principles or standards of behaviour; one’s judgement of what is important in life, at work.

In any company, an individual’s behaviour is usually best considered as a reflection or echo of the company’s values. While working remotely, displaying this behaviour is no different than in-office, although this materialises a bit differently in both the setups. Basically, we have amassed a range of ways to demonstrate these values in our daily work actions – everything, from how we communicate and collaborate with each other to how we use various tools and softwares.  

While working remotely, since our primary interactions are through Emails/WhatsApp/Zoom, we have certain expectations of how remote teams collaborate with each other, including following guidelines for meetings and communication. Given that our values determine what actions qualify as good/bad or reward/punishment, it is natural to fuss if – 

• Members arrive late to meetings
• Come unprepared, 
• When we see typos in important documents 
• Catch someone dozing on a call or behave in a way that reflects some sort of opposition to our company values

The values of our company also regulate the types of software and work tools we choose – ensuring the fact that we are always escalating towards more clarity, productivity and feedback.

Building accurate frameworks and selecting the right tools to consistently reinforce culturally acceptable norms/values is a huge step in the right direction of working remotely – though often overlooked by many.

Evidently, everyone’s actions and behaviours are effortlessly visible in a remote environment since everyone is using the same platforms and methods to collaborate/communicate, thereby making it all the more easier to recognise when things are good or bad in comparison to the company values. Therefore, when actions need corrections, it becomes easy to manage and on the occasions where team members are going the extra mile to reinforce the culture, exemplifying those actions to the rest of the team is easy and adds to the ‘recognition’ part of remote work. 

Ergo, to help us sustain this strong culture over time and distance, here are some tips –   

Company-wide Meetings 

Company meetings are a great source of engagement and also give everyone insight into how the company is performing in regards to goals, initiatives, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and other areas. In addition, ‘Shout Out’ sessions in the presence of senior management allow for, and encourage, all members to participate in recognizing their colleagues for their outstanding accomplishments. Company wide meetings are an effective way to create a constant pipeline of fresh ways to engage team members and reinforce values that guide the firm. 

Communication Channels 

Usage of various communication channels helps foster connections and camaraderie among team members. Firms can easily create channels around interests such as pet lovers, gardening, cooking, book clubs etc. Pretty much any overarching interest of the team can be condensed into a channel and help foster human connectivity while working remotely.

Volunteer Opportunities 

For long, research has shown that office workers make decisions not just by using manuals or rational or pragmatic logic – but by pulling in information, as groups, from multiple sources. That is why the rituals, symbols and space matter. In lieu of company-wide volunteer days that are a typical part of an in-office experience, while working remotely it only makes sense to encourage team members to give back at an individual or local level, where their particular skill sets can be most useful. Activities and forums that encourage engagement and build camaraderie are ways that help sustain our strong and vibrant culture.

Therefore, an ability to establish and sustain a strong culture is one of the most important elements of a remote company. Establishing a strong culture demands an unwavering commitment to determine what values matter most to us, how to frame those values with clarity and precision, how and where to reinforce them consistently and consciously.  

Author – Neha Yadav, Jackstien Practices, SAPIENS Associate, Emotional Intelligence Practitioner.

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