Top 5 tips for a healthy remote working culture

After 18 months of remote working, many people are desperate for some water cooler chat and support from their line managers and colleagues. 

But, given that remote or hybrid working looks set to stay, how can leaders recreate that office buzz in a virtual world and promote good work culture?

1. Virtual management and leadership

Out of sight, out of mind? Absolutely not! You need to put serious thought into how you manage and support a remote working team, including how to promote company culture. 

At Connect Assist, we realise our staff might be handling emotional calls in their own safe spaces – without support from their team. So, we’ve put a robust system of virtual debriefs and one-to-ones in place. 

Plus, our leadership team is committed to making employee well being a priority.

One easy-ish win is to show your appreciation for staff through virtual workplace perks. For example, why not sign up to Perkbox to award your staff points, which they can spend on rewards? We all love it! 

2. Virtual training and onboarding

Job-changers have it especially hard. They want to impress their new colleagues with their skills – but instead, they end up staring at them via a computer screen, wondering if they’re being judged for their home décor!

As a result, forward-thinking companies have put huge efforts into virtual onboarding. Our Clinical Lead, Mel Tucker, explains: 

“Normally, a lot of this would be quite conversational: I’d sit next to someone and show them how to use the systems. It’s a lot more challenging and time-consuming to carry out the training via Teams. 

“I’ve had to draw up a lot of step-by-step instructions, with photos of drop-down menus and so on, taking people’s different learning styles into account.”

3. Virtual buddying and mentorship

When Covid first broke out, your company probably put a lot of things on hold. But we can’t do that forever. Career development is one of the key ways you retain happy staff, and build a pipeline of future managers. 

At Connect Assist, we’re now rolling out a virtual mentorship programme so that staff can buddy up with a more senior colleague.

As the initiative’s lead, Leaha James, explains: 

“If you’re looking for a career in management, then you buddy a person, learn those skills, learn what it’s like to be a manager before you actually embark on that career.”

4. Virtual socialising

It’s so important that team members get to know one another. It’s one of the joys of working life, and it makes it easier to spot if somebody’s struggling in silence. 

This is why we’ve taken huge pains to translate the fun of working for Connect Assist into the online world. 

We’ve introduced quizzes and competitions to build team spirit and give us all a bit of light relief. Virtual meet-ups and coffee mornings are a great time to have a chinwag, let off steam, or argue about who’s going to win Strictly Come Dancing or Bake Off (obviously Rose and Giovanni!).

5. Employee Assistance Programmes

But sometimes, people don’t want to share their woes with their colleagues or line manager. Or perhaps they need more in-depth support: they struggled with the loneliness of lockdown or the fear of Covid, for example.

Employee Assistance Programmes offer 24/7 virtual support. Often, people just need a bit of practical guidance or tools to self-manage their own well being. Sometimes, they want more in-depth counselling. 

Either way, it’s free and confidential for the employee. And for employers, it can mean a happier, more engaged and more productive workforce who will stay with you for the long term. You can’t beat that for a return on investment!

What is Connect Assist’s Mission Behind its Remote Working Culture?

We’ve spoken about how to promote culture in the workplace and how to support each other when working from home, but what is Connect Assist’s culture like? And, what are we all about? Well, you can find our company mission, values and story here on this website. Alternatively, get in touch and we’d happily tell you all about Connect Assist!