- What do we mean by New Ways of Working?
- Introduction of new spatial concepts
- Introduction of new ways and methods of working
- What are the advantages of New Ways of Working for my organization?
What do we mean by New Ways of Working?
Are you facing empty offices or considering renting out space because everything can supposedly be done virtually? We are established in our new New Work office, Timmerland, and while we believe in the changing role of offices, we understand the need for shared and activity-dependent space. With only a few people having their own fixed workstation, it's crucial to consider the input of both employees and managers to address their needs and concerns. What will the workplace of the future look like, and how can you prepare your employees for this?
COVID-19 has accelerated natural developments toward flexible work models and redesigned workspaces. Especially in organizations where digitization was not yet well advanced, this created unexpected complications. Overall, however, contrary to expectations, the shift of daily work from office space to home office has temporarily worked well for most organizations. Virtual collaboration and remote teams quickly became terms of daily life, and many organizations found entirely new ways to manage their workday. Even executives who were skeptical about the home office "had to" realize that productivity and reliability don't always suffer, and in fact often increase. What we all realize, however, is that virtual collaboration cannot completely replace office work and physical contact with colleagues. That's why many organizations are already moving on to the next challenge, looking for sustainable ways to make their teams work together to their full potential. The challenge is to create work environments in which employees can be motivated and highly effective.
The term "New Ways of Working" is being embraced to explore innovative work and space concepts, with a focus on designing office furniture and consulting with architects. However, it's important not to overlook the needs of employees and managers. The shift to digital working methods not only requires updated technical equipment and workspace design but also demands new skills and a shift in mindset from both employees and managers.
Organizations are now actively reevaluating traditional office layouts and collaboration practices. Embracing spatial transformations to foster New Ways of Working, including agile methodologies, is a priority. Discover essential insights on workspace design and innovative work approaches in our webinar.
2. Introduction of new room concepts
New room concepts succeed when 3 key factors are carefully considered:
- Giving new space to new work
We start by carefully analyzing the work requirements of different groups within your organization in various work scenarios. Next, we explore innovative room design possibilities and create a tailored concept for you. Drawing upon our expertise in psychology and architecture, we integrate our understanding of the human-space relationship into your new spatial concept. Our knowledge is rooted in years of groundbreaking work and the collective experience of our skilled consultants and architects.
- Communicate change effectively
New spatial concepts may initially be met with some skepticism from employees, potentially leading to resistance and negative reactions. The idea of losing a permanent workspace can be daunting for many. It is crucial to present the information in a way that resonates emotionally with employees and empowers them to be part of the design process. At Timmermann Change Communication, our team specializes in change communication, utilizing creative campaigns to engage employees both cognitively and emotionally. Through storytelling, we effectively communicate the reasons behind spatial restructuring and illustrate the impact on each individual in a clear and understandable manner.
- Involve employees in a real way
Together, we listen seriously to the needs of your employees and involve them in the design process. Our goal is to empower them both cognitively and emotionally to make the most of the new spaces and equipment. We help them to become creative themselves, to experiment and to open up new ways of using them. We achieve this by introducing workshops and broad-based change methods for effective further development of attitudes and behavior. At the same time, we rely on appreciative directness and closeness for open dialog at eye level, even on uncomfortable topics, and on creating an atmosphere of trust that encourages exchange and trial and error.
3. Introduction of new working methods and procedures
In addition to the physical changeover, the introduction of new, agile working practices and methods plays an equally significant role in the integration of new work concepts. This is unavoidable in order to promote performance and motivation. It is not enough to design and implement a new space concept. Rather, collaboration, attitude, leadership and corporate culture must be changed in their entirety in order to benefit sustainably. To help your employees develop a solid understanding of how to use new ways and spaces of working in the future, we will provide you with the necessary basics in agile working. For a simple understanding of the complex processes your employees go through in the transition to new ways of working, we have divided our measures into four topics.
- New collaboration models
There is a need for innovative and new methods and concepts for working time, working place and working style that support your organization to work better, more efficient and happier. We therefore accompany you in the gradual introduction of incremental working and thereby help you to improve your product-customer fit.
- Mindset-Change
Simply having methodological knowledge is not sufficient to create lasting changes in behavior. Your employees need to immerse themselves in and contemplate the New Ways of Working, truly understand them, and find their own motivation to fully grasp the concept. This is the key to unlocking their unique abilities and reaching their full potential.
- Leadership and unbossing
Traditional hierarchies are not as effective. It's time to break away from old patterns and embrace a new way of thinking. Our approach focuses on Mindful 360-degree leadership, fostering collaboration within your teams and empowering each employee to take on more responsibility. Together, we'll bid farewell to outdated hierarchy structures and cultivate a fresh mindset.
- Cultural change
Our aim is to empower your employees to shape their own work reality. This is achieved through fostering a culture of embracing mistakes, practicing open communication, and building genuine connections with themselves and others. Our specially designed New Leadership Training equips your managers to lead with empathy and unlock the full potential of their team members.
4. What are the benefits of New Ways of Working for my organization?
We don't follow a one-size-fits-all approach; instead, we tailor each work and space concept to fit the unique circumstances of your organization. As a result, we can only provide you with a glimpse of the goals we aim to achieve with you - the ultimate experience is something we'll journey through together.
