busIness stRAtegy

MANDEEP KAuR

Building the remote workplace culture

I see a shift in the job seekers' mind-set from the monetary compensation to work culture, becoming the principal reason for a job change

The COVID-19 pandemic has completely flipped the way we work. While economies continue to grapple with lockdowns and unlock phases, it is evident that remote working is here to stay. Employees continue to adjust to this new way of working, even though the onus is still on the team leaders and human resource managers to think of innovative ways to reinvent and bolster workplace culture. When you cannot meet employees face-to-face, how do you keep them motivated? How do you kinder and sustain the team spirit? How do you ensure their well-being?

There's another reason why building a vibrant and empathetic remote work culture is crucial. Over the years, I have observed a shift in the job seekers' mind-set. The focus is moving away from monetary compensation to work culture, becoming the principal reason for a job change. So then, how can we build a booming environment that helps employees blossom, as well as takes the company's vision to fruition?

Quite frankly, there is no magic mantra as there cannot be a one-size-fits-all solution to this scenario. However, the following tips can be a great way to start.

Create a trust culture:

Transparency and trust are two elements of utmost importance to create a thriving remote working culture. Since everyone is working from home, ensure there is accountability in their work. There are multiple project management tools available such as Trello and Asana, to track and monitor progress. At the same time, inspire team leaders to demonstrate trust in their reportees. The pandemic

Building a thriving and people-first company culture when teams are scattered across locations is not an easy job

has debunked the myth that work only happens in the four walls of the office. Studies have shown that people are more efficient, sincere, and productive when working from home. Showing trust can help build a happy and thriving climate.

Communicate, communicate, communicate:

Effective communication is the foundation to building a strong workplace culture. When employees are working from home, it is imperative to regularly touch base with them to check on them, as well as keep them updated on company happenings, team achievements, plans, vision, and more. This helps in building a sense of belonging to the organization. Equally important is to nurture communication among team members by providing them the tools they need to collaborate and brainstorm. Encourage them to video chat as that is the closest to face-to-face interaction possible under the given circumstances.

Dial-up on empathy:

These are challenging times for everybody. You may not know what the other person may be going through. They could have personal challenges hampering their productivity, dealing with a chaotic environment with kids being at home or coping with staying alone, and so on. Encourage team members to be kind to one another and ensure necessary support is available to help them overcome their difficulties. This could be in the form of counseling sessions or support groups.

Build smaller groups to build a sense of commu-

nity: This is especially critical in larger organizations. There is a high chance that the employees may feel disconnected from their team. Create smaller groups – may be just two to three a better work-life balance simply because they are working from home. Working in their pajamas has a dark side as people tend to work longer hours and feel guilty about taking a break or a day off. Help them deal with the current situation by facilitating casual calls after work hours and wellness programs such as online yoga and meditation.

Enable regular manage-

ment connections: Lastly, ensure the top management is not working in silos and is connected to the workforce. Facilitate strategy meetings so they can empower the top leadership, as well as strategize together. Additionally, they must make efforts to be present and address all employees regularly through townhalls so they can share their goals, and the entire company works cohesively to achieve the next level of growth.

Significant business benefits and now proven success of the working-from-home model will ensure that it is not going away anytime soon. In this state, it is of paramount importance that human resources professionals focus and invest in building a robust and more empathetic work culture to bond with the employees in a workplace setting (from a distance).

Working in their pajamas has a dark side as people tend to work longer hours and feel guilty about taking a break or a day off

people. Encourage them to connect in their time to create a connection. They could start by just sharing how their day went and then take it from there. Identify employees who have a common interest, such as video games, books, or pop culture, and enable virtual meet-ups for them to bond.

Make overall well-being a part of the culture:

Going beyond the employee efficiency and productivity, focus on their mental health. It will be wise to avoid assuming that they have

MAndEEp KAur is Head of HR at LOTS Wholesale Solutions India