How to Build a Strong Company Culture in Hybrid and Remote Work Setups
- Aurelia Hack
- Sep 24
- 3 min read
Reading time: approx. 6–8 minutes
Do you know this feeling? In the past, there was that quick chat at the coffee machine, the spontaneous hallway conversation, the friendly smile across the office.
Today, half of the team works from home, and the other half only comes into the office once a week.
The result? Connections weaken, culture becomes diluted, and mental strain increases.
But hybrid and remote work don’t have to lead to isolation.
On the contrary: when designed consciously, company culture can become even stronger — because we start paying more attention to relationships, communication, and psychological safety.
How Remote and Hybrid Work Impact Company Culture
Research shows that hybrid work models can actually support mental health — but only when culture is intentionally cultivated:
IWG Study 2025: Hybrid work reduces 36% of sick days and 70% of stress-related symptoms.
Tkalich et al. (arXiv, 2022): Psychological safety suffers when spontaneous interactions disappear — regular in-person meetings can offset this.
The European: Hybrid employees report higher happiness and less stress compared to fully remote teams — fully remote setups carry higher risks.
Bottom line: In hybrid and remote environments, culture doesn’t just happen — it needs intentional design.
The Most Common Culture Pitfalls in Remote Settings
Lack of informal contact → Employees start feeling isolated.
Asynchronous communication → Misunderstandings and frustrations arise.
Unclear rules → Who’s available when? Who makes which decisions?
That’s why we need new ways to make culture visible and tangible — even from a distance.
Tools & Ideas: How to Strengthen Company Culture Remotely
Tool 1: Cultural Sync Days (monthly, in-person or hybrid)
Dedicate one day per month for the entire team to be together — physically or virtually.Use these days intentionally for:
Retrospectives to discuss challenges
Celebrating shared successes
Cultural rituals (e.g. team lunches, values workshops)
Tool 2: The Virtual Watercooler (5 minutes per week)
Create digital spaces for spontaneous interactions:
Random 1:1 matches via Slack or Teams
Short coffee chats without work topics
Emoji-based mood check-ins during the week
These micro-moments of connection help rebuild what remote work often takes away.
Tool 3: The Remote Ritual Map (ongoing)
Co-create a set of digital rituals that bring your team closer together, such as:
“Photo of the Day” in the team chat
Weekly shout-outs during video calls
Virtual mindfulness breaks to support mental health
Because visibility creates closeness.
The 3D Culture Model for Hybrid Teams
To thrive remotely, culture needs to be designed, dosed, and discussed:
Dimension 1 – Dose It Right
Find the right balance between remote productivity and social closeness.
Dimension 2 – Design Touchpoints
Structure your hybrid interactions deliberately:
When is in-person presence essential?
Where do you need dedicated spaces for informal exchange?
Dimension 3 – Enable Dialogue
Create regular check-ins about mental health and wellbeing:
1:1 conversations between managers and team members
Team-wide pulse surveys to track morale
Open forums to address workload and emotional strain
Conclusion: Hybrid and remote work are not culture killers — but only if we intentionally shape the way we connect, communicate, and collaborate.
If you want your company culture to positively impact happiness, performance, and belonging — even from a distance — let’s talk.
In my keynotes, I show leaders and teams how to strengthen psychological safety and mental health in hybrid and remote environments.
💭 Reflection questions to take away:
Which spontaneous interactions does your team miss most — and how could you recreate them digitally?
When was the last time you openly talked about mental health as a team?
Which small rituals could you introduce to strengthen remote connection starting this week?
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