Currently many employers and employees, across different jobs and industries, are experiencing an unfamiliar way of working. Of course, the protection of health forces us to do so, but working from home undergoes unprecedented popularity. No surprise that there is also increased discussion about what opportunities we could derive from the present situation. At ORCA van Loon, as consultants and communicators, we also try to be aware of opportunities that come up during the pandemic. Many companies, including ours, are facing major challenges. Of course, these include the technical equipment but also the ongoing attempt to transport our sense of corporate community into our individual homes. And let’s assume that work becomes more mobile permanently, what does that mean for the "team"?
Even in a worn-out book there are still many pages to read
At this point, we revisit an old friend among organizational and communications experts: corporate culture. Admittedly, this term comes across like a well-used book, which has been read many times before, yet still remains so relevant that it keeps coming up. Because, what seems simple at the surface is actually complex, difficult to define and has a direct impact on the company’s success.
Generally, corporate culture describes social processes or the spirit of the company. It determines what is more or less collectively seen, done, felt and judged. Corporate culture is created primarily through communication and interaction. Its functions lie primarily in the creation of order and orientation as well as in the communication of a purpose.
The fact that culture does not change spontaneously, even after weeks of working from home, is in the nature of things. Nevertheless, we at ORCA van Loon have taken a closer look and asked ourselves whether this clear break leaves any traces for us? And what can we learn from this?
Only 44 percent feel a change – so far?
As part of an internal survey, we asked our colleagues to write down their current evaluation of the situation and we received some surprising answers:
2/3 perceive the current ways of working as challenging
56% see collaboration remaining the same
The majority plans to work from home more frequently
In addition to the bare count, we openly asked for their assessment of various topics. Concerning the question of how collaboration is experienced at ORCA van Loon, two main categories in this survey could be identified: The quality of work and the sense of community. By means of the first category the quality if work was described as being thorough, committed, passionate as well as professional. All qualities that can generally be accomplished by an individual. The second, on the other hand, was strongly related to facets of interaction and communication with one another: warm interactions, a sense of togetherness, short, quick and often in-person exchanges, as well as uncomplicated arrangements in the office. Some of these aspects are clearly not feasible at the present moment. And yet only about half of our employees see any change at all when it comes to collaboration. This raises several questions: Can good collaboration experienced subjectively regardless of location? Can mobile communication permanently replace an immediate and in-person exchange?
None of these questions can be answered conclusively here, but at least it becomes clear that there is more to this topic. Among those who describe a change in collaboration, there is an increased reference to the fact that the relationship to the team changes, communication becomes more drawn-out and, in some cases, inhibition towards short exchanges can build up. A prioritization of different communication channels also showed: Face-to-face communication among colleagues is almost unanimously perceived as the most important. Whereas direct and personal communication with clients, on the other hand, is not prioritized as clearly. Telephone calls and e-mails used as mobile communication channels follow closely. One possible reason for this evaluation: We usually sit in the same office with our colleagues, but not with our clients. However, regarding the fact that we are working from home more frequently now, we also have fewer opportunities to see our colleagues face to face at the moment. This might not only be suggested by our survey but simply takes the global and technical developments into account. A shift of perception might be possible in the future.
This change in working methods does not seem to be entirely unwelcome though, at least not among the colleagues that were surveyed. Therefore, two other categories can also be derived from the open survey on the challenges and opportunities concerning the Corona pandemic: success and design. A large number of respondents named facets related to economic uncertainty and business success. Both aspects were assessed as challenging and an opportunity for new projects. In addition, design provides insight into how we work. Here, the lack of face-to-face exchange and the increased digital exchange are both seen as challenging. At the same time, a new form of team spirit, openness of mind and a digitalization boost were described as opportunities.
Corporate culture has one job: It needs to fit
Up to this point, we still owe an answer to the in-depth question of whether corporate culture changes when all colleagues work from home. Our self-test itself, which is neither scientific nor representative, will not be able to provide an answer. In combination with our decades of experience and expertise as communicators though, we can at least offer a thesis:
Permanent remote working solutions would change the expression of a corporate culture, but the underlying values remain the same – if they still fit. In the long term though, new values and norms would develop, in case mobile working posed new challenges to the company.
This thesis is based on the understanding, that there is no such thing as a generally good or bad corporate culture. It is seen as "good" when it fits with the respective company and consists of collective solutions for challenges. When new challenges arise, the old values are tested, and in some cases new solutions are developed that will fit better. If these prove successful, they are adapted by the company and become factual over time.
Managing executives can only intervene to a limited extent in this process, but they can try to understand the corporate culture, express suitable values and socialize new employees. At the same time, they can demonstrate, live and enable new ways of solving problems during times of change. All this results from communication and interaction, as described in the beginning. We, as communicators and consultants, are asked and reminded to consciously perceive our work as part of a corporate culture.
All in all, this account shows that we are unlikely to preserve an existing corporate culture, at least in all of its facets, in the long term. But by means of an ever-changing environment, coming to a standstill as a company should not be the goal either.
Sources
Schein, Edgar Henry (1995): Unternehmenskultur. Ein Handbuch für Führungskräfte.
Wien, Andreas/Franzke, Normen (2014): Unternehmenskultur. Zielorientierte Unternehmensethik als entscheidender Erfolgsfaktor.
Sackmann, Sonja (2017): Unternehmenskultur. Erkennen – Entwickeln – Verändern.
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