Today's leading question in corporate America is, “How do leaders maintain a culture in a hybrid world?”
Perhaps you and your leadership team have encountered this question too.
It is encouraging to see that the modern workplace is evolving to meet the needs of not only the organization but also its employees. Connectedness looks different than it did just three short years ago.
Gartner.com suggests three main things leaders can do to build a sense of culture and connectedness.
Hybrid work shouldn't be viewed as a risk to workplace culture and leadership achievement but rather as a chance to enhance and reinforce them.
Leaders should deliberately fortify more significant and effective means for individuals to engage with the culture emotionally and within their daily work encounters.
Adopt a more humane approach (genuine, compassionate, and flexible) in managing their team members and tasks.
The traditional strategies leaders used to build and maintain workplace culture - in-person interactions, office spaces, and uniform norms and behaviors - are no longer effective. As a result, many leaders are worried that their culture will suffer or change in a virtual-first or hybrid work environment. With employees having fewer in-person interactions, spending less time in employer-controlled spaces, and having more miniature work ecosystems, it's natural to wonder what culture means in this new reality.
To make culture thrive in this new landscape, leaders must find new drivers within hybrid work that promote alignment and connectedness among their employees. Alignment refers to the ability of employees to understand, believe in, and demonstrate the culture. At the same time, connectedness involves identifying with, caring about, and feeling a sense of belonging to the culture.
Although leaders have made progress in alignment, connectedness is currently in crisis, with only one in four employees feeling connected to their organization's culture. Without the environmental factors leaders traditionally relied on - such as physical proximity, shared workspaces, and macro-based experiences - connectedness is at risk.
Leaders must foster connectedness through work, emotional proximity, and micro-based experiences to overcome these challenges. By prioritizing these strategic approaches, leaders can significantly impact employee performance and retention, ultimately building a thriving workplace culture.
Stratengy’s primary goal is to develop leaders people want to follow. Stratengy is a talent optimization organization focusing on culture, alignment, and engagement. We specialize in leadership development, executive & team coaching, and leadership academies. All our programs are customized and can be delivered in person or virtually. Reach out today to see how we can help you deliver on your strategy. Contact us at info@stratengy.com or call Heather directly at (973) 886-4275.