COVID certainly poses challenges when organisations try to maintain their company culture – especially when it was thriving previous to COVID.
Yes the world has changed, and like most, we’ve changed with it. With flexible work locations (when not compelled to stay home), and flexible hours, maintaining that interaction can be a little harder despite what technology can do.
At GBS, we still have our Friday beer/drinks session (sometimes known as “Air Libya” – for reasons that take too long to explain – but generally Air Libya is called when one of the Directors is thirsty earlier in the day). At these events, we sometimes have a theme – which means dress up – with varying degrees of weird and wonderful. It has proved as light-hearted relief amongst strenuous times, and allowed the team to check in with each other and provide support when and if needed. It is a conglomeration of those things that help to maintain our culture, along with constant communication and interaction.
It’s no secret that we’re great believers in the power of people and partnership at GBS. With that fact in mind, through the COVID period(s) of 2021, we’ve had a mini baby boom. Two boys and a girl. As we all know, it is hard to find good people in this current employment climate, but here at GBS we’re doing our bit to breed them instead…just sayin’.