Promoting a Great Company Culture with a Virtual Team
As more and more businesses have transitioned their employees online, either temporarily or indefinitely, one thing that has failed to catch up is company culture. This is because most people think of company culture as something that is developed with company logos, catchy slogans, and brand statements. Unfortunately, none of those things translate online and it is very difficult to keep employees engaged and interested in their work when they feel that they lack a specific motivation or purpose.
Furthermore, a virtual team that is not well organized or managed can quickly become disillusioned, which can lead to higher levels of employee turnover and burnout. This is not only bad for company revenue – but can also lead to negative reviews on sites like Glassdoor. This, in turn, can have a big impact on your future hiring prospects, as potential hires often check employee reviews to get an initial impression of a company’s culture. Once that impression is solidified in their mind, it is hard to shake, so the best thing you can is promote a great company culture from the get-go.
With virtual teams, company culture is the only thing that most employees have to go on. Because in-person interaction is limited or non-existent, employees will take cues from what is happening in the Slack channel or on Zoom calls to form opinions and impressions of their work environment. The great thing about running a team virtually is you can set the parameters for company culture in a digital space much more easily than in an office. While you won’t be able to have power lunches or holiday celebrations, you can use tools like Slack and Zoom to create a fun and welcoming environment that fosters your core company values.
When promoting a company culture, there are several things you can do. When using Slack, for example, you can also create it into a social tool by creating off-topic Slack channels for employees so that they can share things like their favorite music, what they are currently watching on Netflix, or adorable photos of their kids. You can also use Zoom to better manage pre-meeting banter and get a more intimate window into the lives of your employees. Because a virtual team is all within their own work space, it could be interesting and make people feel connected to have them show off their workspace, any animals they own, or what they do for fun. By using these technologies, managers of virtual teams and owners of remote companies can connect with their employees.
Promoting a healthy culture within a virtual team is a big challenge. However, using the right technology and with a personalized touch, employers can use these to their advantage in a number of ways. Having frustrated, upset, or disconnected employees can make it very difficult to run a virtual team, especially when you are not physically seeing employees’ reactions and interactions. That being said, there are numerous benefits to promoting a positive company culture virtually, including increased productivity and employee happiness. By focusing on these goals as a byproduct of promoting company culture in a remote work environment and not just a means to an end, you will be able to create the best company possible that can easily adapt to any challenges creating by remote working.
