danzine_TheNewWorkExperience_Web

INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
New Work Spaces
Archetypes
MOUNTAIN TOP
DAN PEARLMAN — THE NEW WORK EXPERIENCE
NEW WORK
SPACES
REINVENTING WORKSPACES
Nicole Gietz, New Work Expert, Senior
Architect & Member of the Management
Board, about workspaces of
the future
Do we need physical office spaces
in a digital future?
That’s a good question. The Frey-Orsborn
study found that 59% of jobs in
Germany can be digitized. With their
cessation, on the one hand, a lot of office
space would be left empty. On the
other hand, people, not only at work,
have a primal desire for community
and exchange. This desire can only be
satisfied in the physical space. Thus,
a digitized economy especially needs
physical points of contact. We can
prove this trend particularly with the
success and the growing number of
coworking formats. Thus, the answer
to the initial question is yes, we do
need office spaces in the future when
they are conceptualized as New Work
spaces.
How does a perfect
New Work spaces look like?
It’s no longer enough to just build an
office space. Above all it is about the
right mix and the right format. The
needs and wishes of users and target
groups are in the center and have to
be fulfilled. Tomorrow’s office locations
need to become holistic destinations.
A New Work space offers room
for creativity and the development of
one’s personality. This also nourishes
the employees’ competence profiles.
It connects them with transdisciplinary
teams and becomes a human
interface and instigator of collaborative
learning. New Work spaces are
worlds of experience and learning that
unite people of one or many companies
as well as freelancers in one physical
space and that, as a community,
creating an advantage over the outer
world.
What exactly can companies do to
implement the topic New Work?
First of all, they need to be aware that
New Work does not mean fresh fruit
and back therapy training but participation
of employees in corporate decisions
as well as their enthusiasm and
a good feeling towards their employer
and their work as such. This needs to
be fostered. Transparency, openness,
and participation – companies need
to take on responsibility to further
develop and transform the company
and its employees. New Work spaces
need to follow this New Work culture.
Prospectively, there will be more interdisciplinary
project work due to
continuously increasing project complexity.
Therefore, spaces and places
need to be created that go beyond
a traditional desk. Next to respecting
standards like air, noise, and light,
spaces need to be multifunctional and
flexible with clear features like magnet
boards, newest technology, and modular
furniture. There is a necessity for
space concepts that support the different
practice modes of a work day
and that create superb amenity.
Which priority should the topic
New Work have for companies?
I’d like to cite Jörg Dohmen, Head of
Brand and Customer Institutes, BMW
Group here: “Brands either go to the
gym or the graveyard!” Change will
never happen as slowly as today. Use
this time!
Your creative presentation
style needs a stage?
You can’t hear yourself think
at your office desk?
You and your team need
space for creative sparks?
Your office kitchen fits two
people at the maximum?
All your creative ideas
don’t fit on a flipchart?
Presentation & performances
to an audience or via media
CAVE
Retreat & concentrated work,
working alone and quietly,
deep focus
CAMPFIRE
Collaborative Environments,
interdisciplinary teamwork,
sharing ideas
WATERING HOLE
Informal gatherings – physical
or digital, socializing,
small groups
HANDS ON
Enhancing physical/digital
experiences, experimenting,
building
DAN PEARLMAN — THE NEW WORK EXPERIENCE
72
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
73