Maintaining Company Culture a Year into the Pandemic

It’s been a full year since the start of the pandemic. For one year we’ve been working from home; virtual meetings have become the new normal; and staying connected with one’s co-workers has been challenging. According to Gallup’s Health and Well-Being Index, adults reported struggling with stress and worry, particularly those working from home while caring for children. Unmarried adults reported increased loneliness. And organizations that rely on team cooperation and innovation faced new challenges.

The New Hybrid Workplace

Yet, for the most part, the 2020 remote work experiment was a
success. From the employees’ standpoint, most would like to maintain their
improved work-life balance and eliminate a daily commute. In Slack’s Remote
Employee Experience Index based on data from a survey of 9,032 knowledge
workers in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Japan, and Australia, analyzing
perceptions of 4,700 who are primarily remote, the overwhelming majority of 72%
prefer a combination of in office and remote work. 

As companies plan for the hybrid workplace, the environment will
look and feel a lot different than it did one year ago. Increased safety
precautions, scaled-back work spaces, and shifting schedules combining
remote/in-person work will be the norm. With limited numbers of workers in the
office at any given time, and with teams scattered across the globe, maintaining
a strong corporate culture is essential to keeping employees engaged and
productivity high.

Define, Review, and Strengthen
Your Corporate Culture

An organization’s culture is its special sauce, what makes it
unique, and what attracts (or alienates) employees. It drives engagement which directly
affects performance. Culture goes beyond what
the organization does to incorporate how
it does what it does. According to Gallup, “It’s through the employee experience that
organizations can sustain that culture, regardless of where an employee may
work. And by focusing on creating the virtual and hybrid employee
experience, organizations will empower and inspire all
employees to do their best work.” Bottom line – a strong corporate culture is key
for business.

In the new hybrid work environment, maintaining your corporate
culture requires strategy and planning. First step – an audit: Review where
your company is now to understand whether or not your culture is well-defined
and communicated. Determine whether the employee experience matches the
customer experience, and whether the bottom-line follows. Re-energizing office
culture means investing in collaboration tools, innovation platforms, and
creative programs. To further strengthen culture, consider the following:

Lead with Values

Values-driven organizations clearly define their purpose or
mission, vision, and values. They embed those values in everything they do. Values
should be visible to employees – on the website, on social media, on the walls,
everywhere. But even more important than displaying your values, is activating
them. Living values resonate with
employees, feel authentic, and are incorporated in programs and processes –
from Annual Values Days, to social-distanced community service events, to
attention to social purpose practices, to refreshed-for-2021 employee benefits,
to regular rituals, to rewards and/or perk programs. In today’s hybrid
workplace, successful companies will activate their values across the
organization, continually reflecting upon those values and evolving them to
stay relevant.

If a company’s value proposition is really working, customers will
feel it in their experience. IMSA Canada Managing Partner David Nirenberg
shared a story of his beloved Toronto-based Italian restaurant that was forced
to close in March 2020 due to the pandemic. “The owner was committed to maintaining
and remunerating his staff in the midst of the COVID shutdown. Living his
corporate values of respect and creativity, he took difficult steps that
displayed both key values. First, he reimagined the menu to create new take-out
friendly options. Then, he offered unique imported Italian wines and all sorts
of related food items. Next the restaurant offered suppliers the opportunity to
sell their product lines through his online store. He focused on social media
presence, sharing ideas frequently and consistently. Employees felt valued, customers
responded, suppliers were thrilled, and business survived. FANTASTICO!”

Ask Your Employees

Go to the source when determining how well your culture and values
are being communicated and activated. Ask your employees directly: How has the
pandemic impacted the company values? Do the values still ring true for you? Are
you and your managers acting based on your company values? Then ask yourself: Are
you acknowledging and rewarding employees who act on the values? During the
past year, have your company perks translated? Have your traditions and rituals
translated? Can people still feel the office vibe even when they are not in the
office all together?

Ongoing communication is essential. In a hybrid environment, this
may take some creativity. Some ideas for enhanced communications include real
time collaboration tools, mobile video apps, and webinars with live surveys.
Ask your employees how they feel about the tools and activities you are
implementing. Are they working? Do they make employees feel valued? What ideas
can they suggest to foster connection? Again, go to the source – your employees
– to ensure effectiveness.

Give Frequent
Feedback, Focus on Wellbeing

According to Gallup, “… employees seek development, purpose and
in-the-moment feedback. They prefer ‘coaching’ over ‘bossing.’ Data also show that
well-coached teams tend to considerably outperform less ably managed teams on
engagement, retention, safety, productivity and profitability metrics.”

During quarantine, teams that flourished were those whose managers
built virtual catchups into the schedule. From monthly All-Hands/Town Halls, to
weekly team meetings, to regular one-on-one check-ins, the quick transparent
conversations proved most meaningful. Many companies benefited from increased
frequency. Going forward, effective management will mean more frequent
conversations with employees, especially remote workers, about their
challenges, needs, and wants. Focusing on employee wellbeing via understanding
each employee’s life situation, such as responsibility for children or parents,
is now a given when developing effective remote work plans.

Build Camaraderie and
Connection

Creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and open communication
through virtual team building experiences can be achieved with planning and
technology. Events, whether virtual or in person, are a good way to forge
connections. According to IMSA USA Managing Partner Mitch Berger, “In our
office, we hosted an online Murder Mystery Event that was a fun way to get
together virtually. Many of our clients have run successful virtual events from
cooking classes, wine tastings, book clubs, and scavenger hunts, to museum
tours, and group video games. When we eventually return to the hybrid office,
we intend to maintain the virtual components that work for building team spirit.”

Leadership is directly responsible for building and maintaining the
always evolving corporate culture. As we move beyond the pandemic into a brand
new hybrid work world, now is the time to focus on your organization’s leadership
ability to keep your culture relevant and aligned with your company’s values
and goals.