49. The Culture of Remote Working

Bretton Putter is passionate about company culture and his work has brought him to focus on remote working environments. He is CEO of a culture, leadership software and service platform called CultureGene - a platform that has changed the culture-trajectory of a multitude of companies who have had to make major adjustments and changes, thanks to the current “COVID new-normal''. Brett’s knowledge stems from years of consulting and working with a multitude of leaders in business who needed guidance on tackling culture challenges in their businesses.

Brendan chats to Brett about his book “Own your Culture” - their discussion revolving around the nine best practices of a successful remote working environment. Bretton points out which practices he deems to be most critical in a hybrid or fully remote business. Interestingly, Brett also debunks the myth that “structure stifles creativity in remote working”. He also makes it clear that it isn’t just up to the CEO and management to decide on what works for everyone in terms of structure - it should be a consultative process.

If you are a leader in a business that was unexpectedly ‘forced’ into remote working thanks to the pandemic over the last year - this episode is sure to give you some tips and things to consider about your management style. Even if you have been doing everything right - chances are, you will still learn something from Brett when it comes to bettering your company culture in future. Especially since it’s becoming clear as time goes on that going back to the “old-normal” is not going to be a viable option for most businesses post-COVID.

Discussion Points:

Bretton’s background
How the book “Own Your Culture” came about
Challenges in managing culture in a newly remote working environment
Difference between remote work and the Hybrid model
Why hybrid organizations are more difficult to lead
Frustrations in hybrid culture
9 Best practices in working remotely
- Build social connections at a distance
- Create recorded processes for your business
- Focus on communication
- Document everything
- Create a structure
- Develop and nurture transparency, trust, and accountability
- Focus on results, output, and outcomes
- Customize your hiring process
- Be deliberate about your culture
Remote Recruiting processes
Advice on remote working practices
Key Takeaways from Brendan