Is Workplace Culture Still Possible in a Hybrid World?
Post on October 17, 2022
Workplace culture (the attitudes and behaviours that make up a workplace environment) is important to cultivate in every company. Research shows it’s one of the top reasons for applying to a company and for choosing to stay at a company. A healthy workplace culture ensures a happy, engaged team, and therefore higher productivity, sales and profitability.
Regardless of the work model your company follows, workplace culture is something that has to be built intentionally. It doesn’t just happen.
“With a hybrid work model, where employees are working in different locations, workplace culture is even more important to nurture.”
Is workplace culture still possible in a hybrid world?
Short answer, yes.
Long answer: Yes, with some planning and effort. Research from Forbes Human Resources Council shows that employees today want a job that resonates with their personal values, utilises their talents, and gives them a sense of belonging, ownership, and contribution. These are some suggestions of ways to meet these needs:
Offer relevant benefits, e.g. flexible time off, home office allowances, and employee development and education programmes.
Prioritise wellbeing, i.e. recognise that mindsets are shifting toward work-life balance, diversity and inclusion, and personal satisfaction.
Be authentic. Use community engagement and volunteer opportunities to show your employees that you care about the company’s impact.
Companies that have adapted a hybrid work model have found the following ways to keep their workplace culture thriving:
Regular team lunches
In-person social time is important for developing team camaraderie. Meeting for lunch once a month is a popular option, and team members can take turns choosing the place.
Events (virtual or in-person)
Schedule events for your team regularly. They can be workshops from experts about work-related topics or wellness events like yoga and fitness or cultural events for fun and shared interests. Virtual events work a treat for hybrid teams, because it gives members an opportunity to interact in a more personal way from afar.
Regular ‘town-hall’ meetings
It’s important for the team to be kept informed about management decisions and the direction of the company, and to have a chance to ask questions and get concerns addressed. A good way to cultivate this transparency is to schedule meetings for important updates, followed by one-to-one time with team leaders for questions and concerns.
Pair new team members with a ‘buddy’
New hires benefit from having a dedicated person to go to with questions as they settle in. Many times, this role falls to their line manager, but it’s also a good idea to assign them a ‘buddy’ - a colleague who can clue them in on the unwritten rules of the company culture.
WhatsApp group chats for life stuff as well as work stuff
Having an avenue to chat about non-work topics that colleagues have in common helps build genuine connections within the team. For example, you could have a WhatsApp chat dedicated to cool workspaces, best restaurants for lunch, best pilates studios and more.
Spaces are key in defining and building company culture for hybrid teams
Research shows that the workspace itself makes a huge impact on workplace culture. Sterile spaces with cloistered cubicles, plain walls, and strip lights do not inspire collaboration or creativity.
Here are some tips from our workspace partners about ways to design or choose a space for your team:
1. Make it inviting: a space specifically designed for comfort and creativity goes a long way in helping team members feel like they belong. Inviting workspaces are rarely left empty!
2. Make it collaborative: encouraging your team to collaborate can be as simple as providing comfortable seats that face each other. Think circles and semi-circles, rather than straight lines. In fact, many hybrid companies have converted their offices into collaboration spaces -i.e. permanent places teams can book when they need to come together to collaborate on a project.
3. Make it functional: equip your space with everything your team needs to do their job well. It should be easy to find their way around and find what they need. Good signage, for example, makes it easy for new team members to settle in.
If you are looking for flexible workspaces for hybrid teams, workbuddy can help. We have a network of more than 50 professional co-working spaces that your team can access on-demand. We can help you find the set-up that suits the unique needs of your team, with no long-term contracts involved.
Call us today for a free consult, or try workbuddy free for a week with the code FREE WEEK.