Motivation in focus: Three ways to adapt company culture amid an evolving work landscape

The pandemic has led organizations to pursue remote operations or distance colleagues who previously spent much of their workday together. This transition came naturally for some but continues to be a challenge for others striving to maintain their culture in a virtual setting.

As we approach the one-year mark of this societal shift, business leaders will continue to face important decisions around how to reacclimate employees to a physical workspace and strengthen camaraderie. It's expected that eyes will turn to the necessary cultural shifts that meet employees where they are, inspiring productivity and maintaining motivation.

Corporate culture is largely defined as “how we do things around here.” According to Deloitte, this refers to the beliefs, values and behaviors that shape the way work gets done.

Establishing a healthy corporate culture was one of the inspirations for launching CPG company Lekkco Belgian Dark Chocolate Spread in 2017, which operates on a platform of creativity, empathy, equality and opportunity.

Lekkco's team-centric culture principles can fit into any workplace:

1. Get the entire company on the same page with strong communication

Communication is the key to success in a company setting, and an informed employee will be better equipped to give their best. Lekkco operates as one unit where everyone is aware of the company's overarching goals and mission. Individuals are clear on how their role ladders up to that mission so they're filled with purpose.

To maintain connection, the Lekkco team pauses midday for a team lunch to learn more about each other on a personal level. On Fridays, company leaders along with each team member, share a week-in-review to demonstrate progress and relay updates that could affect individual contributions. All of this can be replicated virtually.

Depending on the size of an organization, now could be a good time to look at internal communication practices, such as implementing internal newsletters, activating online conversation channels and increasing the frequency of updates. Err on the side of overcommunicating and updating employees on developments.

2. Give every employee the opportunity to learn and grow

At Lekkco, ideas can and do come from anyone. The company partners with the College of DuPage on an internship program to expose young talent to the inner workings of an international CPG brand. Head chef Corina Muhammad is a student of the program and develops dozens of recipes that inspire the public to try the product. That's an impressive addition to a young graduate's resume.

Senior employees may think it's more efficient to keep challenging work at the top but providing hands-on experiences with mentoring and coaching helps to fuel the talent pipeline and build confidence. Always be clear about the projected path for each person.

When hiring, look for candidates who have a passion for the industry or mission and help to fill “holes” in the team's skillset. This reinforces the opportunity to grow into a defined role with room to contribute along a clear trajectory.

3. Strengthen trust to enhance employee flexibility

There's a corporate adage that if one can't trust their employees to manage their time, perhaps those individuals weren't a fit in the first place. Flexibility at Lekkco means being available and present for kids at home when needed or leaving for an appointment at 3 p.m. to be able to attend the team lunch at noon.

Flexibility is a big word that will come into deeper focus as workers adapt to being back in an office after so much time at home. Expectations around flexibility can be addressed as part of the commitment to clear communication, with leaders helping to set the tone.

The great workplace shake-up of 2020-2021 offers an opportunity to revisit and reprioritize corporate culture to help teams give their best every day despite a still-unpredictable setting. Evolving company culture isn't something that happens overnight, but the timing is right for leaders to begin setting new tones for the workplace of the future.

• Jennifer Lukas-Bourgeois is the co-founder and chief brand officer at Lekkco Belgian Dark Chocolate Spread.