Many assume that workplace culture is built through social events, but the reality is that culture stems more from daily work practices than from happy hours or virtual meetups. If a company’s day-to-day operations lack trust, clear values, or autonomy, no amount of social gatherings will fix that.
In remote work, the key is addressing affinity distance—the trust and interdependency among team members—before worrying about physical or operational distance. Companies with strong cultures focus on building transparency and alignment into their work processes, and from there, they can design meaningful, personalized team-building activities.
For a more detailed discussion on how companies like Groove HQ and Buffer build culture through their work practices, check out the full article HERE.
By: Elizabeth Hill, Associate Director, University of Colorado Boulder Ombuds Office and Co-editor of Ombuzz with the help of Mary Conger & ChatGPT