If you’re one of the managers who’s felt crippled in your ability to maintain office culture over the last year, you’re not alone.
According to author Jon Levy, most organizations are feeling the same thing.
It is clear that we are not designed to be alone.
Our levels of oxytocin, a hormone that is released during moments of togetherness — such as hugging — also increase when we enjoy a team success or even when we march in unison. Our species evolved in communities, and we survived because we worked together.
The companies that create the greatest sense of belonging are the ones that people stay at for years.
It is hard to create a sense of community and a culture of belonging at a distance, but it’s even harder when employees have dramatically different home lives and may have never even met the rest of the team.
Real estate has always been more remote than other industries, and the pendulum swung even further towards remote work in the last year.
Levy argues it may now be bumping against the limits of human nature.
If you’re one of the companies who has maintained physical offices and grew your culture based on physical connections, don’t give up quite yet.
The pendulum may soon be swinging back your way.
