Fostering Connection on Remote and Hybrid Teams

“Remember, true culture is not about perks, proximity of team members, or the processes you have in place, it’s about inclusivity.” 

– from How to Adapt Company Culture for Remote Work

According to a white paper from Zoom, How to Adapt Company Culture for Remote Work, it’s impossible to go “back to normal.” The dynamics of collaboration have forever changed. The now ubiquitous video conferencing platform suggests we must remember that being in the same building does not ensure employee connection. The key to preventing isolation is to develop a thriving company culture.

With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best workplace activities we’ve seen that promote company culture and connection that can be easily deployed online, in-person, or both!

1. Share and celebrate wins often, even the small stuff! Try our D.O.S.E.
2. Plan weekly development meetups, where smaller groups get together to work on learning something new together.
3. Offer professional development opportunities.
4. Assign a mentor to new employees for 30 minute chats once every week or two.
5. Organize a monthly online games happy hour (e.g., create your own Jeopardy game, B.I.N.G.O., or try a game pack from Jack Box). 
6. Create online water cooler chats using a communication platform such as Microsoft Teams or Slack.
7. Host monthly birthday parties to celebrate team members.
8. Send out surprise care packages! Have everyone open them together in-person or online if you have a hybrid team.

The bottom line? With the shift to hybrid workplaces not everything has to pivot. Leverage the tools at your fingertips to ensure your teams feel connected and valued, regardless of location. Define, activate, and monitor your company culture and be prepared to reflect, reassess, and adapt along the way! 

To help kick-start your workplace culture endeavour, start with a team brainstorm ‘sesh to uncover some ideas to try!