WLP352 The Impact of Remote Work on Culture and Collaboration
Today’s guest is Linda Redell, Head of Talents and Culture at the hybrid company Homelike. With a diverse workforce spread across multiple countries, Linda and her team are responsible for maintaining the company culture and employee well-being. The shift to remote work has brought challenges and opportunities, with a focus on creating spaces for physical interaction, revamping onboarding, and fostering engagement.
Homelike, a company founded in Cologne, Germany, is about to celebrate its tenth anniversary. Initially an office-based company, Homelike began questioning this approach after the pandemic as people's preferences about their work location had evolved. With approximately 90 people, spread across 7 countries, representing more than 20 nationalities, and a young average age, Homelike has embraced a diverse and dynamic workforce.
Currently, Homelike operates as a remote-first company, although this stance may change in the future. Employees are located in various countries, with some hired through employers of record. This setup has led to some feelings of isolation, prompting Linda and her colleagues to explore ways to create physical spaces for people to come together.
Homelike is structured into five pillars, each with its own strategies: supply, tech product, b2b, operations, and Linda's team, which serves all departments. Linda and three other colleagues are responsible for everything related to the company's people and culture. (They have a lot on their plate!) Linda dedicates a significant amount of time to meeting with people, discovering what's really happening, and gauging how people are feeling. In a remote environment, this requires a more deliberate approach as there is no shared physical space to assess "the vibe" - she might even find herself fixing the office coffee machine!
When the pandemic hit, Linda was already part of the Homelike team. Although the company was technologically prepared, with many processes already digitised, the shift in how people interacted within the company was significant. The transition from a lively, buzzing office to working from home was quite noticeable.
Moving forward has been a process of trial and error. While people enjoyed working from home, the leadership initially asked some teams to return to the office, but not others. This created a sense of inequality, leading to encouragement for everyone to utilise the spacious (and expensive) office. Ultimately, however, the company decided to go fully remote.
At that time, 80% of employees were based in Germany, with a few working from coworking spaces in Spain, France, and the UK. Following a merger with a more global company, Homelike now has employees in Brazil and other countries. This development aligns with the commitment to full remote work and has expanded the talent pool accessible to Homelike in Germany, no longer limited to Cologne-based individuals.
Adapting to Remote Work
As part of the transition to fully remote work, Homelike reduced its office space and began hiring new employees with remote contracts. One of Linda's responsibilities was to assess what else needed to change to create a culture suitable for a remote setup, including communication, onboarding, and engagement.
Linda Redell
The onboarding experience now begins before new hires join the company. During the interview and recruitment process, candidates start meeting potential colleagues to gain a comprehensive understanding of the company. They receive written materials, videos, and presentations on the company's working principles, and Homelike maintains an open blog where employees share their experiences. New recruits are also featured in the internal newsletter to introduce them to the rest of the team.
Linda collaborates closely with managers to understand how people are feeling and reaches out to individuals via Slack and meetings. Linda and her team frequently meet with new hires to ensure they're settling in well. They also conduct engagement surveys, sometimes more than once a year. Exit interviews provide valuable insights, as people are often very open once they've decided to leave. These interviews also present an opportunity to inquire if the job's office-based, hybrid, or remote nature influenced their decision to move on.
Linda and her team have experimented with various get-togethers, such as online yoga sessions to start the day, coffee chats for people to meet others they wouldn't normally interact with, and monthly theme-based evenings. While these events were initially popular, interest has begun to wane. Additionally, some of these events are hybrid, resulting in a very different experience for the two sets of participants. The next step may be to organise more in-person events, similar to those voluntarily arranged by some employee groups.
One approach Homelike plans to try is encouraging teams to come together in person every three months or so. (While co-located teams have traditionally held annual retreats, remote teams may benefit from more frequent gatherings. It's not just about being together in person, but also about having focused time together. - Pilar)
Learning and Growth at Homelike
Learning and growth are important aspects of the Homelike culture. With an abundance of learning resources available, the company focuses on self-driven learning. However, this doesn't preclude formal learning opportunities. Homelike has an internal Academy, with most sessions led by internal experts (including one of the Managing Directors), covering a wide range of topics such as leadership training (open to all) and AI.
(This approach is an excellent way to connect everyone in the company and provide visibility to various individuals. - Pilar)
Homelike also hosts an online "demo day," combining business updates with team updates, allowing people to stay informed about happenings across the organisation. Recently, some of these sessions have taken on a more informal tone, encouraging people to share quirky anecdotes and personal stories, including instances where they've made mistakes. This contributes to fostering a culture of experimentation through the facilitation of these activities.
As Homelike prepares to celebrate its 10-year anniversary with a grand party, Linda is excited about the future. She looks forward to travelling to the new locations where the company is expanding and is curious about what the future holds for office-based and remote-based work. While remote work is likely to remain prevalent, the question is how it will evolve in practice.
Connect with Linda Redell on LinkedIn.
Find our more about Homelike nd what it’s like working there: www.thehomelike.com
If you like the podcast, you'll love our monthly round-up of inspirational content and ideas:
(AND right now you’ll get our brilliant new guide to leading through visible teamwork when you subscribe!)