Company culture previously developed naturally within organizations, as employees worked similar in-office schedules. Repetition and familiarity helped drive a sense of community and build culture amongst team members. Organizational culture grows strong and gives team members a sense of belonging when the familiarity of an environment accompanies entertaining in-person events/activities, company swag, bonuses, and other perks. Culture is a powerful force within an organization, allowing team members to thrive and enjoy their work, which cultivates an ultimate desire to stay with the company. A sense of culture often drives an employee's loyalty to an organization. During the pandemic, working remotely became the norm and some traditional "in-person" cultural norms began to shift or fade as the team was no longer face-to-face. As company cultures began to shift in the pandemic, there was no longer a natural stronghold for employee retention, and employees began to explore opportunities outside their organizations to meet their changing needs. To avoid this migration of workers, or "Great Resignation" as we now know it, companies must focus on adapting their cultures, understanding the needs of their employees, and drilling down to the core of what is best for the business as we continue to navigate ever-changing environments.

Listening to the needs of your team

It is critical to understand the needs of the team. Understanding the new needs of all team members helps to strengthen the organization as everyone adapts to a changing culture. One way to accomplish this is by ensuring an easy way to connect between teams and team members, similar to the in-person connections teams had pre-pandemic. Organizations must focus on finding ways for team members to communicate between departments and through different levels in the organization, no matter where the team is working from. Bridging the gap can be challenging; but this remains possible with technology, where remote team members and in-person team members can connect, get to know one another, problem-solve, and have fun. For example, if part of the team is remote, or not in the office on particular days, it's important to foster communications so team members are gathering information in real time and responding to situations, problem-solving, and building relationships as a team. This allows the team to continue to build the same type of relationships through traditional work interactions that made the culture strong before the pandemic.