Create a vibrant office community in our new world of work

The opinions expressed by entrepreneurs contributors are their own.

Millions of people are working from home and have rarely been in the office for two years. As companies tried to figure out which model worked best, many decided it was the best of both worlds. It's an office environment unlike anything we've seen before, and many leaders are still scrambling to catch up.

Business leaders need to understand that the common thread between face-to-face and . A community is a collectively held concept that transcends the physical. The community can thus be the bridge between the worlds of working from home and the physical office.

So how can we create a vibrant office community to bring cohesion, engagement, and a sense of fulfillment to every member, whether they come into the office or work from home?

Don't ignore the physical world

Even with new technologies making remote work more accessible than ever, we cannot ignore the importance of the physical world.

Focusing on community and creating spaces for employees to connect face-to-face can start with . At my company, we traditionally onboard new hires individually with the person's manager. But during our last induction course, we flew new recruits for two days of orientation. They got to know each other in the flesh while having an immersive experience in our office.

It was quite an investment, yet we believe this approach will catalyze culture development, accelerate new hire onboarding, and lead to increased long-term engagement and productivity. By coming together in person, we foster connection, new ideas, and valuable opportunities for common growth.

Another physical tool for building a sense of community and belonging is corporate swag. Corporate swag has always been fun, but when you're working remotely and heading to the office much less frequently, swag can take on a whole new purpose.

A company t-shirt, a mug, or even a few stickers can be useful heuristics that remind us of where we work and the pride we feel in our brand. Even if someone works hundreds of miles away, sending something as simple as a corporate t-shirt can help people feel more connected to those they work with through a common identity. /p>

Related: The Term "Hybrid Model" Means More Than You Think

Know the whole person

The shift to remote working in 2020 has also come with a loss of human connection. As a result, there were no more quick chats at the water cooler or drinks at the bar after the office closed. You couldn't yell at your colleague in the next office, asking him to take a look at something you were working on.

The recent hybrid switch has solved this problem and brought back quick chats and impromptu meetings (albeit less frequently), but there are still people who work in the office on different days and others who are fully remote.

Now, if we want to bounce ideas off of or check on a project when our in-person days are different, we need to put aside the calendar and schedule a videoconference meeting. It transforms what was once an organic, informal interaction into something planned and formal. This creates a vicious circle because no one feels a natural inclination to schedule virtual meetings for informal dialogue. Thus, the disparity between people working inside and outside the office can quickly increase.

So what can we do? We need to ensure that our employees get to know each other on a holistic level, not just through the messages they exchange about upcoming projects. One of the ways my company tries to do this is through a Slack channel called "out of office". Everyone posts photos of their kids, pets, gardens, vacations and more here.

The better we get to know each other, the more connection and trust we cultivate. And with greater connection and trust, we can communicate more easily and create more space for spontaneous connection, creativity and innovation.

Related: How to Manage a Happy and Healthy Hybrid Workforce

Co-create behavioral expectations

One of the main jobs of a leader is to make decisions, and sometimes that has to be done unilaterally. When designing your future office community, however, there is a distinct advantage to doing so collaboratively to gain maximum buy-in.

Use a collaborative model to create office community operating principles or standards. Don't be afraid to put it all on the table by asking yourself, "What does everyone need or want to make this community the best it can be?"

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