Apple recently made headlines over its return-to-office policy. According to a memo from CEO Tim Cooke, it is crucial that staff spend at least three days in the office per week, to preserve the “in-person collaboration that is so essential to our culture”.

Cooke has faced backlash over this mandate, with employees claiming that it could “stifle diversity and wellbeing”. Their perspective is consistent with remote-capable employees across the globe, of which nine in 10 like to have some degree of flexibility to work remotely when necessary.  

Company culture is constantly evolving to reflect the people who make up the organisation at any given time, and so cannot be effectively mandated from the top down. Companies would therefore benefit from considering how they can build a hybrid company culture that all employees can enjoy, whether remote or in-office. 

As the enterprise changes, so does its culture
A company culture is born out of what people see, feel, and hear when they are at work. The behaviours and actions that are commonplace across an organisation feed organically into a company’s culture. These may be driven to a certain extent by the organisation’s values, but are also marked by the personal values and life experiences of employees. 

Company culture is not therefore something that is explicitly defined. It is instead often implied through various factors such as dress code, office setup, business hours, employee benefits, how the team celebrates achievement or addresses failure and crucially, how people communicate with each other.

As the workplace becomes more flexible, a number of new characteristics have been added to the list of aspects that define a company culture. Digital transformation has resulted in the onboarding of waves of new talent, as well as new digital approaches to talent management. Organisations are increasingly prioritising flatter structures and more autonomous ways of working, resulting in a less hierarchical company culture. Consumers and employees alike are scrutinising organisations’ moral stances as diversity and sustainability move up the social agenda. And, of course, hybrid working can be added to that list too.

Hybrid working is merely one change among many that organisations have experienced in recent years. Thriving businesses will always undergo shifts in their company culture in accordance with changing behaviours and trends – it’s all part of growth. Organisations that don’t keep up  are likely to be left behind. 

Establishing a company culture that suits a hybrid environment
Culture for hybrid-first organisations will inevitably look different to culture for office-first organisations. There are unique challenges associated with the fact that employees are situated in different places, such as communication cadences and styles, reduced organic interaction, and different barriers to engagement. But, these challenges are certainly not impossible to solve.

Building a company culture within a hybrid environment starts with strengthening trust in the workforce. Even though people are working from different places, and managers cannot always physically see them working, this does not mean that the team is ineffective. Managers should aim to foster a sense of common purpose and trust, applying empathy and listening skills to establish that their team is effective, despite geographical distance. 

In addition to these unique aspects of hybrid culture, there are certainly some core elements of a positive company culture that remain important across all working models. At present, according to the MIT Sloan Management Review, employees prioritise elements such as respect, integrity, and learning and development in their organisation’s culture. These aspects can be offered regardless of where an employee is working, but businesses should consider how they need to be adapted for a hybrid environment. For example, a hybrid-first business should consider new approaches to learning and development that leverage technology effectively. Establishing a hybrid company culture is all about ensuring that every employee has a positive experience of work, regardless of their geographical location.

Integrating coaching to drive positive experiences
When taking the steps to integrate these aspects that could benefit a hybrid culture, organisations may consider engaging with workplace coaching. Coaches can work with coachees to examine their current workplace culture and open a meaningful dialogue between leaders and employees. It is important to remember that every employee contributes to an organisation’s overall culture, and thus every employee could benefit from coaching – from the entry level to the CEO.

Driving a positive workplace culture in a hybrid environment is all about accepting the wants and needs of employees alongside those of the business. Company culture no longer hinges around in-person collaboration, because workers are now  able to collaborate effectively in new and innovative ways despite distance. Today’s methodology of company culture is more about a thoughtful, inclusive and considered approach to how we deliver and receive communication  – organisational traits that certainly go beyond the walls of an office building.