Tips from a Düsseldorf professional for New Work

EB: At our online event in June together with you, we asked the question at the beginning: “Where would you rather work?” The majority of participants responded with: “Switching between home office and office.” That already shows: Hybrid working is becoming the “next normal”, which combines the benefits of offices and the Home office While certain topics, such as focus work, can also be ideally completed from home, the company works together locally to promote innovation. Die Working environments of the future They become tools to promote interaction and teamwork, but also to strengthen and motivate identification with the company. The last few months in particular have clearly shown us that the office is a place for a sense of togetherness and tangible corporate culture more important than ever! In order to always stay connected, we must connectivity be a natural part of working environments — to include employees working from home: For example, small ThinkTanks are used as video call situations for 1:1 exchange with colleagues at home, and integrated technology allows participants to participate in workshops not only locally but also from anywhere else.

HK: On the one hand, suitable room situations with easy-to-use technology offer the opportunity to get in touch with each other quickly. A tool for interactive, digital project organization — e.g. using the Kanban method — also helps to connect teams and their tasks in real time. However, real contact with colleagues on site will remain an essential part of everyday working life, because even the best digital teamwork tool cannot replace “corridor radio” and spontaneous cooperation. Sociability in working environments is a key success factor for a strong sense of togetherness and creates long-term commitment. That is why we should meet more frequently at those meeting places in the future and also invest in the right concepts for these spaces.

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EB: Ideally, you move through the working world and the available spaces during a working day in the office. A changed sitting, standing and movement situation not only promotes physical health; rooms with functionally adapted equipment and design also allow us to work more efficiently. This means that video calls also take place in rooms that are tailored to the respective needs and therefore meet the corresponding requirements. These can be small telephone or video boxes, for example, or larger meeting rooms, which each have an appropriate acoustic function and are ideally designed as a video call environment. In order to plan efficiently and cost-effectively, these areas can of course also be used beyond pure video call situations, which is why lighting, acoustics and color design are accordingly part of the overall concept.

EB: The question of where and how concentrated work is best possible is primarily a question of the culture of cooperation or the prevailing “work etiquette.” It is therefore not possible to give a general answer to this question. From a room acoustics point of view, however, 2-person offices are usually difficult to “get a grip on” because one person is always there for the other person to contact and the noises of telephone calls and the like remain “locked in the room.” With constellations of 3, this situation does not necessarily improve. This means that a lot of discipline is required overall in smaller cell units with 2-3 desks. However, if one person wants to concentrate and the other person in the place has a video call, for example, a malfunction is inevitable. Multispaces offer better noise distribution with sound-absorbing surfaces and also zones that are precisely designed for exchange and meetings. Depending on the concept and distribution of tasks, cell structures can of course make sense for 2-3 people. However, we recommend open working environments in terms of room acoustics, but also in terms of workflow and team spirit, at least in some areas.

HK: 1. OM-Line is the new online: Relaxed connectivity and smart use of digital technologies, but also not always having to be online are the future! 2. Openess makes us (even) better: The pandemic has shown us that, for example, working from home has worked on a large scale, which is why we must remain open to new things in the future! 3. Curiosity is key: Curiosity is like a bridge from challenge to solution. As Dr. Carl Naughton also knows: “Hardly anything moves us forward more than curiosity.” That is why it should be and become part of everyone's mindset!