Can you keep the company culture alive when the company is at home?

After spending time, energy and money to build a company culture that is welcoming, warm and friendly no one wants to lose that momentum. Being apart does not necessarily mean a backslide. It can be an opportunity to add a new dimension.

As leaders you need to stay positive in all things. Your messages, your tone of voice and your facial expressions matter. You need to step out in front of the efforts to keep your people connected. Protecting the cultural well being of employees is imperative so that when they all come back together, they are not distant, uninvolved or worse damaged from the separation.

Call them . . . if possible, pick up the phone periodically and contact those who are not involved in any other group communication such as video meetings or conference calls.
Email them . . . individually and express your appreciation of them and the lack you feel because you are not together.

Set up a company wide video chat. ZOOM and similar platforms can be accessed on all different types of mobile devices and laptops. Of course, if you have over 100 employees that may be insufficient. In that case record a greeting to them that is positive, supportive and forward looking.

Go on the company social media. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are great places for you to post. Posting things are a bit more personal and give your employees a glimpse into your private world. They are your team and they need to know you are one of them.

None of these things should be one offs, an obligation or something you must do. It is the life blood of the company culture you have been building. Now is the time to support and grow it.
Telling your employees that you are planning a big party when the crisis is all over will help to have something to look forward to and put a smile on their faces.