I think we can all agree 2020 had some serious challenges and the start of 2021 has perhaps not been what we had expected or hoped for!
I’d like to think however that despite the adversity we have all faced, there are some positives to reflect and learn from.
We have learnt over the last year that human beings are incredibly adaptable and resilient but also how much we appreciate and value the relationships we have.
We are typically social beings so the opportunity to communicate, collaborate and work collectively together towards a common aim are often important factors in defining a company culture. Whether you sit in a home office, a corporate building, a factory, a healthcare setting, or work outdoors, things are definitely different now, but collaboration and that sense of team spirit is just as important to consider as ever.
This week is ‘Random Acts of Kindness Week” and it made me think about how when things are tough, like they have been for many of us over the last 12 months, it is sometimes those small acts of positivity, recognition, and daily interactions that mean most.
Scientific evidence shows us the positive effects of doing kind acts for others as well as receiving or even witnessing kindness happening around us - it can make the day seem a little bit brighter and the week more manageable as well as bringing people together.
There are many ways to demonstrate appreciation for colleagues from a quick ‘well done’ email or thank you note to even arranging a virtual coffee and catch-up break. These are things with minimal financial cost but go a long way to brightening someone’s day and making them feel valued not just by their colleagues but by the business.
Acts of kindness, recognition, appreciation and fostering a sense of community do however require a little more creativity nowadays, so how do businesses achieve a positive sense of culture and community during lockdown and how has company culture had to be re-defined for businesses who have shifted to a predominantly remote or hybrid workforce?
At Scantec, I’ve fully appreciated having weekly 1:1’s with my Manager, not just to discuss projects and progress but to check on how I’m doing (and also wind me up about the latest Liverpool result – I’ve maybe not appreciated that quite so much!).
We have a weekly company-wide catch up on zoom which brings the whole team together and is an opportunity to hear about the good news that’s happening across the business in each and every team as well as providing a wider company update.
Incentive schemes have been reviewed to make sure they are appropriate for our new way of working as well as holding a monthly online awards meeting to recognise performance and reward colleagues who have exceeded expectations as well as those who have demonstrated long service.
While the social calendar is a little trickier to logistically navigate during a national lockdown, this is still very much on the agenda to give employees occasions to look forward to and come together as a community.
Even small changes such as production of a new company welcome pack and induction schedule tailored for remote and hybrid working, and the introduction of peer mentors give new starters joining our business the best welcome to the team possible.
No one yet knows what the rest of 2021 will look like, but we can assume things will be very different in our workplaces to what they were a year ago and so it’s important to be adaptable, creative and remember to continue to recognise and demonstrate appreciation for your colleagues and employees. It is these small acts that can make a big impact not just to someone’s day but the wider company culture.
If you would like to hear more about the company culture we have here at Scantec and are interested in a career with us, then get in touch for a confidential discussion at clarel@scantec.co.uk
Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 14th - 20th, 2021
#ExploreTheGood #RandomActsofKindnessDay #CompanyCulture #EmployeeRecognition #Scantec
