The U.S. workforce has become more flexible than ever, and in a recent survey, almost two-thirds of those who participated said they work remotely. This ever-growing portion of the workforce is indicative of a remote work culture many companies are adopting, leading to transformative changes in communication practices and the tools being used.

As technology enables employees with an easy and reliable means of working remotely, companies and employees might opt to embrace a remote strategy for a number of reasons: commercial real estate prices, the need for talent in a variety of locations, or as a distancing necessity caused by the current COVID-19 pandemic, which is forcing companies to assess their ability to enable a remote workforce

When companies are pushed into a remote-only work structure, it can be a difficult transition. It might feel manageable to have a handful of remote workers but could become insurmountable as more people need the resources and support to adjust to this new environment. Staying connected with colleagues get trickier, and leadership can struggle to supervise their teams without appearing to micromanage. 

For the sake of company culture and operations, leaders will need to quickly embrace organizational change management. HR leadership can start by expanding their company culture to include a remote-based approach that would enable them to minimize any business disruptions. Doing so will be critical to maintaining the company’s morale.

To combat the challenges of remote working, it is imperative that HR leaders ease their company into the new setup and reduce the culture shock as much as possible. These six strategies will show your team how to build a strong remote culture. 

1. Communicate clearly and often.

It should go without saying that one of your top priorities should be your employee’s mental and physical well-being. However, one of the classic challenges of remote working is that workers don't feel connected to the rest of the company. A report from 2019 suggests 70% of remote workers struggle with problems they wouldn’t have if they were in the office with others. There can be added levels of fear and anxiety, both economically and health related, in situations when a company is mandated to work remotely due to circumstances outside anyone’s control, such as the COVID-19 outbreak.

Transparency is the key to successful teamwork in times like these. To make sure everyone feels informed and connected across the company, communicate everything you can. This might take the form of a daily or weekly organization-wide email. HR could dedicate a time of day to field employee questions about how the company is responding to external circumstances. No matter what platform or delivery system you choose to utilize, consistency and clarity are the two most important factors.

2. Ensure supportive technologies are in place.

Your priority should be to establish that your employees have the technology, platforms, and digital workspaces they need to perform their jobs without a hitch. According to the 2019 report mentioned above, 43% of remote workers have opted not to share a document in the past because it was too hard to find. Technology is an asset, not a complication, so make sure your employees are set up for success.

In addition, HR leadership should encourage video conferencing as often as possible so teams can see each other and react in real time. Video calls can ease some of the communication pains that come with text-based communications. It might not be IRL, but screen-to-screen smiles can make a difference.

3. Establish clear work-from-home expectations.

To employees, it might feel like they are in uncharted waters. Company leadership and HR should establish clear expectations and boundaries that support healthy work-from-home policies and stimulate remote company culture. Hint: This is part of the “communicating early and often” step from above.

While your employees need the tools to perform their jobs, they also need the mental and emotional reassurance that they know how to do their jobs well. For example, what does flex time even mean when you’re already at home? Working from home next to partners, pets, kids, family members, roommates, or even rogue Roombas can feel nearly impossible sometimes. Using your company’s values as a guide, establish clear work-from-home guidelines about when employees should be available via computer, phone, or messaging platforms. Describe how employees should notify direct supports or teammates about lunch breaks, appointments, or other periods of unavailability. Set up best practices for communication turnaround times and deadlines so everyone feels comfortable about what to expect from one another.

Encourage your teams to be open about their personal work-from-home realities. If an employee has to suddenly juggle homeschooling three children, how can the team realistically adjust their schedules or expectations to support? Are pets and children welcome additions to conference calls if necessary, or are they strictly barred from joining? If possible, ask employees for input in establishing the guidelines for your new shared realities.

4. Make sure teams are engaging with each other.

For employees who aren’t accustomed to remote work culture, it’s easy for them to refrain from reaching out to other team members and quickly become isolated. Company leadership and HR need to take active steps to build a strong culture with their remote teams. 

Encourage employees to talk to each other virtually via your company’s messaging platform, email, or video chat like they normally would if they were in the office. Just sending a “good morning” message to the team can make a difference in morale. Set up specific topic channels so people can bounce in and chat about their latest favorite TV show, book, movie, etc. Defining spaces for people to come together and chat about non-work activities will replicate the random encounters in the hallways or break rooms. Those human touches will go a long way after a couple of weeks of remote work. 

Leadership will also want to demonstrate their engagement on these platforms. This can show co-workers that you all truly are in it together. There is, however, a fine line for managers between engaging with your team and giving the impression that you’re spying on their productivity level. Be mindful of that balance. Refrain from digital micromanagement and keep work discussions focused on outcomes instead of tasks. 

5. Offer more training and support.

Maybe your company is using a new program or software now that it’s remote. Training modules are more engaging than ever, thanks to automation and gamification. Using gamified training isn’t just a fun way for your teams to learn, but it also helps HR leaders see employees’ comfort and engagement levels.

Once the company is more settled into remote routines, take the time to listen to employees’ ongoing needs. Remember those 43% of remote workers who chose not to share a document because it was too hard to find? You might send out a survey to see whether they have knowledge or comfort gaps in digital workspaces — especially considering your team will rely on them now more than ever.

6. Reconsider how you define employee engagement.

It’s important to watch out for engagement during big company changes. You have a threefold responsibility when it comes to employee engagement and remote work: Set realistic engagement expectations, communicate those expectations clearly, and collect appropriate data to measure against those expectations.

Many companies use self-reporting measurement tactics to gather employee engagement metrics. But those don’t accurately capture employees’ true attitudes or moods. Be sure to make these surveys anonymous and make it clear that employees won’t face repercussions for honest answers with issues about engagement. 

Modern technology provides HR departments other options as well. Some tools can analyze messages to extract emotion and sentiment. As digital communications increase due to remote work, it would be easy to gather engagement data. However, keep in mind the importance of employee privacy and the ethics tied to this type of analysis.

The challenges of remote working shouldn’t be underestimated. When a whole company is remote, it can feel hard to get collaborative work accomplished, but now is the time to truly rely on others and be a bit more patient, trusting, and supportive of everyone. HR leaders can foster these values throughout the company to ease this transition as much as possible.

Want to learn more about transitioning your company into a remote-based work structure? Let’s talk.