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New Workplace
New Workplace
Putting It in Context
Investing in work environments in a way that is modern, future-oriented, and economically sustainable is a long-standing challenge. What is new is the variety of requirements (think of the multigenerational workforce), their relevance for work culture, the degree of flexibility people expect, the pace of innovation in IT and media, the impact on a company’s image and attractiveness as an employer, and much more. As a result, today’s “New Workplace” projects (also known as “New Workspace,” “New Work,” “Future Workplace,” “Office 21,” etc.) bring far greater change for employees and leaders – and go far beyond planning and building a new office or moving. Previous concepts no longer work, and familiar approaches have been turned upside down (just like the upside-down house in Gettorf – see photo).
The Intensity of Change
Depending on the starting point, how intensely people experience the change brought by a “New Workplace” project varies greatly. And because people are different, they experience even the same situation in the same company very differently. The biggest change comes from a new spatial layout – and even more so from introducing desk sharing, which does away with the familiar concept of assigned workstations. But since this is where the greatest flexibility and, above all, the greatest cost savings lie, the interests of the company and its employees collide here. The potential of “New Workplace” projects – including the financial potential – can only be realized if the change process is shaped jointly with everyone involved, including employee representatives, right from the start. In our consulting work in recent years, we have repeatedly come across projects that, with no change management at all – or with change management that failed – led to worse working conditions and higher costs, and could only be turned around with considerable extra effort. Our advice: protect your investment and set up the project properly from the very beginning.
Lessons Learned
In addition to hands-on project experience in a range of companies, we bring many valuable lessons learned, which, if considered early, support a successful project approach. But as so often, the key lies not in other people’s insights, but in honestly addressing the issues hidden behind them – that is what we stand for. Here are a few examples: It is an investment in the company and its people – not in concrete, furniture, and IT. Leaders at every level are key, because this is where role models and encouragers are needed. Put first things first – the change project begins long before the new building takes shape, and above all before the move. Don’t just look at the bird in the hand (space ratio, sharing ratio, IT reduction, standardization, …) – keep measurably working toward the two in the bush (higher engagement, talent acquisition, more creativity and innovation, greater flexibility, higher performance, etc.). With our support, you can make your New Workplace project more successful and make better use of the time it takes. We look forward to hearing from you.