You may be wondering why it’s so important to build a culture in a virtual workplace, or how you can improve one you already have. Well, the truth is that culture is everything. It’s what makes an organization different from its competitors and gives employees pride in their work. When you have strong company values and people who believe those values are important, they will be more motivated to do their best work every day.
Creating a connection stitches people together so that employees feel like they are not just working for a company, but rather part of something larger. You see, culture is the cornerstone of any organization. It’s what unites people and helps them work together towards a shared goal. When it’s strong and positive, it can drive people to do amazing things.
Below are some points to consider if you are looking to build your own virtual workplace culture. We even have some of the things we have done to spark some inspiration!
While virtual work environments can be challenging, there are a number of opportunities to connect. One of the most important is chat rooms. Chat rooms are an excellent way to build relationships with your coworkers and get to know them better. However, they should not be the only way you connect with your team members or peers. You should also consider using other methods such as huddles and Fikas (see below).
Chat rooms are an easy-to-use tool that allows employees from all over the world to talk in real time about projects they’re working on together or just engage in casual conversations about their day-to-day lives outside of work. It’s also a great way to highlight wins and offer encouragement.
It’s important to hire people who are excited about the company and its culture. The best way to do this is by being selective in your hiring process. You want to make sure that you’re bringing on people who will fit into your organization, especially a virtual one.
As a leader, you play an important role in maintaining your company’s culture by making sure that new hires align with what you believe in as an organization. It’s also important that you keep the right people and learn from those who may take a different journey.
As a virtual team, setting clear expectations and regularly checking in on progress are essential for success. Without regular communication, it’s easy for misunderstandings to arise, and for team members to feel disconnected from each other and the company’s goals. You want to make sure that everyone is on the same page, and you can’t do that if you’re not communicating.
You want to be able to clearly communicate the company’s values and mission so that everyone can understand how their part plays into this bigger picture. Also, make sure to set expectations and revisit them from time to time. The start of a new project and debriefing when it is wrapped up is a great way to make sure expectations are clear and achievable.
Checking in frequently and asking for feedback from your team also allows for adjustments to be made so that people stay engaged. Having a virtual work environment means that these expectations and check-ins may happen more frequently and time may need to be set aside to do so.
Leadership is an important part of any culture, but it’s especially important in a virtual workplace. You need to be able to lead by example and empower your employees so that they can succeed.
Leading by example means doing what you ask of others, even if it’s not easy or fun for you. If someone asks for feedback on their work, give them honest feedback–even if it’s constructive. If someone asks for help with something, help them out as much as possible without getting distracted from your own tasks (or delegate). This will show other employees that their ideas matter and that leaders care about their success too!
As an employee of a fully virtual company, here is a peak into the world of Accountix and its approach to culture-building:
In the end, a virtual workplace is not one size fits all. It requires a keen understanding of your team and the type of work you all do to make the company successful. When you have the right people with the right expectations and a lot of communication, then you can create a strong culture in the virtual world.
Accountix works hard to maintain a company culture by connecting and supporting us all, even though we are fully remote. I appreciate the effort that they consistently put forth for everyone to succeed.