# Article : Keeping Company Culture Strong During The Next Post-Covid-19 Phase [[24-03-2021]] [[organisational culture]] #post-covid [[Post-Covid and Organisational Culture in EPIP]] [https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/09/25/keeping-company-culture-strong-during-the-next-post-covid-19-phase/?sh=5b3cb56070c9](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/09/25/keeping-company-culture-strong-during-the-next-post-covid-19-phase/?sh=5b3cb56070c9) ## Impact of Covid on changes in work - Some employees who weren't remote before now realize they're more productive and happy working from home and would prefer to never return to the office. - Others feel adrift without the presence of others and can't wait to come back. - After months of heads-down work and postponed vacations, some employees are starting to burn out. Zoom fatigue is setting in. - While the lack of a commute has given employees more time to work, this prolonged period without face-to-face interaction could be affecting relationships, communication and satisfaction. According to a recent Slack [survey](https://slack.com/blog/collaboration/report-remote-work-during-coronavirus), "nearly half of newly remote workers say that working from home has negatively affected their sense of belonging." ## Strategies / Ideas on Mitigating Culture Keeping Company Culture Strong During The Next Post-Covid-19 Phase [https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/09/25/keeping-company-culture-strong-during-the-next-post-covid-19-phase/?sh=5b3cb56070c9](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/09/25/keeping-company-culture-strong-during-the-next-post-covid-19-phase/?sh=5b3cb56070c9) - **Communicate like crazy.** It may sound clichéd to suggest that communication is the first step, but as they say, clichés become clichés because they're often true. Now is the time to err on the side of overcommunication about anything an employee might care about. According to [research](https://www.gallup.com/workplace/309170/remote-work-trends-guide-high-performance-during-covid.aspx) conducted by Gallup, "frequent conversations yield the biggest improvements in engagement. And remote workers are three times more likely to be engaged if they receive feedback from their manager at least a few times per month." ^ada6aa - Related to [[Article How Companies Are Winning on Culture During COVID-19#^01f700]] - **Pay attention to how people are feeling**. Executives and managers need to keep track of the uniquely individual circumstances that cause each employee to thrive or flounder and apply those determinations accordingly. One remote employee could be a key contributor to the company's mission, whereas another could lose focus and become unproductive. According to a [recent report](https://www.ey.com/en_be/covid-19/why-remote-working-will-be-the-new-normal-even-after-covid-19) published by EY, "company leaders should pay attention to the impact a lack of physical contact has on people. Only when employees work remotely do they fully realize the added value of physical contact." ^addaee - **• Be transparent.** Reopenings are likely to unfold in an unpredictable way that can seem scattershot to employees. Imagine if you're one of those workers who craves a return to the office but wasn't chosen to be among the 25% to initially return in a certain location — or, conversely, if you're someone who wants to stay remote but is asked to resume work in the office. It's important to be transparent with every employee about the facts and reasons behind these decisions. (Explaining the WHY behind the WHAT) ^169a76 - • **Continue to make employee well-being the top priority.** At the start of the pandemic, many companies declared that their employees' well-being was their No. 1 concern. This should not change one iota just because stay-at-home rules are being relaxed. With not just their words but their actions, organizations must continue to care about the physical and mental well-being of their employees above all else and recognize the pandemic's effect on workers' lives for the foreseeable future. (Because employee is what driving value!)