Turning your workplace into a culture hub

Increased flexibility, less commuting, reduced real estate expense ... the potential perks of remote working are well known.

Two and a half years into the pandemic, the shortcomings are now becoming apparent. The negative impact on workplace culture is arguably the most significant.

As one of North America's largest commercial interiors companies, BOS has created thousands of workspaces for organizations of all sizes and industries. Our recent conversations with CEOs, people leaders and facility managers have illustrated today's workplace challenges and opportunities. One truth we now know is that work culture suffers in a remote world.

From friendships to romance, sports teams to families, all relationships benefit from being together. The same is true for the workplace. Organizational culture thrives on strong, personal relationships where loyalty, trust, engagement, innovation, empathy, communication and development all benefit. Without in-person interaction, work becomes transactional and disconnected.

Being together is a key ingredient for a strong corporate culture and your workplace can be one of the best facilitators. We've leveraged top industry research, tapped 74 years of experience and compared notes with peers, clients and partners to come up with effective ways to turn your workspace into a culture hub.

First, ensure your culture is worth promoting and identifying the culture type you want for your organization. Take advantage of culture discovery and promotion tools to gauge current alignment with your desired culture type. If the current state doesn't match your goal, adjust workplace, policy, communication and resources accordingly.

Once you've identified and understand your culture, use your workplace to communicate and strengthen it. Compared to home and third spaces (coffee shops, hotel lobbies, etc.) you have more control to facilitate change within the office.

The pandemic has reinforced the need for transparent, clear and consistent communication. Let your team know they are important to the business and communicate your intent to keep workplace culture strong and work relationships prosperous.

Involve employees in your decision-making process and keep them informed by sharing research, goals and plans. Communicate change in a positive way, framed as opportunity.

Work toward creating a space that people want to come to, one that reflects the investment made in your team and encourages in-person relationship building, collaboration and development. Address safety concerns and prioritize total well-being throughout your space.

Consider equity and inclusion when making decisions to provide a welcoming space that is accessible for everyone. Leverage workplace branding to communicate visually and tap into the power of technology to bridge remote and in-person teams and effectively navigate hybrid working.

Encourage relationship building by coordinating in-person days to maximize culture. Many organizations have adopted 3-2 hybrid models with three days in the office and two days remote. Look for ways to bring diverse teams together for enhanced collaboration during in-person experiences.

Be intentional about keeping your space, process and planning agile. Change abounds and you'll increase your chances for success by incorporating flexibility into your working environment. There are many ways to accomplish this and many organizations are actively refreshing or retrofitting their floor plans using modular, mobile furniture, architectural walls, digital signage and smart building sensors.

Finally, be sure to pick quality partners. Just as being together fosters internal team success, working with value-adding workplace partners will save you time, reduce cost and generate better outcomes. No one has all the answers and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to post-pandemic success. BOS workplace experts and employee-owners can connect you with tools, peers, solutions and knowledge to create a space where people want to work and where your culture can thrive. Get started at www.bos.com

• George Lucas Pfeiffer is CMO of BOS Holdings.