Technology has evolved to the point that almost half of all workers now spend at least some time working in a remote capacity. Though building a remote team is efficient and convenient, it isn’t conducive to fostering a sense of community.
And while you may hope employees will take it upon themselves to reach out to one another, hope is not a strategy in and of itself.
Hope alone, while nice, isn’t enough to facilitate cooperation and company culture. To inspire your remote employees, you’ll need to build your culture via communication.
Here are five realistic ways you can build your company culture.
1. Communicate Often
The cornerstone of any successful business is frequent and constructive communication. Yet 88 percent of remote workers feel as if they receive miscommunication or inconsistent communication.
We suggest communicating with your team as often as possible. Create social channels they can use to engage with one another on a daily basis and encourage participation.
With frequent communications — both at a team-wide and management level — comes familiarity. That familiarity will eventually lead to company culture.
2. Use Inclusive Language
Regular communication is a great start. But how you engage your team is as important as how often you communicate. Build culture through your language.
Use team-oriented words such as “we,” “us,” “team,” “group,” or “together” to foster a sense of belonging. These words highlight that everyone is in it together, even if they’re not working in the same office.
3. Collaborate
Remote work can be isolating. But creativity and innovation don’t occur in a bubble. They require constant feedback and teamwork.
To bring out the best in your team, incorporate collaborative software into your business.
This software is helpful for letting employees provide feedback and can help employees feel more comfortable giving and receiving critique. It also allows workers to stay up to date and easily manage multiple projects at once.
4. Hold Video Meetings
Text-based communications like email and chat are great for sending quick messages. But they’re still impersonal.
Supplement these solutions with regular video meetings so employees can put faces to names. Seeing someone allows for richer, deeper communication and makes a message more tangible.
5. Host In-Person Social Events
In an office environment, it’s common for coworkers to grab dinner or drinks once a week or so. Remote workers sadly don’t get these opportunities to meet and mingle.
At the end of the day, there’s no better way to inspire corporate culture than spending time together. Set aside time to host corporate-sponsored gatherings throughout the year.
These hangouts give employees some much needed time to relax and get to know one another and can improve productivity and communication while reinforcing your company’s values.
Aim to host these events quarterly or at least once per year.
Hope Is Not a Strategy … But It’s a Start
Hope is not a strategy. At least, not alone. But when you pair hope with a strong sense of community and a dedication to building up your team, you have a recipe for success.
You deserve a set of tools as strong as your team. At Gravatate, we’re here to help. Get started today for free and see how better communication leads to better results.
