Fostering a positive culture in the age of hybrid work

Steve Lovig, senior HR consultant at Flex HR and self-described 'Captain HR,' discusses how organizations can foster positive culture in hybrid and remote work environments. Lovig brings over 25 years of experience in human capital management, having held leadership roles at GE Capital, Kaplan, and a nationwide mortgage company before joining Flex HR in July 2023.

**Overview** Post-pandemic, hybrid and remote work have become permanent workplace fixtures. However, organizations struggle to enforce office return policies without clear justification. Lovig emphasizes that simply stating "we're paying for this beautiful office" is insufficient. According to a Forbes survey cited in the discussion, only 9% of employees want all-office schedules, 59% prefer hybrid, and 32% want fully remote work.

**Office Return Justification** Lovig advocates for explaining specific reasons for in-office requirements: team collaboration, stronger bonds, immediate resource access, trust-building, and mentoring new employees. He notes that three days in the office—particularly Tuesday through Thursday—often emerges as a viable compromise. However, he warns against complete employee flexibility in choosing office days, as this can undermine collaboration if team members work remotely on different days.

**Essential Technologies** For hybrid success, companies need communication tools (Microsoft Teams, Slack), document collaboration platforms (SharePoint, Google Docs/Drive), and recognition technology. Lovig specifically discusses Gusto, a recognition platform offering social media-like features and integration with over a thousand vendors for employee rewards. He emphasizes that low-cost gestures—handwritten notes and thank-you letters sent to employees' homes addressing spouses and children—remain powerful for making employees feel valued.

**Onboarding and Culture Integration** Lovig identifies onboarding as critical for retention and transmitting corporate culture. He recommends ensuring all parties remain on camera during virtual onboarding, with department manager follow-ups on day one and HR check-ins on day five. For new workforce entrants, training should cover soft skills, business etiquette, HR policies (PTO, sick leave), IT support, and workplace safety procedures.

**Maintaining Hybrid Culture** Communication is identified as the single most important element. Suggested practices include employee resource groups for feedback, virtual coffee breaks, leadership visibility through office hours and one-on-one check-ins, virtual lunch-and-learns, wellness programs, and community volunteering. Lovig emphasizes listening closely to employee needs—noting that reported desires (e.g., PTO) may mask actual needs (e.g., schedule flexibility).

**Generative AI in the Workplace** Lovig addresses growing use of ChatGPT and Google Bard. He stresses that companies must develop AI policies through partnerships with IT, legal, and compliance. A Gartner 2023 survey revealed that 19% of employees used generative AI despite organizational prohibition, suggesting policies alone are insufficient without education and enforcement. Responsible use includes restricting verbatim AI output usage and protecting confidential information. Lovig acknowledges that, like workplace dating policies, AI use will occur regardless, so companies should establish clear guidelines rather than rely on prohibition.

**Takeaways** Hybrid work requires explicit justification beyond office costs. Three-day office schedules can balance collaboration and flexibility. Strong onboarding is vital for retention. Recognition—formal and informal, including handwritten notes—drives satisfaction. Communication and leadership visibility are non-negotiable. AI policies must include education and enforcement; prohibition alone is unrealistic. Understanding employees' underlying needs requires active listening.