Research shows that 58% of employees feel disconnected from their company culture in remote settings (Gallup), leading to frustration, miscommunication, and often mistrust. You might resonate with some of these statements:
- “I feel micromanaged.”
- “I’m connected to some people, but not the team as a whole.”
- “I’m not clear on what my priorities should be.”
These frustrations don’t just arise from what others are doing—they’re often linked to unclear expectations, unaligned values, or a lack of intentional connection.
But there’s good news: while it’s harder for culture to “just happen” in hybrid teams, it’s much easier to shape it with intention. Every member of the team changes the culture by how they show up. “Showing up” can mean making a moment or two to talk with others when you’re in the office, how (and when) you reply to work messages, what preparation and engagement you bring to video meetings and work calls.
But you are here to work, not to build a utopia. The solution is not to put in all kinds of extra effort, but rather to redirect a small part of your efforts to what will build trust with each other. It’s small things that help others understand (and respect!) you, and help you understand (and respect!) others.
“Trust is built in very small moments.” – Brené Brown, Dare to Lead
Every person you are working with has values that drive why they show up the way they do. When people talk about team culture, it’s not a homogenous thing. Just like the image on this screen is made up of many different coloured pixels, the culture of your company and your team is made up of what everyone is bringing individual humans.
What are you bringing to it? Do you think people know that about you? Part of being understood, respected, and trusted is about expressing yourself (the values that drive you) in ways your team sees and hears consistently.
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Think about your team members. What values do they seem to be driven by? How might these values enrich your team?
It’s pretty normal for this to be easier when thinking about some people than others. That’s one of the nice things about work: you don’t need to be best friends with all your coworkers. But each of those humans has something real going on in their life. They might not be behaving in ways that show their values clearly yet. But each of you working on that in small ways over the next four weeks will not only help you all find work less frustrating, you might be surprised at how much being a part of this team begins to feel different. Maybe even energizing.
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Reflecting on and communicating your values isn’t just about improving your own experience—it’s about respecting your team enough to give them the chance to have a better experience too. This week, consider what you bring to the team, and what you wish to be respected for, and get curious about your team members.