Avoid Your Remote Work Culture to Become a Nightmare

It's not a secret that Remote Work has been on the rise over the last few years. In fact, by 2020, Remote Work will be at 50% of all U.S. jobs according to Inc., with about 67 million people working from home regularly.
Another factor boosting remote work is the corona crisis which has forced companies to rethink their business models. Remote work can be a solution for those who are unable to commute due to the crisis as well as cut down on office space and utility expenses, but it also comes with its own set of problems that many organizations have yet realized.

What is work culture?

Work cultures are the values and beliefs of an organization, which determine how employees behave in that particular work environment. Implementing a culture within your company is a great way to attract top talent, but you also have to make sure that the culture stays alive and well.

The most important step is to communicate those values and beliefs clearly and often. Employees have to know the company's values, feel a sense of belonging within that organization and believe in its mission.

Top 7 reasons why you MUST establish and maintain a strong company culture

If you wonder why you should establish a company Culture, then here are some of the most important aspects that make it work.

1. By having a strong remote culture, everyone in the company is going to feel welcome and more likely to go the extra mile for your business.
2. You are also creating an environment where people don't have to worry about being discriminated against or undervalued because of their identity, background, or beliefs.
3. You'll have increased employee engagement. This means that your Remote Workers are more likely to be productive and happy with their jobs.
4. Your employees will feel safe in reporting any incidents that might go against the company's values, without fear of retaliation or being reprimanded.
5. A strong culture creates a competitive advantage for you since it makes people want to work at your organization rather than one with an unhealthy culture.
6. Your Remote Employees will feel more motivated and excited to come in every day, even if they don't have a workspace around the office! Instead of working from home or at their kitchen table.
7. You'll reduce your turnover rate since employees won't be looking for other jobs just because they're unhappy with how things are going within the company.
8. A Strong brand identity is also going to be reflected in how you treat your Workers. If they feel valued, then the work they produce will reflect that as well.
9. Finally, you create a healthy team environment where everyone is going to work well together and be more productive. This adds to your company's bottom line since Remote Workers are going to produce more, which is a win-win for everyone involved.

So what does this mean for Remote work culture?

It means Remote employees have to find ways to connect and create a company culture for it not to become a nightmare!

But, you have to be aware that creating and maintaining a work culture over the internet may be a lot more difficult than you think. People have to be more aware of how they treat their colleagues, the company's values, and also what impact it has on other people within your organization.

Today, we'll have a look at the most crucial factors for Remote First Culture, how to handle them and why it's important.

Keep an eye on your employees' work habits

Most people working at home have their schedules, but Remote Employees can easily become distracted by their home environment.

On the other hand, Remote Workers may feel that they are not part of the company culture if they don't see people around them working hard.

So it is important to make sure you have a clear set of expectations for Remote work employees and check in with them often - maybe even daily - to ensure that they are keeping up with their workload.

If your company is remote friendly, but isn't monitoring what people are doing (while respecting their privacy), it might be a good idea to start - especially if the job entails some sort of customer service or sales role where mistakes can cost you, customers.

Don't let remote workers slack off when they are not in the office

As Remote Work becomes more popular, companies have to come up with new ways of managing their employees.

They can't just look at how many hours or days an employee has been in the office anymore - they need to see what's going on and focus on results, not presence.

This isn't easy for Remote Employees though who are used to working in their environment. So Remote work employees must know what the expectations are and clearly understand how you measure success.

Update your company's policies

People must know how much time they should be spent working remotely and what tasks can be completed remotely.

This means Remote employees have to know what tools they can use and how it will impact their salary.

So make sure you update your policies accordingly or at least include Remote Working rules in the new ones - which you should be creating anyway! Your remote work culture depends on them.

Include people who work remotely when there is a shared project

Employees feel excluded when they are the only Remote Workers on a project. So it's important to include them in collaborative projects, meetings, and brainstorming sessions whenever possible.

This will help them feel like part of that team or culture even if there is no physical office where everyone can meet up!

Don't let your culture turn into a nightmare and include Employees in your remotefriendly projects and meetings whenever you can.

It will help them feel like part of the team even if they work remotely!

Consider implementing a "no-remote" policy

For some positions, it makes sense to implement a "no-remote" policy. Such positions as customer service representatives or sales associates who deal with customers face-to-face must be in an office where they can easily meet with customers.

It's important to make sure Remote Employees understand the importance of this policy and why it's necessary.

Encourage employees to take breaks

Remote Employees must be pushed to take breaks during the day. Some might tend to forget about taking a break if they work alone in their home office all day long. If they don't take enough breaks, this could risk Workers being less productive or even damaging their health.

Tell them actively to take breaks by having lunch with family or friends outside of the home, doing some exercise at home, or even just going for a walk!

So make sure you remind them of this and encourage going out for lunch, coffee, or any other activity that will help recharge them after a hard-working morning!

Create a remote first culture that is diverse and inclusive

Creating a Remote Work culture is not only about setting expectations. It's also important to make sure your company is diverse and inclusive since Remote work has helped many people find jobs they would never get otherwise, such as parents of young children or those with special needs (like opening up more opportunities for them).

The right people are in place to handle any conflicts

You also have to Make sure you have the right people in place to handle any conflicts that might arise during Remote Working days. This means not only having one leader who can communicate regularly with employees but also getting rid of bad apples (such as employees who are bullies or toxic) to make Remote Work a safe, healthy environment for everyone.

Some people have a gift of creating a Work culture that is positive, welcoming, and easy to work in. Others are not. Make sure you have the right people who will be building culture in remote teams, so that Employees feel like they're part of your team or company even though there's no physical office where everyone meets up!

Have regular meetings with your team or coworkers, not just when there's an issue.

This way Remote Workers will feel like they are on the same page and working towards a common goal. Regular meetings also give Remote Employees a sense of stability and routine.

Don't let Remote Work turn into your worst nightmare - make sure you include them in the company's projects, meetings, and other aspects whenever possible! It will help them feel like part of the team even if they work remotely.

Hold all of your team members accountable for their actions

This one's crucial. Remote Employees must be held accountable for their actions.

If you find Remote Worker performing poorly, it's important to talk about this with them and let them know what they can do better or if there are any problems impacting workflow. Some people tend not to show up on the job when things aren't going well so it's critical to keep good communication lines open.

So make sure they know their actions will be monitored and they'll face consequences if needed, such as losing the Remote Working position or being fired from the company altogether.

It might seem harsh at first but it is a necessary step in creating a Remote Work culture that doesn't turn into your worst nightmare.

Give feedback on what you want from your remote employees

This is another crucial step. Remote Employees must know what you expect from them and how they can be an asset to your company.

The only way for Remote Workers to improve their performance (and work towards becoming better employees) is getting feedback on what exactly it takes for them to succeed in the position that they are filling at the moment.

So make sure they know what's expected of them and constructively give feedback.

Conclusion

Remote work is a great way to help people find employment that may not be available otherwise. Remote workers need the same things as those who are on-site, such as feedback and staying accountable for their actions.

But it’s important to make sure they know what you want from them! If they don't understand your expectations or if there's any confusion about how Remote Work will function in your company culture, this can lead to stress. Which could end up being worse than just having someone locally working out of an office building with access to all other employees.

Make sure everyone understands your companies Remote Working policies - both for themselves and others - before starting to work at your company so that no one feels left behind or excluded from the team altogether. Remote employees are valuable members of your company, don't forget that!

What is your experience? Leave a comment below or send us a message!