You can argue all you
want about the productivity of hybrid vs. remote vs. on site. But if you really
want to build a culture, deepen your company's values and transfer them to new
arrivals, then working together in one place is still the best way to do it.
EXPERT OPINION BY HOWARD
TULLMAN, GENERAL MANAGING PARTNER, G2T3V AND CHICAGO HIGH TECH
INVESTORS@HOWARDTULLMAN1
FEB 27, 2024
I've had dozens of
opposing conversations with business owners and managers on one side, and
entrepreneurs on the other, about the perks and perils of trying to build and
grow a business when a significant portion of the workforce is remote. It's
even more challenging when some of those remote team members have never met
most of their co-workers or upper management, either personally or online. As
obvious as some concerns would seem to be, there's an amazingly wide divergence
of opinion on how to address the "new normal," which breaks down
along fairly old and familiar lines.
Not surprisingly, the
more senior executives in the larger and better-established firms think it's no
big deal to operate as they always have, in spite of the clear logistical and
communication changes in the new hybrid world. Keep in mind that most of these
people are quite removed from the day-to-day communication channels of their
businesses, and many are rarely using any form of digital connection tools.
These aren't Slackers or Teams people. And they're also sadly stuck in the ivory towers rather than spending
any time in the trenches. They think their company's culture is built of
concrete, locked down, easily understood, and permanent.
Unfortunately, time has
a way of turning anyone's assets into dust.
Let's say that old
schoolers can ignore the obvious fact that - just like brands - successful
company cultures need to change, expand and be reinvigorated periodically. And
if these older folk also ignore the issue of new and uninitiated employees
flowing into the business, there's even a more fundamental misunderstanding of
how culture, values, and vision are transmitted and shared across their
companies. In practice, as opposed to theory, it's rarely done in mission
statements, memos, or meetings. The guy in the bowels of the
business may know more about what's really going on than the folks in the main
office.
At the other end of the
spectrum, I'd estimate that nearly all of the experienced entrepreneurs and new
business builders (regardless of age) that I know understand that creating,
communicating, and controlling the culture of a startup can't be accomplished
if the players aren't regularly and physically in one place. This isn't just
about proximity or serendipity; it's about understanding how much of the
culture's content and the value structure of a business moves by osmosis,
watercooler conversations, observed actions, and, maybe most importantly, war
stories - at least some of which are true.
All of that helps to
compose the emotional and visceral meat of the company's culture. These aren't
things that others can easily explain to you or that you can learn from a
manual or a lecture. Anyone who's built a business from scratch, anyone who's
been in the crucible of confusion, concern, and conflict that's the heart of a
startup, and anyone who understands the real value and meaning of camaraderie
and shared pain will tell you that you had to be there - and be an active part
of the process - in order to get it.
Every great business has
its foundational stories, its formative myths, and apocryphal adventures. But,
in the new, widely distributed operating environments, very little thought or
attention is being paid to making sure that we are building new channels to
share and reinforce the transmission of all of this informal, but crucial,
wisdom, attitude, and experience. There's no Zoom or Teams equivalent for the most
important one-on-one chats that take place before and after any
meeting or call, but these are the most critical discussions of all.
So, the critical
question concerns what smart companies can do-- even assuming that they can
assemble all of the concerned parties in one place on a regular basis-- to make
sure that the right messages, examples, and directions are front and center and
consistently communicated to everyone. I appreciate that these suggestions are
better suited to smaller firms and startups rather than larger firms, but if
you have more than a couple of dozen employees, I'd suggest applying the same
ideas to divisions, teams, select skill sets, or other more-manageably sized
groups.
First, find the
passionate promoters in your company and make sure they're on the program. You
want them as advocates, examples, and leaders. Keep in mind that these people
aren't ever going to be limited to just managers and executives. It's important
to have friends in low places as well. The good news is that, if you find the
right ones, they really can't help themselves because it's in their nature to
be chatty, excited cheerleaders for the company.
Second, bite the bullet
and commit to a four-day work week. I'd just forget Fridays or maybe call it
the Friday for Family plan. It's a good compromise and the only realistic way
to get the right people in the right place at the right times. Make it clear
that this is the way the business is going to operate going forward and that
neither you nor anyone else is going to be the sheriff, the attendance taker,
or anyone's babysitter. Everyone's an adult and no one's required to work at
your company. Fire the whiners.
Third, make meals matter
by shutting down for an hour at noon on Monday and Thursday and using those
times for the team to come together to talk about the week ahead and the week
just past. No phones, no interruptions, no excused absences and a real commitment
to conversation and storytelling. The best and the worst of what's gone on and
what's coming down the pipe. The execs should sit and mainly listen. It's
amazing how much they'll learn. If anyone needs to cover the phones, have that
be done by team members who never get to talk to callers or customers directly.
It will be an eye-opening and learning experience for them for sure.
Finally, make some
memories for the team by spending some time in the service of others. Those
foregone Fridays can be put to important use by volunteering, helping with
community projects for local schools and charities. Over decades of doing this,
I've never found a more effective way to bring a team together than by doing
some giving back as a group. It's absolutely one of the best ways for your team
members to informally learn a great deal more about their peers and the kind of
people they're working with. And it shows how the company can make a valuable
difference and an important contribution outside of its day-to-day activities.