Great cultures thrive in unrestricted environments.
Does Your Business Support and Encourage Telecommuting?
Having started a remote digital PR subscription service myself, I anticipate that certain businesses will keep using remote workers in the future. Whether your workers will be working remotely temporarily or permanently, it is essential to cultivate a positive remote corporate culture that results in happy employees.
However, you cannot make other people happy by yourself. Although leaders can set standards for employee conduct and interaction, they are not in a position to compel subordinates to conform to those standards. However, this function is culturally determined.
Creating a Remarkable Culture of Remote Work is Difficult
My company, which has always been based on a remote model, has had to increase its efforts to make remote workers feel secure and appreciated in the present climate. I can’t even begin to fathom how much harder it must be to start over. If no firm foundation has been set, you may worry that the culture of your startup is constructed on shaky ground. However, a quick and sturdy foundation can be built. Over the years of directing remote teams, I’ve picked up the following lessons:
The Culture of a Company That is Located Far Away is Seldom a Coincidence
It takes some forethought to establish a productive culture for telecommuters. Discuss the pros and cons of working remotely with your team. Give them direction on how they should communicate with one another.
Look for people who possess these traits and hire them. Once those boundaries are set, it will be much easier to give your team the leeway and resources it needs to flourish.
The next step is to think of what else you can do to encourage a positive outlook. For example, at my company, we have a paid position known as the “Chief of Cheer,” whose responsibility is to foster and sustain an upbeat and productive work environment.
Put Your Pride Aside
According to the sixth habit of highly effective people, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” When I have something to say, I’ll be the first to acknowledge that I’m not the best listener. But if you do that, you won’t be able to pay attention to the person in front of you and pick up any useful information.
Pay close attention to what the other person has to say. Ask them questions that help them elaborate on what they’ve already said. Don’t dismiss their feelings because you disagree with them or find them hard to hear. Consider the other person a resource for information and show genuine curiosity about them. To put this in perspective, think about the classic Socratic conundrum, “I know that I know nothing.” Adopting a humble demeanour means accepting one’s limitations and striving to do better.
Set an Example
Everyone on your team will follow your instructions. When leaders fail to model the behaviours they preach to their subordinates, morale, and output suffer. The distant experts I’ve spoken to have all agreed on this.
That’s why it’s so important to set a good example for your team. My company values work-life balance and trust in its employees, therefore we let them set their schedules. We use a chat programme for quick communication, but everyone knows they aren’t under any kind of time pressure to answer right away. We have made it crystal clear that we are not monitoring their web browsing. For instance, I make an effort to delay responding to my instant messages, even if I am tempted to do so if I am not now online or engaged in some other activity.
Similarly, one of our guiding principles is charity. No matter the circumstances, I always do my best to treat others with kindness and respect, and I make that point apparent to my fellow executives.
Find Ways to Relax and Have Fun
One of the secrets to a productive team is to enjoy each other’s company while working. It’s a common assumption that folks who telecommute are just lounging around in their jammies all day. Unlike in traditional offices, the personal and professional lives of remote workers are often indistinguishable. They are constantly occupied with their work at home. Motivated people can be difficult to calm down.
Then, sprinkle in some humour. Take the time to honour the team’s achievements and establish some new traditions. Find creative methods to celebrate important events. You can’t force someone to take part, but you can make it clear that everybody on your squad has my permission to kick back and have a good time.
Give Your Team a Chance to Make a Difference
Everyone wants to make a difference in the world and do their part for society. It’s hypocritical to exhort your coworkers to “think outside the box” while insisting on a robotic work ethic. People may lose faith in their acts if they know they will never achieve the predetermined outcomes. Encourage them to expand their horizons and try something new. Raise them above the mundane. Great cultures thrive in unrestricted environments. An accepting environment can only exist when people trust one another and know their ideas and concerns will be heard.
Look at an Example of a Successful Culture at a Distant Organisation
Could you tell the difference between a functional but ill culture and a thriving one? To effect positive change, it is essential to first recognise a positive (or negative) cultural trend.
Think about how your remote workers would react to this to get a feel for the distant culture at your organisation. How appreciative are they, both of you and one another? Do positive emotions spill over into interpersonal relationships? Can you say that you have a better idea of who they are now? Do you two publicly back one another? A team with these traits is beginning to come together.
Great Cultures Have a History of Producing More Great Cultures
An efficient culture of remote work implicitly promotes teamwork and solidarity. It’s the product of people’s own choices and the values they bring to their interactions with others. It develops as individuals learn to value their part in the greater total. And now the rest of the group is affected as well. Even when your team grows and changes, a strong and friendly environment at your remote office will help it succeed. Maintaining a positive work environment is important for the success of both the firm and its customers.
