Every organization, not only in Singapore, but across the world as well, has its own culture, encompassing a web of beliefs, behaviours, and practices that give that particular organization its own unique identity. The culture is very important as it impacts the way the employees interact with each other as well as their personal engagement. But if there is something we learned in the last several months is that these daily interactions aren’t always possible – I mean, as everyone was working from home, and only able to communicate through zoom calls. This basically introduced a new culture – remote working culture. But how can employers foster this newly found corporate culture? Well, that’s what we will attempt to find out:

What Is Remote Work Culture?

Before we even attempt to understand how to foster remote culture, we have to understand what it is first. Basically, when you have employees working at home, you will definitely need to take steps to establish a strong team culture that results in happier, and more engaged employees, even when they are away from the office. This doesn’t just happen, the organization leaders need to set the direction and tone towards better collaboration.

Why is remote work culture so important?

With remote teams’ numbers increasingly going up in Singapore, organizations and the government saw it fit to step up and establish their preferred culture away from the office. With an effective remote work culture, you will be able to boost employee morale, which will, in turn, boost their productivity while still at home. The pandemic still not over in Singapore, as is in the entire world, employees are still being encouraged to work from home and the government is still requesting organizations to facilitate remote working. That said, remote work culture is very dire.

Tips for Building and Maintaining a Remote Working Culture

1. Foster Trust Through Strong Communication

When it comes to remote working culture, trust is very crucial. As it’s only when the employees trust each other that they collaborate better, and also align around a common purpose. Now, for there to be trust, candidate conversations must be there – and not just conversations, but open and honest conversations. The better the communication, the better the culture.

2. Use Appropriate Communication Channels

Other than the obvious methods, you know video or web conferencing, which can actually lead to fatigue when done frequently, it is also crucial for the leaders to find other ways to communicate with the remote teams. Whether it’s through email, phone calls, or online chats, the leadership needs to set some ground rules for everyone to follow.

3. Be Proactive in Resolving Conflict

When it comes to resolving conflicts, being in a remote setting complicates the issue a bit. You see, when in an office, any conflict is noticed by the management pretty quickly and is addressed immediately. However, in a remote setting, it is very easy for emotions to be left unchecked. That may mean disaster for employees’ productivity. So, the leaders ought to be proactive in resolving conflicts, by stepping up the communications, and ensuring that the conversations are kept on an individual level.

4. Recognize accomplishments

As a leader, you must make it your mission to always recognize jobs well done. This is one of the best ways to make the employees feel appreciated and needed and also motivated to continue with their good work. This should also form part of the remote working culture.

Final Thought

The remote working culture put in place will certainly determine the organization’s ability to thrive in a post-pandemic world. The teams need to be well equipped. And, the communication skills need to be aced. With hard work and commitment, it is possible.