However, turning a physical office into a digital workplace or building an entirely new telework environment, can be daunting for small-business owners. The process doesn't have to be complicated, but establishing a healthy workplace culture is essential, Josh Albrechtsen, cofounder of the healthtech firm Cortex, said.
After surveying the team on their work preferences, Albrechtsen and Riley Adamson, the founder and CEO of Cortex, decided to take the company remote in February 2022. Here are three tips for small-business owners who want to establish a successful virtual workplace, according to two entrepreneurs. When Cortex's cofounders went remote, Albrechtsen wanted to create a culture of open communication.
"It wasn't a perfect recreation of the office environment, but it did invite that small talk and chitchat that we knew we were losing by closing the office," he said. Additionally, hosting informal sessions for employees can help foster a sense of connection, Albrechtsen said."Somebody speaks for about 20 minutes in a really vulnerable way, telling their life story, often they're sharing details about trauma, their life, parents, all of it," he added."That has made the human connection, even though we're virtual, really tangible, and really can help.