What is a company culture? Is it a set of values that are printed in your employee handbook that are learned at the point of onboarding? Is it your company’s unique approach to its operational practices? Or is it simply casual dress Fridays and ping pong tables?

Company culture goes beyond a printed list of values or a set of physical signifiers. It encompasses everything to do with why your company does what it does in the unique way it does it. It’s the sum total of your values and behaviours. But as more and more businesses join the hybrid revolution, what are the implications for their company cultures?

We look at how embracing the hybrid way of working can enrich your company culture and improve the working lives of the people within your organisation.

The importance of company culture

Whatever the size, scope and nature of your business, a strong company culture is fundamental to success. Many companies do the same thing, but it’s the ‘how’ that separates the highest-performing companies from the rest.

In a fast-changing commercial landscape, company culture empowers organisations to adapt well to change and thrive on transformation. Meanwhile, research by McKinsey demonstrates that 70% of transformational failures are due to culture-related issues.

Unhealthy cultures, on the other hand, can actively hamper a company’s adaptability. They can foster low benchmarks for performance and cause people to feel disconnected from their work and their employers.

In the current landscape, with fierce competition for talent and retention a priority, a strong company culture is arguably as important as it's ever been. Research by HR Review shows a rise of 8.7% in employee turnover since 2019 with turnover rates expected to exceed 35% in this year.

According to Forbes, a toxic company culture is ‘the number one reason people consider leaving a job’. If your company doesn’t take active steps to address its company culture now, the human and talent costs to the business could be severe.

Can growth impact a company’s culture?

Maintaining a healthy company culture is easier for modest businesses with small but closely-knit teams. However, as companies grow, maintaining that culture can be a challenge.

The shared set of beliefs and values that make up a company’s culture can be harder to maintain as more individuals join the workforce, the company takes on a larger operational workload, and the company is spread over more operating locations.

How hybrid can help

The role of hybrid working in perpetuating a strong company culture may not seem obvious at first glance. But strong company cultures are built not on proximity but intentionality and action. Employees need not share a physical location to share the same values, ideals and standards.

In the wake of the pandemic, more and more companies have learned the value of cultivating company cultures that extend beyond the walls of company HQ. Company cultures are upheld by people, and hybrid working inherently puts those people first.

Here are some of the tangible ways in which hybrid helps to build a stronger company culture. 

Top candidates are looking for hybrid working opportunities

The right people are a fundamental building block of any company culture. The kind of people who respect, appreciate and embody the values and ideals your company was built upon. And workers have clearly demonstrated that most people want to work the hybrid way.

Our research shows that 87% of employees would prefer to work for a company that offers hybrid working arrangements.

Hybrid also helps businesses to attract a more diverse array of top talent. This can also benefit company cultures by bringing a broader range of perspectives, more creative voices, and a deeper understanding of your clientele.

Meaningful personal interactions

Working locally need not preclude employees from meaningful interactions with their peers. Hybrid workspaces are designed specifically to encourage colleagues to interact in meaningful ways, as meeting rooms, break-out areas, and other purpose-built spaces ensure employees can collaborate in ways that are both productive and satisfying. Moreover, shared working areas lend themselves to networking with like-minded individuals from other departments and businesses.

These interactions are crucial in embodying and strengthening your company culture.

Emphasis on personal health and wellbeing

Hybrid working is designed to put the health and wellbeing of employees above all, empowering them to better take care of themselves inside and outside of work. As well as providing the requisite flexibility for a healthy work-life balance, hybrid working frees up more time that would otherwise be spent commuting. This makes it much easier to prepare a healthy lunch, go for a walk or jog, or take a trip to the gym.

Hybrid is also conducive to asynchronous working, enabling employees to work in the hours when they are at their most productive, and enabling them to spend quality time with family and friends.

Eliminates unhealthy cultural practices

Finally, as well as being conducive to healthy cultural practices, hybrid also helps to eliminate those that are less healthy. Practices like presenteeism and 'productivity theatre' are still very common in non-hybrid working environments. Employees can become far more preoccupied with looking busy than actually being busy. Hybrid working eliminates the need for this by giving employees more personal autonomy over their working hours and self-organisation.

Regus facilities are designed to help businesses use hybrid to its full potential in perpetuating a positive company culture. And with 3,500 locations across over 120 countries, there’s always a flexible workspace within easy reach. Get in touch today to see what we can do for you.