Building Workplace Culture for Remote Organizations

Businesses across industries are shifting to digital-first. Since the 2020 lockdowns, 70% of full-time workers have been working from home. This is a trend that is likely to continue into the future. Organizations are finding that their employees are happier and more productive. One survey found that 59% of remote workers said they would be more likely to choose an employer who offered remote work compared to those who did not. Accordingly, businesses will need to adapt to digital workplace environments. A major part of any work environment is workplace culture. A positive environment fostered by a strong system of values can contribute significantly to an organization’s success.

What is Workplace Culture?

Culture in the workplace involves behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes. It develops over time and reflects the core values of the organizational leadership. Workplace culture sets businesses apart from one another and affects management, workplace policies, and employee behavior. It can be fostered by business leaders to create a positive work environment that promotes productivity and contributes to overall employee happiness.

The 2020 survey illustrated in the chart below reflects the many benefits of remote work to employers.

Source: Statista

The recent public health concerns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to digital work environments. Employers and employees alike have seen an increase in productivity, efficiency, and employee morale, as well as improved employee retention and access to a wider range of talent. Another GitLab survey found that 90% of workers would recommend remote work to a friend. Additionally, 87% said they were satisfied with the tools and processes that enable workplace communication, and 86% said remote work is the future of work in general.

The Benefits of Positive Workplace Culture

Positive workplace culture has a multitude of benefits for any remote business. Employees spend a large portion of their time engaging with your business. The shift to digital has changed the way workers could once interact in a traditional work environment. If they feel supported and are able to communicate, they are more likely to be happy and efficient. The following are benefits of a positive remote corporate culture.

Revenue Gains

Workplace culture affects revenue in that customers can often sense when employees are happy with their employers. Doing business with organizations that have content employees is usually streamlined, pleasant, and easy, which encourages customers to return. Employees that feel valued and respected are also motivated to represent the business as positively as possible, which can certainly drive revenue. They are more likely to say positive things about your company, which will help build a strong reputation in your community and encourage new customers to work with you. This is especially true for companies operating online, as employees can communicate with others faster and across multiple channels.

Increased Motivation

Research shows that a negative workplace environment leads to a 50% increase in voluntary turnover. Employees are more likely to do their best work when they feel supported. People do not want to spend their time in stressful, negative environments. Remote corporations are presented with a new set of challenges in building morale, which is much easier to do in-person. Some ways you can try to create a positive remote work culture include:

• Create virtual space for clubs and groups
• Host in-person events from time to time
• Offer virtual happy hours and other events

Ability to Attract Talent

A well-defined workplace culture will make your organization more appealing to a wide range of job candidates. Operating remotely provides employers access to workers from all over the country. Similarly, employees now have more options, so it is important to make the benefits of working for your company clear. Specifying the values at the core of your workplace culture will help you identify employees who can be most beneficial to your business.

Better Company Image

As previously mentioned, happy employees are motivated to represent the business in a positive way. Services such as Indeed and Glassdoor enable workers to review businesses and provide information about working for them. A big part of that is workplace culture. People do not want to work for companies that will mistreat or undervalue them. Remote work environments are no different from in-person ones in the need for positive interactions between staff and management. If workers feel they are being treated well, they are likely to speak highly of your business and circulate positive reviews of your business practices.

How to Build Workplace Culture for Remote Organizations

Refine Your Company Values

Developing corporate culture can help you define your goals and missions. Consider what is important to you, especially in regard to the purpose your business serves. What do you strive to contribute to your community? Establishing a written set of values can help staff on every level of your remote company understand the goals towards which you are working and stay on track.

Improve Communications

Communication is key for any digital business to succeed. Remote workers do not have the ability to communicate with management or one another in-person. Accordingly, reliable software or other programs are critical for good communication. Many businesses use email to communicate, but most people do not check their emails constantly. Some programs used by many remote organizations to facilitate fast communication include:

• Slack
• Asana
• Zoom
• Hub Staff
• Google Drive
• Pronto

A workforce that can reach one another quickly will function more efficiently.

Ask for Feedback

With remote companies, it is especially important to ask your employees for feedback. Companies that are shifting to digital will likely deal with some trial-and-error in centering their processes online. Asking your employees for feedback about the transition from in-person to digital is mutually beneficial. It will provide you with useful information about how to operate online most efficiently and your employees’ will feel that their voices are being heard.

Learn About and Engage with Employees

Getting to know employees in a virtual space can be difficult. In-person socialization has traditionally been the way people communicate at work. Engagement with your employees is still a critical part of your business, even once you have shifted to digital. Take the time to check in with your employees. Reach out to offer them encouragement or an opportunity to talk. Employees want to be recognized as people, so taking the time to communicate with them, even if it is over video call or email, will show them that you support them. Employees that feel recognized by management are more likely to be happy and efficient, which is a tenant of positive workplace culture.

Prioritize Health and Wellness

This last year especially has drawn attention to the importance of physical and emotional health. The American Psychological Association estimates that 60-80% of workplace accidents are attributed to stress. Workplace stress has also been linked to a variety of health problems, including cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Offering employees resources for mental and physical health is a critical way to maintain a happy workforce. This can be accomplished by offering comprehensive health care benefits and by simply reaching out. Sending an email or scheduling a video chat with your remote employee to ask how they are doing can go a long way.

Build Team Culture with Workforce Training

Employees who feel valued by their employers are more likely to perform well. An important way to support your staff and contribute to a positive workplace culture is by investing in workforce training. IT training is useful for workers of all kinds. Remote employees are spending more time than ever online. Outfitting your team with IT training skills is a mutually beneficial step you can take towards building a happier, more efficient remote workforce.

Contact Us

If you are interested in developing a stronger remote staff for your company, contact Skill Developers today. We offer comprehensive online IT classes and career development delivered via virtual labs. Fill out our quick form to get started and someone will contact you as soon as possible.

Why is IT Training so critical to an organization?  It…

• Evolves skills and knowledge
• Improves IT and computer skills with updated and innovative technology (and security)
• Increases productivity and performance… and revenue.
• Reduces wastage time and money
• Promotes uniformity of work processes
• Boosts morale, confidence, and collaboration
• Improves customer valuation and satisfaction
• Reduced employee turnover/churn
• Satisfies the recommendations of performance appraisals
• Prepares employees for higher responsibilities
• Shows employees they are valued
• Tests the efficiency of a new systems, tools, teammates, and processes