Landing Point kicked off The Future of Work virtual workshop series with behavioral scientist Matt Wallaert, who shared strategies for building culture in hybrid office environments.
Key Principles for Hybrid Culture
Define Desired Behaviors
- Senior leadership needs to get specific about the behaviors they want to promote—these behaviors ultimately shape culture.
- Recognize that remote and in-office experiences are distinct; a hybrid culture isn’t about replicating the in-office experience remotely. It’s about creating shared behaviors that work in each environment while producing the same cultural outcome.
Design for Inclusion and Shared Joy
- Hybrid culture is about fostering inclusion and connection, not fairness. Equal outcomes may require unequal inputs (e.g., a work-from-home stipend for remote employees).
- Focus on creating moments of joy and shared experience for both in-office and remote employees.
Steps to Shape Behavior and Culture
1. Identify the Target Population
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Whose behavior are you trying to influence? In-office employees, remote employees, or both?
2. Define Specific Behaviors
Use this framework:
When [population] wants to [motivation], and they [limitations], they will [behavior] (as measured by [data]).
Example: When employees want to add value, and they have their video on, a mic, and good internet, they will speak up in a virtual meeting (measured by the percent of attendees who talk for more than a minute).
3. Identify Promoting and Inhibiting Pressures
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Promoting pressures encourage desired behaviors:
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Peer recognition
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Demonstrating value and attention
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Showing involvement
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Inhibiting pressures block behaviors:
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Lack of clarity around roles
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Time needed to think before speaking
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Fear of talking over others
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Example solution: Provide a detailed agenda for meetings and clearly define roles to remove inhibiting pressures. Tie desired behaviors to measurable outcomes and rewards to increase promoting pressures.
4. Design Hybrid-Specific Behaviors
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Don’t replicate in-office behaviors remotely. Instead, create separate behaviors for remote work that achieve the same cultural goals.
Example: Fostering connection with the CEO:
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In-office: Serendipitous encounters provide immediate gratification.
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Remote: CEO can send personal Slack messages or host virtual “Ask Me Anything” sessions.
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Reduce friction for the CEO by using templated messages, making it easy to maintain the intended culture.
The Point
Creating culture in a hybrid office is a challenge, but it ultimately comes down to being specific about the behaviors you want employees to exhibit, increasing and promoting pressures while removing inhibiting pressures, and tailoring approaches separately for in-office and remote workers. By designing behaviors intentionally, organizations can foster inclusion, connection, and shared joy—shaping the culture they want to see across the hybrid workplace.