Keep Calm and Culture On

Poof, and everything changed. The approaching spring was replaced by empty streets. It is an incredibly tough time to be a business owner, an employee and a citizen, a time that is testing our society at the seams. But we have all practised for years, and deep down we know how we as fellow humans must be there for each other now, even if digitally.

I have started getting used to the kitchen in daylight, and yesterday I reached almost 3,000 steps just by walking around at home during phone calls and video meetings. We have digitalised the office, switched to check-ins and check-outs and loads of other micro-meetings online. Even workshops are held virtually.

The home office is height-adjustable too.

At the same time, we see headlines about redundancies and short-time work schemes. We see business owners and individuals across our entrepreneurial country reaching out to partners and customers, fellow humans and risk groups. From supportive Facebook groups (like Corona – help buy groceries for risk groups!) to SATS now livestreaming group workouts (see this week’s schedule here). Petter Stordalen’s moving talk that all of us business owners recognise ourselves in (see here). Or the hotel and restaurant group ESS Group’s campaign: Dubbelt Upp. It just keeps going (here is journalist Emanuel Karlsten’s round-up of heart-warming initiatives from mid-March), and by the time you read this, even more initiatives will have rolled in! It just keeps going, and it is beautiful to see.

Keep Calm and Culture On
Or rather: keep calm, culture is incredibly strong. It should be said that we too are challenged as an organisation in these uncertain times. No hugs at the office, and partners who, like us, need to slow down to analyse the situation. It is tough. But at the same time we see all the new opportunities being created. How company cultures and organisational purposes start pulsing even stronger, with new cultural activities and memories as a result. How important it is to be even closer to each other, even if digitally, when the walls at home start to feel climbable. A new time will inevitably come, both during and after corona, and we have to dare to see it.

So we reach out all our hand-sanitised hands to every company, because we believe it is together that we turn this curve upwards again. Let’s link arms!

How has your company adapted?
We want to know, and share with others. As a consequence, or perhaps a solution, Oddwork’s team has started supporting both experienced digital organisations and newcomers in going digital. Here you can read about what has been developed so far, with a clear mission to maintain employee engagement, culture and efficiency, digitally (see more here)!

This is a situation we have never experienced before, while the (digital) solutions have never been more plentiful. It is with confidence that I and all of Oddwork now roll up our sleeves to strengthen (and find strength in) the belonging that binds us all together!

Keep Calm and Culture On.

All the best,
Charles Sinclair
Head of Employer Branding
Oddwork

Want to strengthen your employer brand? Read more about how Oddwork works with employer branding.