The short answer is this: Company culture still matters. It doesn’t matter where you work. Culture matters to a team environment. New research shows 86% of employees say it’s still somewhat to very important. Here’s what you should know about company culture and how to support it in our newly remote world.

Does Culture Matter to Remote Employees?

Each year, Jobvite conducts a survey of employees to determine how attitudes are changing around work. Exelare teamed up with Jobvite this year and found out some new information related to the new world of remote work. The 2021 Exelare Jobvite survey shows that, despite an increasing number of employees working from home, 86% say company culture is important to them. Who cares about company culture? The study found:

  • 56% of married employees say culture matters over 39% who are single.
  • 57% of college educated employees say culture matters.
  • 60% of employees with children say it matters, versus 37% of those without children.

But there is no question it’s a little harder to maintain culture when employees are remote. Some of the basic routines that make up office life are the glue that holds people together. Watercooler conversations, Nerf gun battles, office banter overheating up a microwave lunch—these are some of the simple things that create a tighter bond between people in your business. Unfortunately, remote work might erode some of the cultural norms that we take for granted. MIT Sloan Management Review says, “The coronavirus pandemic’s office exodus risks diminish company culture unless leaders take action to support it.” So how can organizations keep culture intact when much of their workforce is remote?

Culture and Remote Work

Culture is a mysterious force and sometimes difficult to describe. But MIT says that employers must make an effort to call-out culture and describe it to others to help cement what it is and how it works in their company. This is particularly true when trying to attract candidates to the job. The Exelare/Jobvite survey shed some insight into how and where candidates most often view your culture on social media. The survey showed:

  • Facebook is the most popular site for candidates to peruse your culture.
  • LinkedIn is the second most popular site, closely followed by Instagram.
  • Twitter and YouTube follow.
  • Finally, Snapchat at TikTok are perused by candidates less frequently. 

Employers must be aware of how their culture has changed given the new nature of our remote work. They should also visibly promote the avenues of culture that have grown more important to remote workers. The goal is to create cohesion among the dispersed group of in-office and remote workers by finding and promoting commonalities that matter to everyone.

MIT Sloan puts it this way:

A time of disruption presents an opportunity to remind employees of aspects of an organization’s past — founding ideals, stories, and commitments — that have shaped both its culture (how we get work done and think about our work) and are central to its identity (who we are as a company). Building up these core elements of culture can remind employees of an organization’s strengths and help them navigate tough times.

Excellence in culture requires excellent communication with candidates and employees.

That idea forms the core of Exelare, software designed to help hiring teams clearly communicate with future potential employees. Find out how our applicant tracking system can help your business. Call on us today.