How to Address Feelings of Disparity Among Office Locations/Departments
In the face of disparities between office locations and departments, CEOs and Founders have developed unique insights for fostering unity. From showcasing team realities to initiating structured cross-departmental meetings, here are five strategies these leaders recommend for navigating internal organizational challenges.
- Showcase Team Realities and Challenges
- Incorporate Recognition in Company Meetings
- Foster Open Communication and Empathy
- Hold Regular Catch-Up Meetings
- Initiate Structured Cross-Departmental Meetings
Showcase Team Realities and Challenges
Have each team showcase who they are and what they do. In my experience, a lot of the problems in feelings of office inequality stem from teams not understanding the realities faced by other teams.
On the one hand, sure, sales tends to get a lot of credit and recognition because they make the deals that bring money into the organization. On the other hand, they’re working 70-hour weeks sometimes to make those deals and keep clients happy.
There’s always a positive and negative to each department, and by understanding what those are, I think most teams can get a much more egalitarian view of each other that helps keep the peace.
Kate Kandefer
CEO, SEOwind
Incorporate Recognition in Company Meetings
Recognize your teams at quarterly town halls. I find that all too often, the only teams getting any recognition are the ones that are external and customer-facing—something that I think is anathema to a team that functions well, where everyone feels like they are contributing to the success of the company as a whole.
My advice would be to include a standing 10-minute segment at quarterly town halls, or other standing all-company meetings, to go through accomplishments and recognition for each team in broad strokes. It can be a bit tricky to find the cadence and get the pipeline of success stories underway, but it is well worth it in my experience.
Dragos Badea
CEO, Yarooms
Foster Open Communication and Empathy
Navigating feelings of disparity between office locations and departments within an organization can indeed be challenging, but not insurmountable. One piece of advice that I’ve found effective is fostering open communication and empathy.
During my time working in a multinational company, I encountered situations where different offices had varying resources, cultures, and even work styles, leading to feelings of inequality.
To bridge these gaps, I initiated cross-office collaboration sessions where teams could openly discuss their challenges and successes. Additionally, I made it a point to visit different locations whenever possible, to understand their unique dynamics firsthand.
By actively listening, empathizing with diverse perspectives, and promoting a culture of inclusivity, we were able to mitigate feelings of disparity and foster a more cohesive and supportive work environment across all offices and departments.
Aseem Jha
Founder, Legal Consulting Pro
Hold Regular Catch-Up Meetings
I work remotely for a digital performance marketing agency, TIDAL Digital. Our head office is in Dubai, but they have employees all over the world, including South Africa (where I am located), India, Cyprus, and the UK.
One piece of advice I can share that has helped us address and manage this disparity is holding regular “catch-up” meetings (online) where projects and clients are discussed to bring everyone up to speed on new developments and to align the team’s goals.
Communication is very important in our agency, and I think regular meetings, along with the use of collaboration tools like Slack and Monday, ensure that every team member feels included and valued, reducing feelings of disparity.
Jaco Lundt
Copywriter, TIDAL Digital
Initiate Structured Cross-Departmental Meetings
One effective strategy to navigate feelings of disparity between various office locations and departments within an organization is to implement regular, structured cross-departmental meetings. These meetings are designed not just for project updates but also for sharing challenges and successes across different teams and locations. This approach promotes transparency and fosters a sense of unity and mutual understanding among diverse groups.
For instance, at CodeDesign, we initiated monthly “Show and Tell” sessions where teams from different departments and offices present recent projects or share innovative solutions they’ve developed. This setup allows employees to see the contributions of other teams, appreciate different challenges, and learn from each other’s successes.
This strategy helps mitigate feelings of isolation or undervaluation that can occur, especially in geographically dispersed teams, by highlighting the interconnectedness of all departments’ work. It reinforces the idea that everyone’s effort is vital to the company’s overall success, which can significantly enhance cohesion and morale across the organization.
Bruno Gavino
Founder, CEO, CodeDesign
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