Company culture develops out of shared experiences and shared values. Back in the day, when offices were the norm, generating these shared experiences was relatively easy. A well-stocked kitchen, the occasional in-office pizza party, the quarterly office treasure hunt, and the famous summer event created opportunities to meet, mingle and create memories.
For remote-first and entirely distributed companies, shared experiences were more scattered, yet often more intense. Meet-ups and company retreats usually last several days. They allow for coworking and socialising and create the base-line connection needed for successful collaboration.
In both cases, the shared experiences serve the team to develop a joint reference frame. It's the shared vocabulary and inside jokes, that create trust and belonging.
A hybrid company culture needs to be remote-first by default
How do you adapt your existing company culture to a new setup, whether you are moving from in-office to distributed, or from “forced work-from-home” to optional location independence? Theoretically, the answer depends on the type of ‘hybrid’ you plan to implement. Practically, you need a remote company culture.
Since “culture eats strategy for breakfast”, culture needs to come first. And culture has the annoying capability to develop and adjust whether you acknowledge it or not. This means that your current existing company culture is going to change whether you like it or not. If you’ve enforced work-from-home policies in the past, culture very likely is already changing. You want to be an active part of that development.
Remember, culture is based on values and experiences. If you are favouring a hybrid office/remote setup, the default experiences will stem from the office, leaving remote employees on the periphery. If you are serious about making remote a legitimate option for your employees, it’s your responsibility to actively acknowledge and counter this default.
Be crystal clear of what “hybrid” looks like in practice
Hybrid is an umbrella term for lots of different options as to when and where an employee works from. The high-level policies usually sound quite simple, and usually define how often employees need to come to an office. Here are some examples:
2 office days per week, on days of your choice
Wednesday/Thursday are office days
Teams rotate as to where they are in the office to optimise space
Office as an optional perk for those who want to go
While these ideas sound pretty straightforward, there is a host of culture-related questions hidden here. Or rather, there are questions you need to answer to avoid creating unofficial office pressure. This can happen when officially no one has to come to the office, while everyone knows that only those in the office will participate in crucial decisions. If those not in the office are at risk to be forgotten, then everyone will suddenly hail the office as the solution to all collaboration problems.
Whether you are using time-based office presence, team-based office visits, or project-based office use, here are some questions you’ll want to consider regardless:
Can decisions happen without everyone being in the office?
Out of sight - out of mind, how are you going to maintain awareness of those not in the office?
Should the ability to be in the office be part of performance reviews? If so, to what extent?
How can you facilitate meaningful connections between those who are not in the office at the same time? Or, on the contrary, should the use of the office be part of the process to create belonging?
There is no wrong or right answer. It is absolutely legit to have an office-based, in-person culture that thrives on people sharing food on a weekly basis. However, this also means that your permanently remote employees will not be fully part of this company culture. They might eventually leave for more inclusive places. This is not good or bad per se, as long as it is a conscious decision.
For full hybrid inclusiveness - make remote your default
If your goal is a fully equal workforce, where the location is not the main driver decision making and bonding, you need to invest into a remote-first company culture. This does not mean that you abolish the office. It can continue to be a welcome meeting place for those who choose to go. Instead, intentionally create communication and connection independent of any location. When in doubt, pretend you are all remote.
This has some physical ramifications: call into conference calls as individuals, not as conference rooms. Invest in great headsets. Organize quarterly or biannual get-togethers for everyone for intense in-person bonding - while defaulting to asynchronous communication in day-to-day operations. Insist on weekly 1-1s for everyone. Document your processes. Enable remote bonding experiences among and across teams. Communicate, communicate, communicate.
Shared experiences and shared values are the backbone of your company’s culture. You can hope for the best, or you can build it intentionally. It’s your choice.
[If you want to figure out how to create this change with your leadership team, this workshop might be of interest.]
