The FMC Future of Work series has looked at how the pandemic has changed, and is continuing to change, the world of work. From where we work, when we work and how technology helps us to work – there’s a lot that remains up in the air regarding the future of our professional lives.

England’s latest shift in coronavirus restrictions is once more advising people to work from home if they can, meaning the debate of where’s best to work has risen again. However, one thing that has always been a huge aspect of our working lives has been the people we work for and the people we work with.

A study carried out by YouGov posed the question of ‘Would you rather have a job you hate that pays well, or a job you love that pays poorly?’ – and nearly two thirds (64%) of respondents chose happiness over money.

With that in mind, how key is company culture? And what challenges does remote working bring with it when it comes to keeping that culture alive?

Not just another boring buzzword

Some people may see the ‘company culture’ phrase as the typical HR buzzword that does its rounds and is then forgotten about – but for FMC, and many other companies, it’s here to stay. Breathe HR defines company culture as “how a company cultivates business growth by offering each employee a voice, while encouraging healthy day-to-day attitudes, behaviours and work ethics.”

That’s not to say that a smashing Christmas party or a few drinks at the end of the week don’t play their part in creating this valuable culture – of course they do. But the root method of obtaining a positive working environment is to make employees feel valued, trusted and giving them a voice. Company culture truly sits at the heart of a business and should run through everything they do.

Engaging remote workers

Arguably, the pandemic and remote working has thrown a spanner into the works when it comes to building a company culture. Despite beanbags, ping pong tables and takeaway Friday’s not being the be all and end all– remote employees are likely to feel a little left out of office fun when working from home.

Given how much time you spend with your colleagues, there’s little wonder the relationships you form at work can form a key part of job satisfaction. When people are longing for the company culture they experienced in an office setting, it can often get them thinking about if the grass could be greener elsewhere. 

According to the results of our Future of Work Survey so far, 63% of respondents believe employers should work harder to engage employees who work remotely – which goes to show how important creating a culture that benefits all employees really is. This, in turn, can often promote an increased sense of loyalty.

What does FMC think?

As a recruitment company, company culture is at the heart of what FMC does in more ways than one. Not only do we pride ourselves on creating a positive working environment, but we also look to place talent within companies where people love to work.

It’s all well and good being able to impress and hire top candidates – but the work doesn’t stop there. Not only does having a strong company culture help to attract talent, but it helps to retain it too. Ultimately, employees being happy in their roles leads to an all round more productive and in turn, successful workforce.  

­­­­­­­­­­­­­The FMC Future of Work series aims to explore what the future holds for our professional lives. During the project, we’ll be providing weekly updates where we’ll be discussing different aspects of how, where and when we work.

We’re also researching what the future of work may look like for us all, and will be sharing our findings with you in the new year. We’d love to hear your thoughts – fill in the Future of Work Survey here.