If you are able to work from home during this challenging time, you are pretty fortunate. But the difficulty in working remotely is continuing to feel a sense of camaraderie that’s much more prevalent when you are physically surrounded by coworkers. Company culture is a highly valued component of Gate 39 Media, so here are some ways we are striving to keep our culture intact by encouraging communication, enjoyment, and fun, even while in isolation.
Morning Huddles
Every morning in the office, the Gate 39 Media team grabs their coffee and notebooks to gather for a quick check-in of what we have going on for the day. Since switching to remote work, our morning huddles have moved to virtual check-ins with Zoom. This way, we start our day seeing each other and getting connected. These huddles still include our coffee, notebooks, and brief updates. They also now feature the occasional birthday song, children and pet appearances, and different backgrounds ranging from photos of our office to photos of the beach.
Special Kudos
Our entire team is working hard, and we like to offer recognition to those who really take the extra step. Many team members, such as our Digital Marketing Specialist Jalyssa, are taking this time to continue HubSpot certifications and educational courses. We like to showcase these accomplishments on social media as well as in our meetings. Each Friday during our morning huddle, we open the floor for team members to share kudos with one another. These small thanks go a long way in keeping morale high.
Dedicated Channels
Communication apps like Microsoft Teams include the option to create multiple channels within a team. Since the shift to working remotely, we have made several new channels specifically designed for this time. Some of these new channels include dedicated COVID-19 updates, helpful tips for working from home and staying safe, a daily fun fact with accompanying gifs, and “fun stuff” which can include discussions on anything from funny YouTube videos to childhood throwback photos to what we’re watching on Netflix (for at least a few of us, it’s Love Is Blind.)
Virtual Fun
We are planning to schedule a virtual happy hour, as this is something Gate 39 does occasionally on Fridays in the office. It’s a nice and fun way to continue feeling connected with each other, completely removed from the goal of productivity. Positivity is a critical component of company culture year-round, and it’s more important than ever to take the extra time to think of ways to keep connected with one another. So, grab a beer, choose a fun background image, and get happy for an hour!
These are just some of the ways Gate 39 is stepping it up to maintain a sense of company culture and community. We’re dedicated to our #workingremotely series, which include important tips and tricks for working from home in addition to the inclusion of activities like a crossword puzzle for some mental exercise.
Let us know what your company is doing to keep morale up during this time and share any fun virtual meeting photos you have using the hashtags #workingremotely and #gate39media.
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About the Author: Carolyn Beatty
Carolyn Beatty is the Client Services Manager at Gate 39 Media. She provides ongoing support for and fosters ongoing relationships with clients by combining open communication, transparency, empathy, and geniality in all interactions.
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