María Abraín
02 Dec 2021
Table of contents
If we take a look at our office life this 2021, we’ll see how the hybrid model of work has spread all around the world, winning the game against the pandemic. Companies have given a boost to their creativity so they could dodge bumps on the road and finally find the perfect combination of onsite and online working. Now it’s time to focus our efforts on learning how to maintain a strong company culture in a hybrid work model, as the first New Year’s resolution.
Company culture is an asset to look after, now more than ever, for both our team’s wellbeing and to keep attracting talent to our project.
Today, we are sharing some key concepts to keep in mind in order to take care of your company’s culture, not only from the office, but also from home. Take a step into the future!
So, what is company culture? Sounds familiar? Company culture is something that already exists in your company, only that you haven’t thought of a name for it… yet!
Company culture is all those (little and not so little) details that make your company what it is, it’s what makes the difference.
Theoretically, company culture is a set of values and goals, shared by everyone. But, taking a more personal perspective, your company’s culture is the feeling of belonging to a team, all those (little and not so little) things that characterize an organization, what truly makes the difference.
In order to learn how to maintain your company’s culture with a hybrid work model, first we have to be clear what kind of company culture resembles most to ours.
However, there are as many company cultures as companies out there. Each project and team of professionals connect on a different level, but there is a general listing that can help setting off.
Creative and technological environments, attracted by new ideas and risks. Followers of this type of culture love innovation, creativity and looking to the space and beyond!
Con un enfoque muy interno, los equipos con cultura de clanes tienen unos lazos de confianza muy fuertes, se complementan a la perfección. Podría decirse que este tipo de compañías son como una gran familia. With a very internal approach, teams sharing a clan type of culture share a very special bond, they trust and complement each other perfectly. We could say these companies are like a big family.
A stable and controlled mindset, whose priority is procedure above all. The board makes the decisions exclusively, so its adaptive capacity is limited.
Its central point is profitability and results, so team loyalty is just some noise in the background. Some highlights of this type of company culture are its competitivity and its capacity of awarding those working hard.
There is no discussion, with a 100% onsite model of work, taking care of the company culture would be way easier. With the pandemic arrival and the switch to remote working, Human Resources managers had to come up with innovative strategies to take care of their teams, turning their perspective upside down.
The hybrid model came to mix the best of both worlds: teleworking and onsite working. It’s time to bring this hybrid philosophy to every possible environment. Success assured!
Since the hybrid model of work was born and became so popular, we’ve had to rethink all that was implemented before and during the pandemic. Now, we can have the best of both worlds. The most successful features come together for this new hybrid program to reinforce the company culture, from home too.
As we did when the hybrid model of work first arrived, some tips on how to take care of company culture within this new formula are always welcome, aren’t they?
If your company has gone through some changes during this pandemic, or you simply feel that your company culture is not as established as you’d want among your employees, spread the word! Stories, anecdotes, successes and mistakes, cases-studies… Build your company’s personality with its past stories!
Los rituales son aquellas costumbres que os definen como equipo: tocar una campanita al cerrar una venta, desayunar juntos los jueves (en la oficina o por videollamada) para no perder ese buen rollo del equipo, las cestas de Navidad, actividades de team-building… cualquier tradición que compartáis forma parte de la cultura empresarial. ¡Dadle un empujón! Rituals are all those habits that define you all as a team: ring a bell every time you close a deal, have breakfast together every Thursday to keep it up with the team (at the office or in a zoom meeting), Christmas hampers, team-building activities… every tradition you share is part of the company’s culture. Keep working on them!
A corporate office with the capacity of entirely reflecting your brand image, besides little details like customised laptops or personalized mugs, are also a big part of company culture! Fortifying your brand image, not only for your clients, but also for your team’s experience, could really make a difference.
Spontaneity and transparency, besides trust and great leadership skills, are essential to build that strong sense of unity of your company’s culture. Always within your company’s standards, great communication and involvement will create the best work environment possible ;)
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Need more examples? There you go!
Put this in practice to take care of your business culture in a hybrid work model.
Have you implemented a hybrid formula because some team mates did not feel comfortable enough in closed spaces yet? Many companies have gone for this philosophy for their office comeback, sending their teams to their homes some days a week.
But, what about Christmas? Aren’t we celebrating? What would you say about… a hybrid event? You can begin by booking one of our meeting rooms in Madrid or Barcelona, with the latest videoconference technology such as the ones in Lexington Paseo de la Castellana 79 or Príncipe de Vergara 132. Then, you’ll want to host a little hybrid cocktail with some activities planned so those attending online can also participate, and a little dinner out afterwards with the rest. This way, onsite or online, we’ll see each other this Christmas 🎄. We’ve tried this and it was super fun!
After months and months working from home, coming back to an office with a very long-term commitment, with no common areas to take a break and no brand-image reflected on it… can really have an impact on your teams, and not a great one. Nonetheless, a company organising a corporative rentrée in an office reflecting their image and brand values… it’s something else! Company culture relies on your employee’s wellbeing, and a flexible workspace with as many amenities as they need and located at a premium spot in the city, reflecting yout true brand-image… it’s the dream! Right? Read more about office trends for 2022 and don’t miss a thing!
It does sound good, right? Do you think companies do not really put that much effort into it, anyways?
Of course, they do! If you still don’t believe us, here you have some of our favourites. TOP companies with a TOP company culture.
Google has a worldwide known company culture, don’t they? Their workplace echoes their brand image perfectly and it also takes care of the people working there. Stress is out the door!
The CRM leader company Salesforce gives its best to strengthen their company culture and to have their employees’ back every day. They are a big family, ohana!
Twitter’s company culture has its team at its core: their bond with one another, their team spirit, philosophy... the key lies on the feeling of belonging.
This web development company is known because employees working there are extremely happy with the closeness at work. The executive team works alongside the rest of their team thanks to their start-up philosophy. This is the perfect environment for creativity and decision-making, to dare! There is nothing better that trust to build a strong company culture.
Discover more strong companies with strong cultures here!
In essence, make it count! A customised workplace, benefits for employees, little details, spontaneity, transparency… You can all take care of your company culture every day of the year, in the office or working from home. There are no excuses! The hybrid work model and flex offices are our teammates now!
“Culture is simply a shared way of doing something with a passion.”
– Brian Chesky
The author
Could she be any more joyful? No, she could not! María is our Chief Financial Officer and Human Resources manager and, even after 20 years, she is still the most smile-y and cheerful person in the team, even though she’s always drowning in numbers, forecasts and selection processes. Mondays are less Mondays with her!
