By prioritizing belongingness, companies can create an inclusive remote company culture that elicits the same welcoming nature as being in the office. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Last March the world changed, leaving in its wake a trail of volatility and shifting norms. Parents became teachers, grocery stores became exotic destinations, and second bedrooms became offices. Companies with strong internal cultures attempted to put forth initiatives to facilitate connections, but virtual happy hours and digital coffee chats could only do so much. Weeks turned into months; soon our remote-first world will have been our reality for a year. And it might be more permanent than we originally thought: a quarter of businesses now say they would move at least 10% of their office employees to permanent remote positions.
Related: What's the future of offices? Flexibility
Anne-Marie Finch is chief people officer at Templafy, a software provider that helps businesses better enable their content. Templafy was founded in 2014 and is located in major cities around the globe. Anne-Marie has experience from start-ups that scale strongly, including from Telmore under TDC, Trustpilot and the global consultancy Star. Recommended For You
For businesses who prioritize company culture—especially for recruitment and retention purposes—it's time for a new plan. The element of human interaction teams get when together in person is irreplaceable, but a return to the office still in the far-off future. Companies need to shift their strategy so that they can remotely create a sense of community—specifically, one of belongingness. Here's how:
Create a seamless remote onboarding experience
Starting a new role at a new company is already daunting. But starting remotely adds an additional layer of intimidation and complexity. The traditional onboarding strategies that once worked in person, like an office tour or a first-day lunch with the team, aren't an option. Instead, the process has to be structured so that new hires feel the same "typical" welcoming experience they would in person, but remotely.
First, employees need to be set up for technical success. It may sound simple, but it's imperative that new hires feel comfortable with their tech, whether it's hardware like a new laptop, or digital such as access to the internal company drive or the CRM system. It's small, but putting new employees in a position to have to ask for access or tech help is a surefire way to them feeling like an outsider.
The lack of casual, water-cooler conversations also means that businesses are directly responsible for facilitating introductions and interpersonal engagement. Put intro meetings on the calendars before the new hire starts, so there's built-in opportunity for cross-department meet and greets and they can really get a feel for how each team ladders up to the company's overall goals. At Templafy, we use the Donut app weekly to match up employees across departments for 30 minute casual chats. And, don't be afraid to overbook in this regard. It may seem odd to have a new employee so busy – especially right when they start – but having meetings to look forward to and stay busy will make them feel better when they are getting up to speed, even if it's just for onboarding purposes.
Remove the weight of the "global HQ"
If COVID-19 taught us anything, it's that we can work from wherever we are and still deliver high-quality results. Yet, so many companies are still tied to their global headquarters as the center of their business. While there's debate about the need for the office in general, what certainly should be phased out is the idea of the global HQ. From a culture perspective, this is a good thing! Eliminating this formality levels the playing field for the whole team so that no one feels they are at a "disadvantage" not being in a particular office or location.
When we remove this formal destination, we start to democratize work itself. Now, business isn't where your office is, but where your staff is (which inherently increases accessibility, flexibility and belonging). Plus, allowing employees to fit work into their lives in a much easier way also means your business is able to continue fostering a greater sense of community for people with diverse backgrounds. A win-win for companies, employees, and culture alike.
Make belongingness the center of your remote culture
By prioritizing belongingness, companies can create an inclusive remote company culture that elicits the same welcoming nature as being in the office. It might seem simple enough to add more buzzwords to your mission statement that tout belonging, but business leaders must take the initiative to incorporate actions of belongingness – the ability for everyone in the company to be heard – into their company's day-to-day works.
This may include more weekly touch-bases across departments or fostering in-house discussions. But creating a company culture that fosters a community of diverse opinions from the top-down will ensure greater belongingness across the board. Business leaders need to rethink their community initiatives and take action to establish a welcoming and supportive workforce – even one that doesn't meet face to face.
The future of what work looks like is constantly evolving. There's a possibility that one day we do return to the office, but in the meantime, we need to identify how we can work smarter and better while being remote. The key to business success is employee engagement and satisfaction, so cultivating a remote company culture should be a priority for all businesses. Establish a better onboarding process, eliminate your global HQ and prioritize belongingness. There are opportunities to create a workplace culture that is both supportive and community-driven – no matter where employees are.
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