INSIGHTs & INTUITION

How does your organization keep remote employees engaged and active in culture initiatives?

Odney provides an environment for employees that encourages them to do their best work, which includes hiring remote employees. We have monthly team meetings to keep us engaged and involved, and all employees are part of the employee “STAR” recognition program. Remote employees are also welcome to be in the Culture Club. We are invited to client meetings, team building activities, employee celebrations and to spend a day in the office for face-to-face interaction. It’s great to work in my sweatpants some days, but it’s even better to work with a talented team that truly cares about what they do.

Our culture is one of our best assets, so keeping it strong is a big deal. We take full advantage of technology like video conferencing and video chat for training and other meetings, so we get the feeling of connecting face to face. Hearing and seeing someone fuels a comradery that email can’t. We also plan culture-building activities and events that can be played out at any location. Our United Way campaign is a great example. Everyone is encouraged to join the fun, and we share all of the moments on social media, so employees feel a sense of connection, whether they’re in Fargo, Sioux Falls or Omaha.

AE2S

GRAND FORKS

At the heart of AE2S is a workforce that thrives on delivering seamless “extreme client service” across many locations. With our innate ability to build lasting relationships, a focus on inclusion is only natural. We achieve this by harnessing a variety of technology channels that not only allow for increased communication and collaboration but also brings us together to celebrate successes, learn from each other, or simply sit down for coffee with the CEO virtually. Connecting on a regular basis successfully drives inclusion and has resulted in a workforce that genuinely feels they are part of something much bigger than themselves, regardless of their location.

HUMAN

This year, Kilbourne Group is embarking on its first remote team member relationship. Intentional connectivity is paramount to engagement and will be accomplished using the latest technology. Videoconferencing and screen-sharing will allow team meeting participation. Engaging on a personal level will occur through satisfaction surveys, group chat, regular visits back to Fargo and our internal social media group. This remote employment relationship is a wonderful opportunity for us to learn about and explore another community’s success with downtown revitalization.

Mission and Values – Our mission and values are the foundation of our culture, so we prominently post them in all offices to keep them top of mind for everyone.

Video Conferencing – We use it almost daily.

Internal Committees – Internal committees include members from all offices. It helps us feel part of the same team, especially when we’re celebrating accomplishments.

Intranet – Our Intranet is an important tool for sharing news, stories and photos. Our team works hard to balance the number of activities we report from all offices.

Face-to-Face – Senior leaders make quarterly visits to all offices.

DATA PROVIDED BY DAVID FLYNN , CHAIR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS. REACH HIM AT DAVID.FLYNN@BUSINESS.UND.EDU