Organizational culture in the time of Corona: 5 ways to strengthen your company and its culture

Sudden and fierce, no organization is invulnerable. Covid-19 has been society changing and life-altering. This test is one that won't be survivable for all businesses, but for the ones that can, hopefully, it will strengthen them for the better. Let's take a look at five ways of improving your organizational culture going forward.

1. Adaptive Culture

Weighing up choices and decisions and what relevant action is taken to safeguard your business, could well have a significant impact on your workplace culture. In difficult times, companies with a strong and defined culture not only survive but thrive. Review your company's purpose and values. Do they need to be adjusted or re-developed?

2. Open Communications

Now more than ever, there needs to be a clear channel of communication with your employees. Ecosystems that are transparent and built on trust will fare better than those that shutdown and keep people guessing in fear. For instance, Netflix operates an 'open memo' system, whereby all communications are through an editable email document. Directors can communicate and ask questions about the day-to-day, and executives can answer and edit this 'almost living document.

3. Technology Infrastructure

Strengthening of your digital infrastructure is now one of the most critical steps for companies worldwide. Businesses' will rely on faster connections and on the talent to keep up with how quickly our need for tech is growing.

4. Remote Work

For some companies, the impossible had to be possible at a moment's notice. Engineering and IT teams the world over have facilitated an almost complete move to remote working, that previously wasn't fathomable before. Before the pandemic, 76% of workers surveyed, prefer to avoid their office altogether when they need to concentrate on a project, according to Atlassian. Our new remote workers will need time to adjust and systems put in place so that productivity is consistent, while still providing teams with support and leadership.

5. Employee Welfare

It is estimated that investment in employee welfare gives a 6 to 1 return, according to a Harvard study. However, some companies may well have been treating well-being as a buzzword in their employer branding before now. There isn't a person the world over that hasn't been affected in some way by the pandemic. Employee welfare is something that should be top of your priority list, as regards your culture and surviving the situation we find ourselves in.

One thing to remember is that you are not alone. We are all in this together. Reach out to other executives and leaders in your network and see how they are getting on. A problem shared is a problem halved.