Creating a culture for the remote workforce is going to take some new and creative thinking, because the old standards of office happy hours or desk drops just won't work. (Photo: Shutterstock)

As the great Work From Home Experiment continues, many workers and companies are finding that remote work isn't the productivity killer they imagined. In fact, many employees are actually enjoying it, and several businesses, including Twitter, have moved to make the arrangement permanent.

Not everyone is faring so well, however, and even those companies that are holding steady right now will need to take proactive steps to ensure the work-from-home model continues to align with their company mission and culture.

Related: 10 commandments for working from home during the pandemic

This is going to take some new and creative thinking, because the old standards of office happy hours or desk drops just won't work.

Recently, Henry Albrecht CEO of Limeade, shared some thoughts on how to support remote workforces with BenefitsPRO.

How can companies build and maintain supportive cultures when all employees are remote?

Henry Albrecht: When all employees are remote, organizations can lose some of the social aspects that office environments offer. In order to create a connected and supportive experience when all employees work from home, companies can build supportive cultures through dynamic communication.

Email is not always the best solution because it does not open up opportunities for two-way, best-practices-sharing communication for all. By ensuring your company has a multichannel, bidirectional solution, organizations and their employees can communicate proactively and appropriately react to feedback. And, through these frequent surveys, you can gauge how employees are feeling and identify shifts in attitude. From there, you can adjust communications plans accordingly so employees are in the know.

Additionally, your employees should hear from you often. This helps make sure that they feel supported and cared for, and that they understand the overarching messages and have access to relevant company resources. They should see your face with video, be able to comment and share your views – and participate in open dialog.

Finally, by providing flexible work arrangements, you can ensure that your company is equipped to handle an increase in remote workers. A key component of employee empowerment is giving authority to employees. If they don't know you support them, they likely won't feel empowered to make decisions that are best for them.

How can companies properly handle employee mental health as well as promote good work-life integration while WFH?

HA: Companies can properly handle employee mental health by offering necessary services. Employer-provided mental health resources are important for all employees, but many organizations are starting to realize the benefits that these resources have on their remote employees.

To address these issues right now, employers are offering tools and training to ensure employees and managers are equipped to create a psychologically safe environment that enables genuine conversations. From there, HR departments are providing their employees with playbooks in order to appropriately and sensitively take action when a mental health issue is disclosed. This includes thoughtful ways to support others as well as providing employees with the right resources and support to put their well-being first. Additionally, organizations are surveying their employees to make sure their needs are met and they are actually taking the time to listen and make necessary changes.

Of course above all else, authentic care is the most impactful resource an employer can offer. Only when these efforts are genuine, will organizations see the direct benefits these offerings and open conversations have in supporting employee mental health.

And, as the workforce goes more and more digital, it is increasingly difficult to keep work completely separate from out-of-office life, and it is even harder when we live and work in the same location. So, when it comes to work-life integration, companies need to offer employees the option to create a schedule that works best for their productivity as well as their mental health. This allows employees to take care of children, walk the dog, or run a quick errand. However, to make this work, there needs to be trust between both employee and employer that they are taking care of their work and themselves.

How can Twitter and other tech organizations with extended WFH take this time to re-evaluate and examine employee care and become more intentional about their cultures?

HA: The global shutdown has forced us to rethink how we view work, and our approach to the entire employee experience. We are now challenging aspects of work that we probably should have challenged in the past, but there was never this impetus. Because going back to "normal" is no longer possible, we have to look ahead, adapt to the changing workforce, and implement what we've learned these past few months.

Moments of crisis offer us an opportunity to reevaluate organizational values. By taking the time to examine values, Twitter and other tech companies can determine if their values are as relevant today as they were when they were originally created.

No culture is perfect, but moving the needle is totally possible. These five tips will help you make small improvements towards an intentional culture that matches the objective of your organization. These are behaviors you can enact to shape your culture today.

• Clarify the business problems you want to address. When you understand your objectives clearly, it becomes easier to create a complimentary culture. When culture is aligned with business objectives, everyone benefits.
• Think of yourself as a culture architect. You are not a victim of your company's culture, but a capable changemaker that can do something about it. It's challenging work, but this work is unique to your organization — and there's a lot that hangs in the balance.
• Get buy-in from leaders and employees. Changing culture requires buy-in from the C-suite and the front-line workers. Your CEO should be the face of culture transformation, but employees must also be excited about culture as they experience it on a day-to-day basis.
• Start with values. Perhaps your company has a mission statement or a set of values it adheres to. Take an honest look at these cornerstones and determine where you've succeeded and where you're falling short. Think of your values as the aspirational culture you are seeking to achieve.
• Follow the intentional culture circle. From creating a vision to measuring change, the following diagram outlines steps for creating an intentional culture. Remember that tools and technology can be used to scale these steps to the needs of any organization.

How can organizations help new employees connect with their teams/the company during remote onboarding?

HA: It is important to remember that onboarding remote employees is different from onboarding in-office employees, so changes to typical procedures will have to be made. Organizations can help new employees connect with their teams and the company as a whole during remote onboarding by setting a new hire up with a buddy or mentor. This person can guide the new employee through the first few weeks, introduce to other team members as well as ensure they feel settled and have all the resources needed to succeed.

Additionally, organizations can set up virtual coffee dates or other social interactions that remote employees may miss out on. Through these more casual meetings, new employees can connect with their teams and begin building friendly relationships. Employee resource groups are another way to make inclusion come to life, as ERGs can create a sense of community and help new hires transition into the organization.

Read more: 

• What are the most desirable attributes in a remote workforce?
• Your remote workforce: Tools and processes for a smoother transition
• Successfully shifting hiring and management strategies for the remote workforce