Three Ways to Keep Corporate Culture Alive in a Socially Distanced World

What is corporate culture and why does it matter? Never in my 27 years of business has the answer to that question been more important – or more on display – than it was in 2020.

Culture is the heartbeat of an organization. If a company’s culture is strong, it can weather nearly any storm. That’s because in a strong culture, all employees understand the “why” behind what they do each and every day and use that why as the guiding principle behind the decisions they make.

As the president of my firm, I think an important part of my role is to serve as a steward of our culture. Yes, I care about the numbers. Yes, I care about the market. But none of that matters unless we keep our culture alive and thriving. 2020 certainly proved that theory.

Executives from all over the world at companies both large and small have had to make difficult decisions in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. For me, those decisions have been made easier because everyone at the decision table at our firm shared the same mindset on what is most important: People.

Putting people first, whether that’s our clients, our colleagues or our communities, has always been our North Star. It’s the foundation on which our firm was built 111 years ago and it’s guided us ever since. In short, it’s the central component of our culture.

As present-day leaders, it’s our responsibility to continue to preserve and protect that people-focused culture. But how do we keep our culture alive during a crisis – particularly when we can’t physically be together? There was no playbook to follow in 2020. No guide that laid out exactly what to do. Leaders had to chart their own path. Our approach was to go back to the basics.  

1.    Remind employees of that North Star. I’m a long-time believer in our company’s values and it’s my job as a leader to remind all employees of why we do what we do – through my words and my actions.

It’s one thing to talk about putting people first, but you also have to walk the talk. That’s how you build trust. And trust is particularly important during difficult times of great uncertainty and when it requires you to make some unpopular decisions.

Through frequent and authentic communication that clearly explained the actions we were taking, we reinforced company values and demonstrated to our employees that we truly were putting people first. Whether it was committing to no layoffs in 2020 due to COVID-19, or providing emergency school closure leave to parents, or promoting enhanced mental health resources when employees needed them most, we went out of our way to ensure employees not only heard these messages, but also felt supported.

2.    Go back to your roots. What is it about your culture that makes your organization so special? Zero in on that and find a way to do more of it!

At RBC Wealth Management, we pride ourselves on being open to honest and respectful feedback at all levels. Financial advisors know that they can reach out and call the CEO, president or head of HR directly, making our firm quite different from some of our peers.

During times of crisis, when leaders are dealing with myriad challenges, it may be tempting to pass on these difficult conversations to a delegate. But that’s just not who we are. Instead, I, along with others on our executive team, kept lines of communication open, taking calls from colleagues who felt angry, scared, grateful, and every emotion in between.

We also took the opportunity to proactively reach out to several colleagues to let them know we’re thinking about them, and give them an opportunity to share their thoughts and concerns.

It was important that our colleagues felt they could voice their concerns, and it was important for us to hear those concerns directly. 

3.    Show up – authentically. At a time when people can’t walk the halls of the office and get a feel for the culture, it’s up to leaders to make sure it’s on full display. That means going beyond telling people that they matter and that we care and actually showing them.

Rather than just call or email people, I’ve personally taken to Facetiming them or asking them to jump on a video call with me. This was initially a source of stress for some who felt they had to be camera ready for me, but now I think people have come to appreciate that I want to see them! I want to see the expressions on their face when we talk and I want them to see mine. I want to know how they are really feeling and I want them to know that they matter a great deal to me.

In 2020, rather than cancel our traditional meetings and conferences, we wanted to make sure everyone stayed informed and connected, so we held as many of our standard meetings as we could virtually. While not a perfect substitute for in-person meetings, these virtual gatherings allowed us to convey key business strategies and stay aligned. We kept things informal, but the continuity was important.

Several teams also took the opportunity to hold their own open forums where they shared best practices, what was working, and what wasn’t. The opportunity to learn and share with peers was a game-changer for many who were feeling isolated.

While culture is intangible and somewhat hard to describe, you know when it’s right. And when it’s right, leaders need to do everything in their power to maintain it. Culture is the cornerstone of any successful organization; bringing out the best in us during times of trouble and getting us prepared for brighter days ahead.

RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.