Rooting for the (Work From) Home Team
You’re probably sick of hearing that life is weird these days. Because:
- yes, it is
- ‘these days’ have now gone on for years and
- there’s not a damned thing we can do about it except adapt and keep going.
In the workplace—itself an outdated word—change is the new normal. Can we telecommute? If so, how often? Are important meetings held via Zoom/Teams or around a table? What tasks can be managed remotely, via messaging, or need to be done IRL? Offices, both virtual and in-person, are changing but the key fundamentals are annoyingly timeless.
Back in the days when you could smoke on airplanes, women were relegated to the secretarial pool, and you could buy property with a single income, this is where someone in a highly flammable polyester suit would speechify about Corporate Culture. But building strong, beneficial rapport and a healthy work environment is more than just coffee runs with your #workhusband, trust me.
Be A Fruit Loop, Not A Cheerio
Whether you’re in the office full-time, part-time, or never, it’s important to feel like part of the team. Camaraderie doesn’t have to include flashbacks of your assigned high school chemistry partner. But knowing that everyone shares the same goals helps keep spirits bright. Especially if those goals are company success = Christmas bonus.
Now industry insiders would hijack this paragraph to segue into crap about building relationships, fostering trust, virtual icebreakers, and get-to-know-you activities. Face it, in many jobs, you’ll hide behind a tall coworker in sessions like these. And I’m not going to say “But they have their benefits and serve a valuable role…” because they’re almost always awkward as hell. HOWEVER, knowing that employees can openly communicate, learn, share, and grow is important to a healthy culture.
You should feel free to ask questions (even ones that feel dumb) without drama. You should feel free to run ideas by coworkers without drama. You should feel free to ask for help or clarification—and know who is able to provide that guidance—without drama. Building a strong workplace culture is Fruit Loops, not Cheerios. Your unique purple-ness is celebrated within any successful cereal family.
Collab Like Dolly
But the aforementioned industry insiders aren’t the only ones who can fracture office culture. A lack of transparency, organization, guidance, training, and communication can drive a wedge into work relationships. Employees should have the freedom and opportunity to celebrate accomplishments, encourage those who struggle, and collaborate when stumped.
When Dolly Parton first heard Whitney Houston’s remake of I Will Always Love You, she was driving home from work. [Now, for the record, Dolly’s bittersweet movie version is heartbreakingly lovely #IMHO. But Whitney’s version is, well, c’mon….] But Saint Dolly’s reaction is what savvy employers should dream about, pine for, and work towards 24/7.
In an interview with Oprah, Dolly recalls “When that opened up, and I realized that was my song, it was the most overwhelming thing…I was shot so full of adrenaline and energy, I had to pull off because I was afraid that I would wreck, so I pulled over quick as I could to listen to that whole song. I could not believe how she did that. I mean, how beautiful it was that my little song had turned into that, so that was a major, major thing.”
Of course there’s a flip side. You’re in a bad collab culture, says LinkedIn, when there are frequent miscommunications, disproportionate workloads, more ‘I’ than ‘we,’ people can’t give and take feedback OR take responsibility/accept mistakes, lack empathy, and bail when the going gets tough.
Work/Life Balance Means Limiting #Hustle After Hours
At the end of the day, corporate culture isn’t much different than being on a team or part of a family. But—and I’ll say this loud for people in the back—it’s ok to cringe just the tiniest bit at the idea of #workfamily. You don’t need to pair bond with your teammates or attend social functions (IRL or online) if you don’t feel like it. At least when starting out, aim for coworkers, not #besties.
And also know that it’s ok to set boundaries. You don’t have to answer emails after hours…honest. You also don’t have to talk politics, religion, or anything unrelated to work. Remote employees, freelancers, and gig workers understand the importance of #hustle but remember: it’s just a job, and work/life balance is crucial. Life is weird enough; we might as well tackle the 9 to 5 together.
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