Remote work has improved the working world, but nothing in life is free. Along with the improved work-life balance comes a hidden cost—employee disenfranchisement. Just 21% of remote workers feel connected to the company culture, which can lead to burnout, isolation, and employee turnover.
So, it’s essential to implement a remote-first work culture to keep your off-site employees fully engaged.
While some companies are mandating a Return to Office to preserve the water cooler culture, this is the old way of thinking, and it’s not the answer. Instead, company leaders must create an inclusive culture for remote workers that gives everybody a sense of belonging.
Of course, remote work became the only way to work during the pandemic, but companies like Microsoft, Spotify, Cisco, and other leaders recognized the benefits and kept a hybrid model. Today, just 12.7% of all full-time employees work entirely from home, while 28.2% are hybrid workers. In short, organizations need to meet their workforce in the middle to create a model for work that engages and retains talent. Many leaders are automating their employee engagement using tools like Motivosity.
“A thriving remote culture isn’t about where people work; it’s about how connected they feel to their team and purpose. Companies that prioritize engagement, recognition, and meaningful communication will outperform those clinging to outdated office norms,” says Scott Johnson, CEO of Motivosity. “We help remote teams build that connection, ensuring employees feel valued and included no matter where they are. When people feel seen and appreciated, they don’t just work—they thrive.”
Companies that embrace remote and hybrid work feel all kinds of benefits, including:
- Increased productivity and efficiency as employees work when they are most energized.
- Happy staff that are easy to retain because they feel valued and rewarded.
- Rested and balanced staff who have a work-life balance.
- A connected team with a stronger company culture than the office could ever produce.
- Reduced fixed costs from employee relocation and sizeable office space, with Global Workplace Analytics revealing an average $11,000 saving per employee who works remotely 50% of the time.
- Increased flexibility to spend on training and customized workspaces.
Remote First Takes Major Changes
To achieve this, though, companies will need to make drastic changes in almost every area to move towards a remote-first work culture. These changes start with the recruitment process, as onboarding new hires from afar is an art form in itself.
First, you have to decide on salary packages, which can mean substantial savings if you’re hiring a global workforce instead of dealing with the local cost of living. Companies like Basecamp pay the same salaries according to experience, which is the best way to foster a healthy company culture. Others disagree, but this can be a major issue down the line, and the right culture starts with the right pay packet.
Then comes the onboarding process, which is easier in an office environment. In a remote-first culture, you need to put time and thought into a carefully curated onboarding process with documentation, video training, constant contact, and online mentoring. The essential part is open lines of communication and modern solutions like Slack channels and Google Meets.
Asynchronous communication is the key to a healthy work culture, and it has to come from the top down. Management needs to know when to leave people to work and when to touch base. It’s a science and an art that comes with time and practice, but it can foster the best corporate culture when it’s done right.
The Cost of Pointless Meetings
It’s important to make meetings count. Slack has turned into a model of employee productivity, and that’s no accident. The collaborative work SAAS has put time and effort into studying workplace culture, and its recent State of Work Report revealed that 43% of their meetings could be canceled today without any consequences. Other studies have shown that employees lose at least 15 hours a month to unproductive meetings, and US businesses lose $37 billion a year.
A remote-first culture can eliminate this waste by replacing formal meetings with all hands on deck with quick check-ins with key staff members. This will not only save time and money but also foster a healthier connection between management and remote workers.
One key to a successful remote-first work culture is the lack of daily physical interaction, which requires managers to be much more aware of each team member’s workload and state of mind. Occasional group calls, virtual workshops, and online bonding activities can also change the dynamic of the workplace and help identify team members who are struggling for any reason.
Conclusion
A remote-first work culture comes with its own challenges and hurdles, but they are well worth the effort. It will bring cost savings, flexibility, a more inclusive workforce, and a thriving community of workers around the world who will give their all because they get yours.