Maintaining a Collaborative Culture while Working from Home

Written by Rachel Strassel

As an introvert, being forced to isolate alone in the comfort of my house sounded like the ideal scenario — this is what I was made for. As someone who cherishes her time alone, I was already an expert at voluntary self-isolation. Being mandated to stay inside away from others and avoid social gatherings would be a piece of cake.

I was completely wrong.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that the isolation measures abruptly imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic were starting to affect every aspect of my life. I no longer wanted to be alone and found myself longing for the daily face-to-face interaction with my Gambel Girls. Suddenly gone were our laughter-filled morning catch-up sessions over freshly brewed coffee, the lunchtime jokes about our quirky microwave, and the ability to quickly pop in and ask a colleague about the status of a client’s project. 

But while COVID-19 had abruptly shut down our office in a literal sense, as a team, we were determined to not let it affect our company culture. Anyone who has ever worked with our team knows that we thrive on collaboration. It’s a critical part of our company culture and a huge factor in our agency’s success over the past 11 years, and we know we aren’t alone.

Increasingly, business leaders across various sectors are considering how they can maintain unity and company culture as employees continue working apart. This new way of working means organizations will face challenges maintaining their company culture as well as the productivity and camaraderie of their employees. Since the coronavirus outbreak, we’ve tried new ways to support each other while providing the same high-caliber work on which our clients rely.

So how have we maintained Gambel’s culture and collaborative spirit while physically apart?

·      Communicating consistently: Although we’re not in the same building, I am reassured by the fact that my colleagues are just a phone call or email away. Our biweekly Zoom meetings allow us to brainstorm ideas and keep each other updated both professionally and personally.

·      Remaining mission-focused: Reminding ourselves and others why our company exists is vital. Now, more than ever, our clients are looking to us for guidance. It’s essential for us to uphold our mission — to connect people and ideas and foster relationships and partnerships within our community.

·      Providing flexibility: It’s important for company leaders to understand that, while we’re all affected by the pandemic, each employee’s situation is different. Some of us are now not only full-time employees, but also full-time parents and caretakers. Giving employees the flexibility to get their work done while tending to personal matters is crucial to easing the burden of this difficult time.

·      Keeping it fun: A public health crisis is stressful enough. Yes, our Zoom meetings are focused on client and agency needs, but they’re also a time for us to have a few laughs, share our newest hobbies and even introduce a recently adopted furry companion.  

The pandemic has undoubtedly taken us all by surprise. Despite the many professional and personal challenges at our doorstep, one thing remains constant: we’re all in this together and we’ll get through, one day at a time.