Many businesses are embracing the work-from-home setup today. As a leader, you need to foster a healthy and productive remote work culture. Let’s discuss how below.
Remote work has been on the rise for several years now, especially in the IT industry. Businesses are benefitting from the aid of outsourced or freelanced talents. However, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend. Many companies were forced to shift to a remote work model almost overnight.
Now, as the world dawns on the post-COVID era and companies start to plan for the future, many are realizing the benefits of remote work. Some are even considering making it a permanent part of their business model. And in doing so, companies must still employ strategies to develop a remote work culture that works.
5 Best Tips for Building A Great Remote Work Culture
Generally, building a work culture can be challenging, all the more when it’s in a remote setup. When employees are in different physical locations, it can be difficult to maintain the same level of communication and collaboration as in a traditional office setting. But don’t fret. Here are some key strategies for building a strong remote work culture that will help your company thrive in this new environment.
1. Clearly communicate expectations from each member of the team
One of the most important things to do when building a remote work culture is to communicate expectations to your team clearly. Each team member must be aware of their roles and what their contributions are and should be to the team.
As a business owner, you need to provide a clear set of expectations from each team member. It could start with establishing guidelines for work hours and time management. Moreover, you need to determine their availability for meetings and the protocols for communication.
By setting clear expectations and communicating them with them clearly, you can help ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals. This would also create a systematic working dynamic that the team can follow to avoid misdirection.
2. Encourage collaboration and communication
When employees are not working in one physical location, it can be more challenging to maintain the same level of collaboration and communication compared to a traditional office setting. Small talks in between breaks may not always be present. Even the simple how-are-you’s don’t usually occur along with the social cues that are only physically visible.
These little things contribute to a sense of connection. And, in a team, the connection is essential.
To overcome this, companies need to put in place tools and processes that encourage collaboration and communication among team members. This includes regular team meetings, shared calendars, and virtual collaboration tools. You can also take it up a notch by holding virtual hangout sessions that don’t necessarily involve work. This brings us to the next item.
3. Foster a sense of community through activities and incentives
A remote work culture can sometimes feel isolating, particularly for employees who are used to working in a traditional office setting. To help combat this, companies need to make an effort to foster a sense of community among their remote employees.
Think of things that employees find interesting that are also virtually doable. This can include virtual happy hours and online team-building activities to ensure that everyone feels connected.
Another strategy would be setting up activities that would reward your employees. The goal of non-work activities and incentives is to instill a sense of camaraderie among your employees. This would show that you care about them and not just their work.
4. Prioritize employee well-being
Fun things aside, you can also do regular check-ins with each team member to get a sense of their well-being and sentiments with work. Employees who feel supported are an indication of a strong remote work culture.
Remote work can be stressful, and it’s important to ensure employees are taking care of their well-being. This means providing resources and support to help employees manage stress and stay productive.
Additionally, it’s vital to be flexible and understanding when employees need to take time off to take care of their mental or physical health. So, you must include terms regarding days off and work flexibility when you onboard each team member. In this way, they would not feel like their well-being and personal time is being put on the back burner.
5. Use technology to your advantage
Finally, it’s necessary to use technology to your advantage when building a remote work culture. This kind of work setup heavily relies on the availability of technology. So, it is imperative to optimize technology’s full potential when gearing for a healthy remote work culture.
How? Start by investing in the right tools and systems to help employees stay connected and productive. From video conferencing platforms to project management tools, the right technology can make a huge difference in the success of your remote work culture.
Check out this entry on the Best WFH Productivity Tools for Software Teams.
Final Thoughts on Remote Work Culture
Building a strong remote work culture requires a combination of clear communication, collaboration, community building, employee well-being, and technology. Implementing strategies and putting effort into creating a culture that works for your team can help ensure that your company thrives in this promising yet complex setup.
On the other hand, you also have to note that remote work is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It might take some time to adapt to this new way of working. But with the right approach and mindset, it can lead to a much more productive and engaged team.
Work with An Excellent Remote Software Development Team
Full Scale boasts a roster of various software development professionals. We provide software development services to our global clients by helping them scale their teams. Our offshore headquarters located in the Philippines makes it possible for our clients to experience world-class software.
With that said, our software experts are well-versed in working remotely. You can ensure that the environmental adjustment isn’t a problem when hiring from us!
Our recruitment process ensures that each of our talent is equipped with proficiency in their own fields and the soft skills to work well with a team.
We are also dedicated to implementing employee engagement activities to ensure that Full Scale employees have a harmonious work-life balance.
