New Work is associated with many hopes: as a solution to the shortage of skilled workers, as a reaction to the change in values and as an incentive for more digitization. We see it the same way. Knowledge alone is not enough. It is not enough to call a staff meeting an all-hands meeting, hold service consultations via zoom, allow mobile working and put out a fruit basket.
The structures and working methods are what have to fit the new formats
Those who cannot process their processes digitally can work less efficiently in the home office. If you don't focus on people, you won't make them a fan of your own company. Anyone who thinks in hierarchies will wait in vain for personal initiative and personal responsibility. If you don't open up, you won't bring any new ideas into the company. It was and is a long journey to establish a new corporate culture. But after a good distance we can say that everything makes sense and that one thing fits into the other. It takes courage to question processes and values. But who knows if it's really right just because we've always done it that way.
Those who feel valued within their team pass this feeling on and open up
This enables a different communication with partner companies and with customers. When we call in experts, we work with them on an equal footing, because they too can learn from us and make their product even better. In turn, we can make our product – living at 1893 – better if we consult our members as experts. We are very proud that we are succeeding in this step by step.
Why map everything in fixed teams when there's a smarter way?
In 2022 we started to dissolve fixed team structures and to distribute new challenges across the entire company. We call this cross-functional teams. They come together voluntarily from all areas of the company and work out solutions - independently and equipped with many tools that they have internalized. To ensure that our digital tools are a matter of course for everyone, our employees train each other with so-called tool tips. So no one is left behind. Digitized processes are only really efficient because everyone is able to feed them with content. About our way to New Work DIE WOHNUNGSWIRTSCHAFT published a very readable article, which we are happy to share here.
