Prior to my time with FGIA, I worked for a start-up in downtown Chicago. It was a new company with a lot of venture capital, and they invested deeply into portraying a fun, quirky company culture. With lime green walls and indoor swing sets, word quickly spread about the company’s culture. At one point, we had a game room, but it was almost always empty because everyone at the company was always too busy to enjoy it – perhaps a more telling detail about what it was really like to work for that company. Having worked in a few offices now, I know you don’t need a flashy 20-foot-tall installation of a giant cat inside a spaceship in your lobby to get out the word about your company’s vibe to those on the outside. All you really need to do is demonstrate that you invest in your most valuable asset: your people. With a people-first mentality, here are a few ways to share your company’s culture online, even during a pandemic.

Let us first take a moment to acknowledge what we lost, in terms of the moments we typically share in person and then online with followers. In 2020, FGIA missed out on our annual Halloween potluck in the break room. We didn’t get to have office celebrations like bridal showers for myself or Julia Reeder, or a baby shower for Tamara Baskin, who just gave birth to her second child. I know I missed getting to enjoy the baked goods Rich Rinka always brings down from Wisconsin, and Florence Nicolici’s famous breakfast casserole. This holiday season, we won’t get to run around the office suite hunting for the Elf on the Shelf, as cleverly hidden by Samantha Allen. These are important parts of FGIA’s culture, and they are all things I have deeply missed.

But now, I want to focus on what we made happen, despite the distance among us. Think of what you and your company have done – even if it was accomplished remotely, and how you can share these moments with your social media followers in creative ways.

What has your company done to protect its workers during the pandemic?

FGIA adapted quickly, allowing its entire staff to work remotely full-time. Thanks to products like Teams and Zoom, we still stay connected and communicative. This has also made for some fun collective moments on Zoom, like Bring Your Pet to Work Day and a Funniest Zoom Background contest.

How did you build teams remotely?

Additionally, FGIA maintained its tradition of holding both Summer Staff Week and Holiday Staff Week, during which we spent some time on Zoom together playing remote-friendly games and sharing stories. We have even added new team members in 2020, and thanks to these events and some staff happy hours, they know folks’ names and stories already.

What can you share from the before-times?

If you are less sure about sharing a lot of Zoom tiled staff photos, go back to some oldies-but-goldies. Share throwback pictures from last holiday season or the time you celebrated a team members’ milestone birthday or anniversary. Depending on the length of your company’s tenure, you might go further back into the archives for some truly hidden gems.

How have you continued to give back?

FGIA typically does an in-person volunteer event for Feed My Starving Children each December. While we can’t be at the warehouse to pack food this year, donations are encouraged all year long. One thing we were able to pull off was our staff’s Remote 6K for Water, benefitting World Vision. Staff completed their fundraising and their 6Ks from all over the U.S. and Canada.

What are some things you can share about what your company pulled off in 2020 that showcase your company’s core values? Let us know in the comments!