Taking a human approach

What needs to happen for people to enjoy working? What are the conditions that need to be met for them to feel that their work is meaningful, for them to enjoy their work, and for them to fulfil their potential and get the best out of themselves? I have been pondering these questions for almost 30 years. Providing good and practicable responses to them is my personal mission. It now seems to me that it is time to pass on the insights and knowledge that have been given to me. This is because I realise that more and more people are concerned about one issue in particular: how can we create working environments that are centred around people?

I have found answers to this question by developing and implementing contemporary concepts for room and office designs with my eighteen designfunktion teams and external project partners. Our core concern here is to create effective spaces that allow people to develop their potential: spaces that inspire, attract and support people. With proven and at the same time innovative New Office concepts, I try to support people and organisations in achieving their strategic and operational goals.

Yet I have learned over the years that New Office concepts are not enough by themselves. As an entrepreneur and experienced manager, I have realised that modern spatial concepts can only be effective if they are embedded within a modern working environment, i.e. something known as New Work. This is also why I feel that it is important to convey a clear understanding of what New Work is all about so that entrepreneurs and decision-makers can integrate the approach into their companies in a meaningful and culturally sustainable way. Above all, I am keen to support my colleagues in the SME sector in overcoming the various challenges that they face with a clear and practicable New Work/New Office strategy.

One of the biggest challenges at present is attracting new employees and retaining existing employees. The issue of organising knowledge work in the hybrid working environment and making corporate culture a tangible spatial experience is more crucial than ever when it comes to sustainable corporate success.

This is therefore the important thing for me: with my 40 theses, I would like to explain some terms and concepts that are currently relevant and highlight what really matters when we talk about New Work, the transformation of knowledge work, the development of potential, New Leadership, New Office and future prospects. I hope to provide inspiration and guidance to anyone who makes decisions about the design of working environments for their employees, with the result that they are able to fulfil their great responsibility.

As it is important for me not to lose sight of the bigger picture when making specific proposals, I have invited cultural capital producer Jan Teunen and philosopher Christoph Quarch to embed my theses in a larger context with an essay on the intellectual foundations of working environments centred around people.
?This is also why I feel that it is important to convey a clear understanding of what New Work is all about so that entrepreneurs and decision-makers can integrate the approach into their companies in a meaningful and culturally sustainable way. Above all, I am keen to support my colleagues in the SME sector in overcoming the various challenges that they face with a clear and practicable New Work/New Office strategy.


SAMIR AYOUB
March 2023