Keeping Company Culture Alive in a Pandemic
Dear Jenny,
My company invested a lot of time and money into company culture initiatives pre-COVID. We really wanted to make our workplace fun, diverse, and collaborative. It’s a little cheesy, but we considered our team to be like a family, and I’m proud of that. Unfortunately, we had to shut our office down like the rest of the world and move to remote work. I’m really scared that all of the work and progress we made is about to go down the drain. How do we keep the culture alive during a pandemic?
Thanks,
Staying Safe
Dear Staying Safe,
Kudos to your team for working so hard to build a healthy culture. It’s a task that takes work and time and most companies just aren’t willing to invest.
The good news is that just because we can’t do in-person company lunch-ins, it doesn’t mean all of your work was in vain. There are still plenty of ways to make your employees feel valued and excited to continue working hard for an aligned mission – even from afar.
Live your values. If one of your company values is “Work Hard,” have a Work Hard, Play Hard virtual happy hour and game night. Remember that video chat can be a useful tool in bonding, laughing, and getting silly. I’ve been to one of these where we played Two Truths and a Lie, and we were all cracking up by the end of the party. Here’s another example. Do you have a value about being committed to your community? What a perfect time to give extra PTO to your employees for them to use volunteering. Non-profits are still in desperate need of volunteers, parks still need to be cleaned up, and flowers still need to be planted. Bonus – according to a study by Berkeley, volunteering is great for a mental health boost. And, trust me, your employees could use that.
Celebrate your rockstars. Times are particularly hard, and employees who show passion, resilience, and rise to the challenge of the present, deserve some recognition. Take time to highlight your team, celebrate their accomplishments, and, if you’re in a position to do so, push for raises and promotions when deserved. Your team is still working and they’re trying to make the most of a very challenging situation. Give them some credit.
Patience, patience, patience. Understand that this is a FFT (F***ing First Time, coined by the iconic Brene Brown) and we are in a nationwide mental health crisis. Give your team a break. Communicate that if they are feeling off, burnt out, at the end of their rope, or just need an afternoon off of Zoom, they are welcome to it. We’re all adults, and we can get our work done without hand-holding, so trust that an afternoon off isn’t going to stop the world from spinning. Productivity will improve if you allow your team to breathe. Check-in regularly, and ask for honest answers without judgment.
These are easy ways to keep the culture flame lit in what can feel like a torrential downpour. We will get through this, and when we come out to the other side, the world will look different. However, your company can be a leader and show up for the community and for its employees. Don’t let this opportunity slip by. Show up, be patient, be kind, and remember that your hard work of building a culture isn’t for not. Go get ‘em!
Sincerely,
Jenny
