Four ways to maintain a strong company culture whilst working remotely

Whilst we face challenging and uncertain times, the coming weeks and months of remote working will be a good opportunity for business leaders and managers to help transition a strong office culture to a strong work from home culture.

Although we won’t be in the office for the foreseeable future – positive wellbeing for employees, preserving high productivity and a sense of togetherness are all achievable benefits in a time where this might be more important than ever.

Therefore – we have gathered a list of ways to maintain a strong company culture in the testing times we find ourselves in.

Face-to-face!

We know there is a lot of emphasis on tools such as Google hangouts and Zoom at the moment to continue with BAU – but utilising this software for the likes of virtual coffee breaks to discuss things other than work can keep your team connected. For overseas team members who may not have many family and friends to speak with throughout the day, this provides an important communication channel.

Also – whilst social interaction is significantly reduced, virtual Friday drinks/treats is a great way to round off the week on a positive and give team members a chance to engage with each other. Our team in the UK did this last week to great success – we have ours pencilled in this Friday!

For those who are feeling particularly adventurous… a host of virtual yoga, HIIT and meditation videos can be found on YouTube and can be done as a team – why not!

Keep the brain active

Whilst the mind may be worrying about external factors, and remaining indoors can be testing for some – keeping the brain active is important to remain productive. There are thousands of different websites that offer free quizzes, brain training, interactive games which can be utilized remotely and keep minds ticking, as well as offer another form of interaction with your colleagues.

Instant messaging

Using tools such as Slack can help facilitate regular contact between your team and give them the opportunity to work through problems or voice things that they normally would in an office environment. Whilst everyone already has the opportunity to email, these instant messaging services have a number of benefits.

It reduces the number of emails in your inbox; meaning important messages from clients, for example, can be managed more effectively. It encourages team brainstorming, and most people tend to respond in real-time, which keeps discussions flowing.

Splitting tasks between colleagues

Whilst a collaborative approach is already in place here at Stopgap, it may seem obvious to split some tasks where possible between your team. Working in tandem with a colleague gives another way to maintain engagement, gives the opportunity to bounce ideas off each other and motivate all to remain productive.

Whilst these times are certainly challenging, we have the technology to be able to stay connected, look out for one another and maintain productivity.

Like many teams in Australia, the Stopgap team are a truly global outfit with family and friends all around the world. It is now more important than ever to check in on all, keep conversations flowing and our minds active whilst we all roll with the punches.