New Work Office Concept - Strategically adapting work environments to the challenges of tomorrow

Offices are not a law of nature. They are an invention. And yet, for a long time, it seemed that way. Until a few years ago, "I am going to work" unambiguously meant the office or the employer's building. We built the world around the office, and the workplace determined where we lived, how far we commuted, and how much time we spent with family and friends. Dror Proleg, a renowned author and visionary, once described this condition. We accepted this state for many years.

At the latest, the Corona pandemic made it clear that the office lost its monopoly on work overnight. Not only technological progress but also the incredible learning curve during the pandemic, on how to organize work outside the office, turned our working world upside down. Change, driven by digitalization and new working forms, is sustainably altering how, where, and with which models we work.

The consequence: In many companies, employees are not voluntarily returning to the office, a place that in many areas no longer has anything to do with today's working world. Today, it is less about space efficiency, vacancy rates, or physical presence requirements, but about the need for office concepts to be completely rethought.

Today, New Work is a buzzword for everything that is new or at least appears to be new. Historically, New Work is actually a philosophical approach and was coined by the work philosopher Frithjof Bergmann in the early 1980s. The concept of New Work emerged in a real crisis and was a response to the looming mass unemployment at General Motors. Today, New Work describes the comprehensive transformation of the working world through digitization, flexibility, autonomy, meaning, and a new corporate culture based on trust and innovation. Modern technologies, flexible working models, and the promotion of individual needs are at the center of this. Today, the term is negatively charged in many companies and among executives because it is associated with many misunderstandings. For New Work, per se, has nothing to do with home office, office dog, beer taps, ball pits, online calls, or hybrid work time models.

New Work remains one of the few terms that lacks a unified definition. Many experts dealing with the future of our working world now even refuse to use the term today because it is so misunderstood and used in an inflationary manner. For us, this doesn't matter. What is much more important to us is that companies engage with their own future. Flexibility, autonomy, and meaningfulness are central elements of New Work that significantly influence not only the work organization but also employee motivation and retention. New Work emphasizes the importance of a work environment that considers individual needs and enables meaningful activity.

A generally valid definition would probably be as follows: "A sustainable New Work office concept takes into account the efficient use of office space and can be flexibly adapted to changing user needs. Work Life Blending, modern office design and professional office planning are central elements to strengthen corporate culture and corporate structures. Different zones and flexible furnishings with high-quality furniture allow teams and teamwork to develop optimally and promote collaboration as well as creativity."

But that's only half the truth. Of course, it takes a well-thought-out office design and an appealing space design that enhances the well-being of employees. However, it above all requires a concept that is tailored to the needs of employees and contributes to the future challenges of the company.

Activity-based working creates a work environment with different work zones. This includes retreat zones, collaboration zones, places for exchange, meeting rooms, workshop rooms, and much more. Each respective work zone is assigned to a specific activity. Employees can choose a specific workplace for the task to be performed, depending on the activity.

Desk sharing pursues the idea that several employees share a traditional workstation. In most cases, this refers to a height-adjustable worktable and an ergonomic office swivel chair. Often, there is hope for potential space efficiency associated with this. In reality, however, this is often not the case. In our experience, a future-proof office concept does not require less space.

Especially in large companies, digital desk management is used at the same time. Employees have the option to book a workstation digitally in advance. This gives them the assurance that a space is available to them. In our projects, we advise against this and can only approve of this idea under certain conditions.

The integration of technology is the basis for future-proof office concepts. A hybrid collaboration infrastructure is one of the important foundations. This includes, for example, modern audio and video technology and intelligent camera systems. This enables people to participate both physically and digitally. Both groups of people have the opportunity to exchange ideas independently of their location using these tools.

When developing office concepts, it is crucial to consider intelligent zoning and acoustics early on. Only then can spaces be created that both facilitate exchange and provide places for concentration and retreat. This allows employees to work more focused and feel less stressed. The conscious conceptual design supports well-being and simultaneously increases productivity and satisfaction in everyday work.

Generous identification and social areas make a company's office a "cultural anchor" and ideally reflect its own corporate culture. To achieve this, places must be created where values, identity, and community can be experienced. Here, conversations develop, spontaneous ideas and relationships between employees emerge, creating a sense of belonging. The office thus becomes not just a place of work, but a place where the corporate culture becomes visible and tangible.

The topic of space and, in this context, a New Work office concept is no longer merely a matter of space, but a strategically important tool for companies from all sectors. As already described above, the office is no longer the only place for our work at least since the Corona pandemic, but one of many. It is not the mandatory presence that determines whether employees come to the office, but whether the office provides added value for their work.

This includes different work zones that employees can choose independently according to their tasks. At the same time, the work environment is crucial in times of skill shortages, determining whether companies can attract and retain the best talent.

A New Work concept also involves considering sensory issues that affect employees' mental health and work-life balance. This includes, for example, pleasant acoustics, the use of different colors, plants, light, and ergonomic office furniture.

New Work office concepts thus have a measurable impact on employee retention and performance, enhance innovation and creativity because employees meet physically, and strengthen companies' competitiveness in the long term.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for designing office concepts. The concepts are as individual as the companies themselves. Therefore, before dealing with spatial elements, interior design, or new office furniture, it is important to understand which company the space is being developed for. This includes questions such as:

What challenges does the company have? What is the company's corporate culture today? What roles and specialist areas are to be found in the company? Which departments have regular contact points? To name just a few questions and topics.

Only when the organization is fully understood can a concept be developed that best supports the company in future challenges, spatially reflects the organization and processes, and justifies the economic investments.

At the start of the project, we listen and want to understand what your needs are. Only then do we begin with the conceptual work. In doing so, we focus exclusively on designing future-proof learning and working environments. With this specialized know-how from the most diverse projects, a concept emerges that is not only beautiful but also fits the organization.

We support you even before the actual project start. To do this, we use future needs and requirements to check whether they can be implemented at the current location or a potential rental space. We provide you with the decision-making basis in the form of cost estimates and feasibility studies.

In a later phase, the focus is on spatial translation. We provide neutral and independent advice from suppliers and manufacturers, and are interested in the best solution for you. Integrating existing furniture, considering framework agreements, or upcycling existing furniture are therefore a matter of course for us.

We are happy to review existing concepts and create added value for your everyday life with the right adjustments.

After the project is before the project. Our greatest unique selling proposition is the connection of Workplace Consulting, Interior Design, and Change Management. This way, we accompany your employees and executives beyond the spatial project and ensure that the new working environment is lived sustainably.

As a topic leader in the field of New Work, we want to identify trends early and fully understand the topics surrounding the transformation of our working world. We are happy to share this knowledge with you and are available at events of any kind as speakers.

Our clients include municipalities, cantonal institutions, financial institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as globally operating corporations. For this, we are active throughout the DACH region. By supporting over a hundred organizations in the past almost seven years, we can draw on a very broad range of expertise and experience from various industries and company sizes. We can also incorporate this knowledge into your project.

For us, the focus is not on our own design ambitions, but on the greatest added value for the company and especially for the employees.

"Often, one does not know exactly at the beginning what a space actually needs to be able to do. That is exactly what makes the team of days with us particularly special for us. Listening and the ability to translate needs into spatial solutions. The result is a lively, modular place that can quickly transform from a workshop to an event setting. Our Schlössli Pop-Up always provides a 'wow' and has genuine recognition value. Thank you!"

Anuschka Henn, Board Member, Community & Communication

For maximum project success, it is crucial that both the strategic framework conditions and the needs are addressed and the employees are guided through the change. Thus, working with us goes far beyond mere office design. Rather, we see the development of a future-oriented working environment as a strategic lever and an opportunity for a real change of perspective.

To do this, we start with a thorough analysis in the form of workshops and interviews with employees and executives to understand work processes, culture, and individual requirements.

Based on this, layouts are created that are tailored to the company’s needs, make culture tangible, promote teamwork, and increase productivity. We not only accompany the conception and implementation, but also support change management. Only when the new concept is supported by the executives and understood by the employees as an added value, can the new space deliver the desired effect.

After successful project completion, the changes are clearly noticeable to our clients. On the one hand because employees feel taken seriously and appreciated, and on the other because a concept has been created that spatially reflects the organization.