Remote work has become the preferred mode for many professionals, especially those in the tech industry. 

Working remotely has many benefits and advantages for employees—no commute time, schedule flexibility, higher autonomy, and fewer interruptions, to name a few. But it poses challenges for employers in terms of building a company culture that helps those employees feel connected to the organization in a meaningful way. 

Culture is defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize an institution or organization.”

How do you maintain a strong company culture when your employees can’t share attitudes, values, and goals in person? Additionally, with the Great Resignation continuing to sweep through many industries, including the technology sector, how do you build your company culture with new hires?

Consider these tips to define and build your remote company culture:

Overcommunicate your culture statement.

In the remote work world, employees choose their own work environments. They don’t go into the office where they are surrounded by people living the company mission and office decor proclaiming the company values. Use the virtual channels available to you to communicate your organization’s values and vision statement and reinforce it regularly. Use those values to connect the team to the company and to each other. Feeling like part of a team can ease feelings of disconnection and create certainty that everyone is working toward the same goal.  

Extend the onboarding period.

Company culture evolves naturally in the traditional on-site work setting as employees spend time together. In the remote work setting, company culture must be fostered with intention.

A few weeks or a month of intense onboarding of a new team member may be sufficient when that individual will then be surrounded by people who can answer questions and help solve problems, but when that individual will be working alone, it’s a different matter.

Consider extending the onboarding period and providing: 

• Weekly and monthly check-ins 
• Performance milestones and clear expectations 
• Ongoing feedback 

Strive to create community.

In the absence of physical proximity, you must create and maintain connections in other meaningful ways. Without a gathering place, consider putting a system in place. Not all employees will be joiners, but it’s essential to offer regular opportunities to join the work community. But creating connections requires more than just setting up a virtual staff meeting. Get creative and brainstorm dynamic ways to help your employees get to know more about each other than their work titles—or you might end up with a Zoom room full of awkward silence. Here are a few ideas: 

• A monthly happy hour trivia challenge. A little friendly competition is great for team building.  
• Fun fact Friday. Choose an employee every week to share 3 obscure facts and have the team try to guess their identity. This is a great way for employees to learn about each other’s hobbies. 
• Look for opportunities to come together as a group. Bring everyone together once a month to work out of the office and bring in lunch. This allows the new employees to meet and connect with your tenured ones. Look for opportunities to get the whole company together and in-person for some scheduled fun, like a beach day where they can all casually spend time together and further their connections. 
• Personal interest channels. Create channels on the company communication network where employees can share pet pictures, recipes, or other interests. 
• Take a vote. Ask employees for team building ideas and run with them or create an inspirational panel consisting of employees that represent various areas of your business to collect ideas and feedback. After all, your employees embody your company culture! 

Prosum can help you build your company culture. 

Our experienced recruiters get to know your business before we recommend professionals who have the technical skills to succeed, the industry experience to understand your niche, and the soft skills and personality to add to your company culture. Get the top tech talent you need today.