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LWC blog post: New Work

Megatrend New Work

More than just working from home and fresh fruit.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
New Work: What exactly is it?

Working from home is no longer a novelty in today's working world. Since the coronavirus pandemic at the latest, it has become a matter of course across all industries. However, everyday working life has not only changed significantly in this respect in recent years. The requirements of applicants, employees, customers and the corporate environment are changing at all levels. An umbrella term for these new requirements and framework conditions is ‘New Work’. The New Work megatrend refers to a modern, holistic work philosophy. It sets itself apart from traditional work concepts and favours a flexible, dynamic and collaborative working environment.

The aim is to organise work in such a way that it meets the individual needs and interests of employees and at the same time meets the requirements and objectives of the company. The aim is to promote self-determination, personal responsibility, creativity and innovation. In the following article, we take a closer look at the most important trends of New Work, show what prerequisites are necessary and what added value this new world of work offers for employees and companies.

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The aim of New Labour is not to free people from work, but to transform work in such a way that it produces free, self-determined human beings.
Frithjof Bergmann​

New Work - The workplace of the present

Below we have summarised the most important trends and topics that the New Work megatrend brings together. These topics reflect the central points of the movement and provide companies with a categorisation of the adjustments that can be made to meet the requirements of a modern working day.

  • Icon: Trends

    On-trend trends

    The New Work megatrend is a multi-layered combination of various developments and smaller trends. At the top of the list is employee participation, i.e. participation in decisions, strategies and working methods. The ‘new leader’ does not act through control, but through empowerment. Constructive feedback is on the agenda. Almost as important are the topics of meaningfulness and flexibility - both in terms of space and time. Employees strive to identify with their job in order to make a valuable, meaningful contribution.

  • Icon: Leadership

    Leadership

    ‘New Leadership’ is a core component of New Work. It is a leadership approach that breaks away from traditional hierarchical structures and emphasises open communication, empowerment and collaboration. Employees are challenged and encouraged through a people-centred, motivating management culture. In this way, they achieve the best for their individual development as well as for achieving the company's goals.

  • What is important to employees?

    What is important to employees?

    For employees, the job is increasingly becoming an opportunity for self-realisation and growth. The work serves personal development and teaches them to take responsibility and actively participate in decision-making. It is important for employees to be managed as equals and to be actively involved in the company's success - emotionally, not (just) financially. There is a culture of trust instead of hierarchy. Mistakes are discussed, backgrounds analysed and integrated as a learning field in the further development of employees and teams.

  • Icon: Recruiting

    Recruiting​

    New Work starts with recruiting. The personnel marketing strategy is orientated towards the benefits of New Work: The job advertisements already contain the most important benefits that the company has to offer in this respect. There is an open, honest and transparent culture in the application process. The company presents itself authentically and honestly on the various channels (including social media). The process is always clearly and purposefully structured.

  • Icon: Employee development

    Employee development

    Employee development is prioritised by managers at all levels. The focus is on employees' strengths - even if these may lie outside their main area of work. Responsibility is handed over in appropriate stages, thus encouraging employees to take responsibility for their own work. With the help of interdisciplinary teams with constantly changing constellations and role allocations, exchange is ensured and learning continues automatically.

Implementing New Work - What are the requirements and how can you get started?

Needs of the organisation

The successful establishment of New Work in an organisation requires a number of basic prerequisites. These are very individual in each case and must be adapted to the needs of an organisation.

Existing structures of the organisation

At the same time, the maturity of employees to take on responsibility must be encouraged and challenged. More employee participation and a democratisation of the workplace do not happen overnight. First and foremost are the company's internal structures: does the current organisational structure even allow for democratisation? This requires a self-critical analysis of the current state of the organisation. Based on this, a step-by-step plan can be drawn up to introduce measures and make lasting changes to existing structures.

Leadership culture

The topic of leadership - especially in the context of ‘new leadership’ - is one of the most important cornerstones here: The willingness of the management level to break up traditional hierarchical structures and enable more personal responsibility and participation of employees requires a rethink with regard to control and decision-making and must be precisely harmonised with existing structures.

Company culture

In addition to these organisational aspects, a value-oriented corporate culture that promotes diversity and inclusion is also required. Recognising work results instead of pure attendance time and creating a balance between work and private life are further cornerstones of New Work.

Change Management​

Overall, the establishment of New Work requires a holistic transformation of the company, ranging from culture to structures and processes. A step-by-step approach with pilot projects is therefore often advisable in order to find the perfect customised New Work measures for a company. New Work can only be introduced in a company to the extent that the basic framework conditions allow. It is therefore important to know the limits so as not to paralyse an organisation with too many change projects.

Innovation potential

At the same time, this is an opportunity to raise the company's dormant innovation potential to a new level and thus utilise the intrinsic motivation of employees for the company's success. Win-win for companies and employees.

New Work: What added value does the megatrend bring?

LWC team

Company

  1. Attractiveness as an employer: Companies that apply New Work principles are attractive to potential employees. Offering flexible working models and a modern work culture can help to attract qualified specialists and inspire them to work for the company in the long term.
  2. Increased productivity: Giving employees more freedom and personal responsibility often also increases productivity. Employees can adapt their working methods to their individual strengths and preferences, which can lead to better work results.
  3. Innovative strength: New Work promotes creativity, innovation and the exchange of ideas by thinking outside the box. Involving employees in decision-making processes promotes ownership of issues. By creating an open working environment and increasing networking, companies can benefit from the different perspectives and experiences of their employees.
  4. Employee loyalty and satisfaction: New Work contributes to employee loyalty and satisfaction. If employees have more flexible working conditions, see the meaning behind their work and feel valued in their work, they are more likely to remain loyal to the company in the long term.
  5. Agility and adaptability: Flexible working models and an open corporate culture allow companies to react more quickly to changes and adapt to new market conditions. This enables greater agility and competitiveness in a constantly changing business environment.
Employees in the new work environment

Employees

  1. Flexibility: New Work enables employees to organise their working hours flexibly and use job-sharing models. This allows them to better harmonise their work with their personal lives.
  2. Autonomy and personal responsibility: Employees have more freedom and decision-making power over their working methods and organisation. They can plan their tasks independently, set priorities and take responsibility for their results.
  3. Work-life balance: Flexible working models and the ability to work from anywhere make it easier to combine work and private life. This leads to an improved work-life balance and reduced stress levels.
  4. Meaningfulness and co-determination: New Work promotes the involvement of employees in decision-making processes and enables them to contribute their skills and talents to their work. This gives each individual the opportunity to work on projects that are personally motivating and convey a sense of purpose.
  5. Individual development: New Work enables individual development through further training and exchange formats. Employees can expand their skills and knowledge, take on new tasks and advance their professional development. This not only promotes the personal development of individuals, but also drives the exchange of experience and optimisation within the team and the organisation as a whole.
Do you have any questions on this topic or are you interested in a consultancy service?
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Sonja Neubauer - contact person
Your contact person
Sonja Neubauer
+49 89 189 235 96
sonja.neubauer@leitwerk-consulting.com
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