These are unprecedented times. My guess is many of your employees are working from home full time or at least part of the time. To maintain physical distancing, many companies have adopted Zoom or other technology solutions to support their business. Doing that is like running with scissors- too much technology can ruin your culture. There were benefits to the “old” way of doing things, or you wouldn’t have done them. Don’t let technology ruin your culture.
Zoom might solve a communication problem, but it won’t do much to support camaraderie. Asana might work to help you manage tasks, but your work devolves into closing tasks assigned to you with little employee engagement.
WebEx sales calls might allow you to be in front of your customers, but there is nothing like a firm handshake to cement a deal. There is excitement in the effort to travel to a location, build rapport, and then close a deal. That is harder to generate using technology.
Tip 1–Make sure everyone understands the company goals
This is one reason a management system is important to have in place. It provides the backbone for the actions and decision-making process of the company. The management system should be reviewed frequently so employees keep the bigger picture in mind.
Do you think that sports teams show up at training camp and set their goals to finish the season in the last place? I doubt it. They want to win the world series, Super Bowl, Stanley Cup, or whatever championship is in their league. Your employees want to win. Remind them periodically how to do that.
Tip 2- Realize technology won’t solve all your problems
It’s easy to think the latest technology will solve all of your problems. That’s what gets published and spread around. The reality is your people will drive your business, not technology. Technology might make workflows more efficient, but people still have to interpret data and provide the decision-making process.
People do business with people. Make sure you are investing in your human capital. Provide incentives. Sponsor small gatherings where local employees can meet and engage with each other. Ask your employees what they would like to see regarding increasing employee engagement.
Tip 3- Over-communicate
It might seem trivial to communicate with employees on the smallest things. They are looking for anything that can connect them to others in the company and to the company itself. If you have small in-person gatherings, take pictures and share them on the intranet.
Let everyone know when the sales team closes a deal. Share positive feedback from customers. Share anything that lets employees know how the business is performing. When left on their own to wonder how things are going, they might not have the most positive thoughts. Counter that by sharing and sharing some more! Do this and you won’t let technology ruin your culture.
As always, it is an honor to serve you, and I hope that you and your company are getting better every day!
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