to be done to improve.
- Evaluate the existing company culture. You are defining your business's values and mission statement, which can be done by conducting surveys, interviews, or focus groups with employees to gather their perspectives.
- Create an employee handbook. Outline your organization's expected behavior and ethical standards. This document should be readily accessible to all employees as well as management.
- Ask employees to get involved. Involve employees in the culture-building process. Gather your team's feedback, ideas, and suggestions to ensure that the culture is inclusive and reflects your workforce's collective values and aspirations.
- Establish leadership. Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping company culture. Leaders should embody the core values and consistently demonstrate the desired behaviors. Their actions set the tone for the entire organization.
If you are new to figuring out your company’s mission and cultural identity, follow these steps to get a good sense of who you are as a business and set up future goals while you're at it.
2. Virtual team building
Foster a sense of belonging and team spirit through virtual team-building activities. With more companies working remotely, getting together online is easier than ever. Have a leader plan an online games night, virtual happy hours, or a weekly team check-in to ensure everyone maintains a connection. Ensure to include birthdays, work anniversaries, and other milestones to maintain a sense of community.
3. Effective communication
Do your due diligence before launching your fully remote team, and find out what communication tools will best fit you and your team’s needs. Ask your team what tools they like and involve them in the process.
Here are some fundamental communication tactics that will help streamline the transition to a fully remote work environment:
- Set expectations for response times and availability during work hours, and be sure that you don’t take advantage of workers being online when they might be signed off for the day
- Encourage transparent communication
- Identify whether or not team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns, and if not, discuss this with them one-on-one
- Conduct regular check-ins, especially when just starting out
Communication is the cornerstone of a remote work culture. Establish clear channels for communication, such as messaging apps, video calls, and email.
4. Clear policies
Develop clear remote work guidelines. Address issues like work hours, PTO, and equipment and software requirements, in addition to what will be provided by the company.
Some of the most common policies found in remote work guidelines are:
Professional development
- Invest in the professional growth of your remote team members through additional training, mentorship, and funding for further skill development
- Create a culture of continuous learning and improvement
Trust
- Trust your team members! Micromanaging is one of the biggest drivers of burnout. Focus on results produced rather than hours worked and trust your employees can do it. If they are struggling, make sure to offer them the support they need
- Empower employees to take ownership of their work
Flexibility
- Embrace flexibility in work hours and locations as long as it aligns with your business needs—many workers and leaders mention flexibility as one of the most attractive parts of remote work
- Allow team members to adapt their work schedules to accommodate personal commitments and preferences
Make sure your policies are accessible to all team members and provide support for any questions or concerns. By working as a whole company to figure out what procedures need to be established and which ones are still a work in progress, employees will feel included in the process and, thus, more invested in the company.
5. Well-being support
Prioritize the well-being of your remote team by encouraging hard sign-off times, breaks, exercise, and, of course, time off. Travel industry platform Skift is a fully remote company that offers workers a real chance at achieving work-life balance and will attract talent.
While designing a remote benefits package, such as savings plans and PTO, make sure to include mental health support for a better balance in the workplace and stress management.
6. Technology and tools
Make sure you invest in the right technology and tools for the job so that each employee is ready to start working, whether at their desk or on the couch. Before launching:
- Ensure your team has access to a reliable internet connection
- Secure communication tools like Slack and Zoom
- Help your team set up their workspace accordingly to avoid hiccups during the workday
Some companies require only essential tools, like a laptop, in which case they offer a technology budget so employees can choose the best tools for them. As your company gets accustomed to remote work and grows within this space, consider exploring emerging technologies geared toward the remote workforce that will make your employees’ home office comfortable and connected.
7. Provide regular feedback
Regularly provide feedback and recognition for good work. Use performance evaluations to assess remote employees' contributions. Highlight achievements publicly within the team to boost morale.
Regular feedback at work is essential, and here are some of the main reasons why:
- Setting goals. Feedback helps employees align their goals and performance with the organization's objectives. When receiving feedback, employees can better understand how their work contributes to the company's success.
- Performance Improvement. Feedback provides employees with insights into their strengths and areas for improvement.
- Building trust. Regular feedback fosters open and transparent communication between employees and their managers. It builds trust within the team and creates a culture of accountability.
- Conflict Resolution. Feedback can address issues and conflicts before they escalate, providing a structured way to discuss problems and find solutions.
- Engagement. Employees who receive regular feedback tend to be more engaged in their work. When their efforts are noticed and appreciated, they are more likely to be motivated and committed to their tasks.
Regular feedback at work is essential for promoting employee growth, engagement, and overall success. It fosters communication, trust, and a culture of continuous improvement that benefits both employees and the company.
8. Diversity
Promote diversity and inclusivity within your remote team. Ensure that all team members have equal opportunities and feel respected and valued. If you need help promoting diversity within the workplace, consider reaching out to an HR expert specializing in diversifying the companies and start there.
Embrace differences in backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. A diverse workforce can lead to greater creativity and innovation.
9. Continuous improvement
Continuously assess and improve your remote work culture based on feedback and changing circumstances. Stay up-to-date with best practices and adapt to new technologies and trends.
To cultivate a culture of continuous improvement, set clear objectives and objectives.
Here are areas of focus that will naturally encourage leadership and employees to work together consistently to improve:
- Technology Adoption
- Employee Involvement and Feedback
- Quality Control
- Risk management
- Partnerships and Collaborations
- Regular reviews and rewards for good work
- Training and development
- Continuing education
A company can continue to improve and thrive by adopting a proactive and strategic approach by implementing strategic and thoughtful changes. Continuous improvement is essential for adapting to changing market conditions, especially in the remote workplace.
10. Regular retreats
While many remote workplaces make concerted efforts to maintain daily communication, there’s nothing quite like getting together, especially when you don’t see each other every day! Team retreats encompass the best of both worlds, providing flexibility and openness with structure and physical proximity.
Buffer, a highly successful and fully remote company, has found that they have built a productive and healthy company culture by exercising transparency and regular team retreats twice a year. Team Experience Manager Stephanie Lee talked to The Surf Office on their More Beach Meetings podcast, going in-depth on how retreats and regular meetups create happier employees who value where they work.
Building a remote work culture takes time and ongoing effort. It's essential to involve your team members in the process, solicit their feedback, and make adjustments to create a positive and productive remote work environment.
What do you need to focus on while building a remote workplace?
Most companies know that implementing a remote work environment can offer numerous benefits, such as increased flexibility and access to a broader talent pool. While being aware of the benefits and the challenges, don’t rush the process.
It takes time to make such a significant change, and prioritizing employees may mean setting aside an extra budget for equipment and communication tools needed to get the job done from a distance.
Start by focusing on the areas of focus that will help you ensure you are nurturing the most critical aspects of the remote workplace, thus ensuring the outcome will be collaborative and supportive.
Here are some of the critical areas where you can set your sights while taking your team from the office to a virtual workplace:
1. Communication
Communal workspaces thrive off of spontaneous Interaction. Remote work can result in a lack of in-person communication, which can, in turn, affect connection, bonding, and, on a greater level, problem-solving. Time Zone Differences can play a big role in feeling isolated from one another, so ensuring that there are regular and consistent times when all-hands-on-deck meetings and collaboration occur is paramount.
In addition, having communication threads open, such as Slack, is vital for work. Still, many employees enjoy having a private channel where they can joke and connect on a personal level.
2. Productivity and engagement
Remote workers may have a learning curve when dealing with potential distractions at home, like family, chores, and furry friends, which may be more demanding now that they are seemingly available. On that same note, making sure employees are engaged will help avoid feelings of Isolation that affect remote workers' mental health and engagement.
3. Invest in proper tech tools
Access to Tools and Resources. Ensuring your employees have the hardware, software, and internet connectivity to work remotely can be challenging.
Make sure that you prioritize personal employee information as well as company data, as having a team that is spread out can make information online more vulnerable.
4. Need for performance assessment
Finding the right balance between trusting employees to manage their work and micromanaging them can be tricky. In addition, Measuring employee performance based on output rather than hours worked can be more challenging.
5. Establishing company culture
When employees are not physically present, it can be difficult. Building a company culture comes with time; starting out takes patience and persistence. But it all starts with communication.
Prioritize establishing a strong culture by learning what your employees need and want from a workplace and what you can offer as a business. Leaders can set goals, like implementing a four-day workweek or regular company retreats after two years of running a business.
6. Making space for growth
A common proactive in the more traditional workplace is ensuring employees are included in recognition programs and given opportunities for career advancement. When you decide to go remote, that doesn’t mean that you get rid of development programs. In fact, these initiatives are more critical than ever. While planning your move, make sure that you prioritize growth for existing employees, even when you start taking on new hires.
7. Employee well-being
Ensuring employees have a safe and ergonomic home office, such as a supportive chair and desk, in addition to good lighting and exercise tools like a walking pad, will ensure that your workers will avoid health issues.
Offering a budget that workers can use to buy their own at-home equipment, like a standing desk or walking pad, is an effective way to show employees how they can do remote work while also ensuring workers' health and safety.
8. Legal issues
Labor Laws and Regulations: Adhering to labor laws and regulations can be complex, especially when employees are in different locations. Ensure you know what tax laws you must consider now that your workers are out of the office. Remote work can change the tax profile for both the employer and the employee, so prioritize educating yourself and employees on how things might change in the remote workplace (if at all) and provide them with the resources needed to get the most out of their taxes.
9. Adequate training
Onboarding New Employees: Integrating new employees into the company culture and ensuring they receive proper training remotely can be challenging. If you’re over your head and just making the transition, consider hiring an external recruitment agency or consultant to help you develop an adequate onboarding plan that will include your newly minted expectations as a remote company.
10. Work-life balance
Make sure you set good boundaries, like when you expect people to log in and log in, and try to be aware if someone is overworking, just as much as you would if someone was skipping on tasks. Remote workers may need help to set clear boundaries between work and personal life, leading to burnout.
Be prepared to face these challenges and constantly communicate with your team before entering a remote environment. By developing clear remote work policies, investing in collaboration tools and technology, and providing training and support for remote employees, managing your virtual team may be smoother than you expect.
Maintain morale in a remote workplace
At the Surf Office, we have long been aware that successful work cultures prioritize the well-being and productivity of employees while embracing the benefits of remote work. Company retreats that take place at least twice a year are one of the most effective ways to cultivate a blanched working environment, and we can help you and your team design a company retreat that harnesses the flexibility and creativity that come with remote working. Reach out to us to plan your next off-site team meetup, and let us design the perfect itinerary for your business, filled with team-building exercises and, of course, fun!
Remember, remote culture will be different from one organization to another and will be subject to change as business and culture evolve. Leaders will need to have their finger on the pulse, always ready to refine and improve their remote work policies and practices. Because of the constant flux, it’s important to find ways to maintain morale in the workplace, especially when a team doesn’t see each other every day. By implementing regular check-ins and budgeting for team-building events, as well as in-person meet-ups, your remote workplace should thrive in no time.
