The world of work is evolving rapidly. Whether you’re based in America or New Zealand, remote work has shattered geographical barriers. This flexibility grants access to top talent from around the globe. But as possibilities expand, leaders also face new questions about how to maintain global company culture.

  • Synergy across borders: Imagine a team spread across time zones, collaborating on critical projects. How can you maintain momentum when screens replace face-to-face interactions?
  • Inclusion and connection: When distance separates team members, fostering belonging becomes crucial. How do you make everyone feel valued?
  • Cultural harmony: Your company values may shine at headquarters, but how do they align with the customs and values of international talent? 
  • Support networks: When your talent resembles a constellation of dropped pins on a map, how can they reach out for accessible support? 

As a global merchandise partner & distributor, we understand these challenges and specialize in providing brand experiences that help teams stay connected. Here’s what we’ve learned about the importance of global company culture and a few practical tips to strengthen and maintain it.

What Is Global Company Culture?

Gallup defines global company culture as “how you do things” — and it’s often rooted in your organization’s core values. By clearly communicating how and why your business operates, you can unite your employees around a shared set of principles while allowing cultural context to inform how they’re expressed. The ultimate goal is to drive tangible results: employee growth, innovation, and increased company revenue.

Why Is Global Company Culture Important?

Put your psychology hats on — studying company culture is fascinating. During the Great Resignation in 2021, employees quit due to: 

  • Wage stagnation
  • Limited career advancement opportunities
  • Hostile workplaces 
  • Strict remote-work policies 
  • Persistent job dissatisfaction

With access to top candidates globally, you don’t want to gamble by not learning about the customs and perspectives of your employees. Great leadership comes with benefits:

  • First dibs on top candidates. Thirty-five percent of Americans said they would decline an offer, even if otherwise attractive, if they sensed a misaligned culture.
  • Increased engagement and innovation. People want to learn and advance. When you give them a unified vision, employees thrive. 
  • Decreased turnover. According to Forbes, 71 percent of employees would leave a job if they felt the culture was deteriorating. 


4 Tips for Maintaining Culture in Global Organizations

From your legal teams to new hires, you want everyone to be on the same page regardless of where they’re logging in. Here are a few ways to maintain global company culture: 

1. Create a Consistent Brand Experience

Embodying and living your company’s values from the start creates a consistent brand experience for both customers and employees. If your company values inclusion, encourage and equip your leaders to pursue certifications to tackle language barriers, understand cultural nuances, and navigate local regulations more effectively. Your employees will notice your words being put into action.

You can also work with a trusted merchandise distributor to design high-quality, tangible brand experiences for employees — no matter where they are. Gift your team accessories, tech, and gadgets to keep them charged up, wellness items to enjoy around the clock, and apparel that suits the climate they work in. Check out more virtual appreciation gift ideas to help celebrate and recognize your team’s efforts on our blog.

2. Establish Good Communication Processes

Effective communication is crucial for maintaining a unified global company culture. If you’ve ever played a game of telephone, you know a whispered message can be distorted when passed between people. The stakes are higher in business, where unclear communication can lead to confusion, inefficiency, and turnover. 

Keep the lines of communication open with company meetings, group chat channels, and whatever else works for your organization. When leaders convey their objectives clearly, employees understand their roles and responsibilities. People — and the organization — thrive when communication flows freely and transcends time zones.

At Imprint Engine, we understand that effective communication is key to success. Our team comprises all-star listeners, creative artists, skilled developers, and shipping masterminds. We partner closely with our employees and our customers to deliver consistent brand experiences on a global scale. By maintaining an open-door policy, we empower our employees to ask questions, highlight wins, and stay aligned with our mission.

3. Develop Cultural Intelligence Across the Company

Cultural intelligence (CQ) is the ability to relate person-to-person regardless of differences in upbringing, beliefs, or customs. According to The Cultural Intelligence Center, your CQ can affect: 

  • Personal adjustment and adaptability
  • Judgment and decision-making
  • Negotiation effectiveness
  • Trust, idea sharing, and innovation
  • Leadership effectiveness
  • Profitability and cost-savings 

Team-building initiatives can help develop cultural intelligence. Host a virtual water cooler chat after gifting employees insulated and branded water bottles, or launch a pen pals program that pairs up team members from different locations. This encourages personal connections and cultural exchanges among colleagues.

4. Recognize Employees for Good Work

Recognition is crucial for reinforcing a global company culture. The trick is to create a positive feedback loop through repeated expressions of appreciation. Research from Gallup and Workhuman shows that recognition deeply embedded in workplace culture has the most impact.

For example, if innovation is a core value, recognize employees who raise their hand with an out-of-the box idea. When recognition aligns with values, employees are 4.9 times more likely to understand their roles and expectations at work. 

Consider these impactful gestures to celebrate desired behaviors:

  • Company-wide appreciation emails: Broadcast exceptional contributions employees make toward organizational goals.
  • Branded gifts: Send creative appreciation gifts, like personalized tech gear, to remote workers across different time zones.
  • Special projects or roles: Reward exemplary employees with unique opportunities and pathways to promotion.

Strengthen Your Company Culture with Imprint Engine

Bridge the gap between diverse team members by providing high-quality brand merchandise that reinforces company values and fosters team spirit. Whether it’s through customized tech gear, wellness items, or stylish apparel suitable for various climates, we’ll help you keep teams connected, regardless of their location. Reach out today to bring your vision to life.