Maintaining Office Culture, Without an Office

Culture is really important for numerous reasons, mainly; to attract and retain a talented team, it drives engagement, happiness and satisfaction and as a result, can impact your company’s performance.  Sometimes it’s easy to forget that a business’ culture is more than just an office full of dogs, ping pong tables and free breakfast.However, how can you maintain an office culture, without being in an office?

Stay true to who you are
Your missions and value play a big part in your culture so remember to stick to them. If your values are to be fun and dedicated then showcase the dedication by doing the work and then set time aside to be fun. If you usually finish at 4 and have beers on a Friday then incorporate this by encouraging staff to join for a Zoom or Hangout with their drink of choice.

Rules control the fun
Just because you’re not in the office doesn’t mean policies and procedures go out the window. Of course, things might have to adjust and adapt slightly, but keeping procedures like requesting holiday or sick days the same can help save you time and hassle further down the line. This is even more important if you’ve got new starters joining the team.

Don’t forget ‘water cooler talk’
Working remotely can not only make tasks more difficult to complete but it can also be isolating and lonely. Maintaining regular communication through emails and phone can help ensure work gets done, but more informal communication such as WhatsApp and Slack can also keep employees feeling part of the team and supported.

Keep it simple but don’t skip the detail
Working remotely can make it hard for people to understand tasks as you lack the face to face contact and it’s harder to demonstrate. Therefore when setting briefs for your team keep them simple but make sure they’re still detailed so that people know what you expect and want from them.

Invest in good software and technology
Nothing is more frustrating or demotivating than simple tasks that take ages to complete. If you’ve ever used an Apple product and got the ‘spinning wheel’ you’ll know what I mean. Save your employees the hassle and keep them motivated by encouraging them to create a work station or area that is separate from their usual living space and provide them with the tools and technology that helps them do their job.

Celebrate the small victories
Sometimes you can be so focused on the big goals that the small wins can easily go unnoticed. During times like these, you can keep a great culture by just saying well done or thanks to team members who are going above and beyond.

Lead by Example
This might be tough when you’re not around your team but as a manager, it is important to set a good example to show strong leadership and make decisions during challenging times. Sticking to your culture will also help other team members do the same.

Finally, remember culture plays a big role in every day of your business so it’s important to get it right and continue to work on it if it’s not. Right now things are tough so if you’re still struggling with working from home, then take a look at these 5 tips that can help you make the most out of the situation.