The Changing Face of Corporate Culture
Imagine if someone had asked you ‘So, where do you see yourself in a year?’ back in 2019; do you think you would have seen accurately? The changes that have taken place over the last 12 months have been radical. Unprecedented. Profound. Of a magnitude beyond even the most absurd of expectations! All of us have had to adapt our mindsets and lives in accordance with these turbulent times- individuals and corporations alike.
‘Corporate Culture’ is rarely a defined code, but rather a collective mindset that adapts and evolves with the company and its employees. Factors that play a role in the subtlety of corporate culture include office setup, hours, dress code, management style, target clientele, and methods of operational success. A ‘good’ or ‘strong’ company culture has a huge number of perks for both employers and employees, with the overall trends showing that these cultures have better performances as a result of happy employees with a strong sense of direction towards common goals.
The fluid nature of corporate culture has been pushed to its limit as organisations have been forced to adopt socially distanced work strategies. Technology has granted us many gifts, but bottling the essence of an organisation is still a sci-fi dream waiting to come true, so, how can a collective culture be maintained when everything it was built upon is so drastically changed?
Values like connection and communication are the most important things to bear in mind during this transitional period; the isolating nature of remote work can easily trigger feelings of loneliness and abandonment as the social element of work is removed and independent motivation is put to the test. Regular team meetings, online social events, and taking an interest in team members’ well being outside of simply professional boundaries are just a few ways of maintaining the vital communication channels necessary for cohesive organisation functioning.
Although remote work is on the rise few people have experience with it for extended periods of time. Working from home requires self-discipline and self-motivation like never before- the boss isn’t breathing down your neck, hours aren’t as rigid, unwashed breakfast dishes aren’t an eyesore begging to be cleaned! To maintain company culture, it is crucial to advocate a separation of work life from home life; otherwise, the unstable boundaries allow in too much of an employee's personal life and the distractions that come with it. Simple tools such as a brief PDF, branded organisers, a short webinar, or an external guidance counsellor to give advice on separating work from home will be invaluable to encourage employees to maintain their work routines and continue with operations efficiently.
Blurred lines between work and home also change priorities. For example, if the kids are at home, what do you do? You can’t lock yourself away from 9 am to 5 pm, leaving a 6-year-old to fend for themselves! Organisations need to be empathetic with the unavoidable issues that remote work brings, for it isn’t just individuals who will have to adapt. Companies will also need to find the balance between keeping operations running and allowing leeway that would have previously been withheld. Empathetic recognition of the struggles being faced makes the corporation more human and encourages a culture of compassion and care for those under its employment. Allowing flexibility with work hours, giving recognition to the struggles and the successes, offering support and security are all small ways to keep a positive culture going in these times and strengthen employee to employer loyalty.
Each company will need to forge its own path in coming times and, the unspoken rules of corporate culture will be stretched, for some even to breaking point. Corporations will need to encourage a culture continuation and reassure employees of brighter times ahead. Even the simplest of things can mean the world to someone isolated at home and scared of the future; a weekly email roundup, a postbox work package of brand stationery, an offer of a 1:1 chat, or just lenience with deadlines could mean the world to someone struggling in amongst this uncertainty. It’s time for organisations to give back to their employees and stand true to the corporate culture they have moulded over time, for only then will they stay strong and survive these unprecedented times.