Council Post: Building A Strong Company Culture In The Time Of Covid-19

HR Executive and Co-Founder of Gig Talent, a modern talent agency connecting organizations with elite HR consultants and coaches. 

There’s a book, and subsequent movie, called Love in the Time of Cholera. I’ll admit, I’ve never read the book or seen the movie, but I can guess what both are about; and I would imagine that finding love during a pandemic would be difficult. It got me thinking about culture in the time of Covid-19. Employees feel like they are on an island all alone. The interaction they have with their colleagues is dictated by Zoom, Microsoft Teams or another virtual meeting platform. Long gone are the days of “drive-bys” — the ability to stop by your employee’s desk to see how they are doing or the ability to pop in on your manager to talk. In addition to work getting done, these drive-bys were great for building relationships and making small talk, thereby increasing trust among team members.

Culture has always been important. It’s the glue that holds organizations together during the good times and bad. It’s the reason employees bring their discretionary effort every day to work. It’s how you attract and retain high-performing talent. But, culture in the time of Covid-19 is even more critical. We all went through the mental cycle of thinking we would be out of the office for a few weeks and then get right back into the swing of things. A few weeks turned to a few months, and now many schools, in addition to our companies, are staying virtual. One thing is certain: Covid-19 is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Below are a few areas within your organization to consider as you think about culture in the time of Covid-19.

Leadership

Leadership has always been important, but during this time, it has taken on a new meaning. Leaders have pressures from all different sides (business, team, family). Leaders are people first and foremost and are processing and internalizing the pandemic along with the rest of us. Added to this is the need to balance business priorities and be present for their teams. It can be difficult to be “seen” these days. But, check in with your employees. See how they are doing and what they may need. Don’t just stick to business. Dig deeper to make sure they are truly okay. For leaders who have some team members in the physical office and others who are working remotely, be careful not to create a divide between the two. At the end of the day, you are still one team.

Hybrid Model

With the added pressure of looking at budgets and talent in both the short- and long-term comes an added dilemma for leaders: layoffs. Despite tough decisions about who to retain and who to lay off, work still needs to be accomplished. Goals still need to be met. This is where thinking about layoffs differently can help. We need to think about talent differently as new needs arise on the team.

The term “hybrid” has been used to describe how organizations have some employees working in the office and some working remotely. I would argue this term is better used to describe talent or the workforce. Think about a hybrid model more as the best team to accomplish the mission, project or task. Some of these team members are full-time employees while others are members of the vast gig talent economy. Think about how you can bring this thinking into your strategic plan. Perhaps you create an internal gig economy of sorts where you partner with some laid-off employees on a project basis. They know your organization. They know the work. It also works as a cushion using your organizational values to guide how laid-off employees are treated. Look externally as well for resources that can assist the organization in achieving its goals. The talent pool is vast. Think big.

Values

Much like leadership, values are critical to an organization, no matter the external circumstances. During this pandemic, values have taken on a new meaning. When we were all in an office setting, it was easy to see the values on display, both good and bad. In our remote environment, we need to try harder to really see them. Leaders and organizations need to think about their values now more than ever. Do they still apply to who you are and the type of culture you want to create? I am seeing values such as empathy and grace make their way into organizations now more so than in the past. While these values may have seemed too touchy-feely in certain organizations pre-pandemic, during the pandemic, more organizations and leaders are seeing that without empathy, understanding and positive intent, their cultures are struggling.  

Community

Community is really the intersection of leadership, talent and values. It’s where the rubber meets the road so to speak. While we can’t see one another as much as we normally would in the office setting, our sense of community and belonging has never been as important as it is today. Every employee has different circumstances. Some have kids at home, and others live alone. Whatever the circumstances, we need to rely on one another differently today. As I previously mentioned, leaders need to check in with their employees. But, employees should check in with the leaders and with their peers. Small gestures, like a quick email to ask how someone’s day is or a quick call to see if there is anything you can do to help, go a long way in building a culture and a subsequent community.

And, above all else, don’t lose sight of the importance of fun in building a community. Having fun together and sharing laughs as a team during difficult times forges the bonds that will take your organization to the next level. These times build trust, and trust builds loyalty.

On the other side of this pandemic, what will your culture say about your organization? Think about how strong your organization will be if you can create a strong culture during Covid-19.


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