New and Old Work
New Work is a mega trend describing the future of work – in its organization as well as in regard to the human being who carries out the work.
When speaking about New Work, one should also consider Old Work as that helps to get a better understanding. Latter goes back to the Industrial Revolution molding society and the world of work. With it came strict hierarchies, the division of labor and rigid structures. The wage-earning proletariat grafted and were glad to have work at all. Self-realization and freedom of action were foreign words back then.
Just imagine, combining assembly-line and manufacturing work with home office, video conferences & co. This would have not only been technically impossible, it also would not have made any sense. Today, things look completely different: Technology still replaces human with mechanical work and creates completely new jobs. Or did you think about hiring a Social Media Manager 10 years ago?
Digitalization is not only gaining ground. Rather, a digital tsunami is carrying us, as a (working) society, away: the world keeps connecting through innovative channels, collaboration is moving into visual spaces and the adherence to fixed working hours, workplaces and to organizational structures is dissolving bit by bit. Especially the rise of Digital Natives in the labor market and their demand for more self-determination make one thing very clear: the labor market and its rules will be redefined!
In that sense, New Work can be understood as a technology-driven revolution of work – away from constraints towards self-determined work. This is consistent with the conception of Frithjof Bergmann, the Austrian-American Philosopher and founder of New Work, who understands it as "work one really, really wants to do."
New Work Definition
The central values of New Work are autonomy, freedom of action and community participation. It is about the successful compatibility of work and life. About doing a job that matters and fits into the chosen lifestyle.
For the future, when we are increasingly able to do what we really, really want to do – in fact when and where we want – then work is no longer just work. It will be an integral part of our life and the line between profession and private will fade even more. In order to make this work, the right infrastructure is needed – technologically as well as organizational.
Leadership will also be reinterpreted, for example with concepts like shared or digital leadership. Modern leadership is relationship management and should establish mutual trust and foster an autonomous way of working.
New Work isn't done, it is used – the question is how
New Work is not a trend you can wait out. The new working world is here, there is no way of denying that. Thus, the question is, how to make the best use of New Work, what fits with the business model and with the company culture. That is one of the major challenges in the future! New Work is not a fix concept and it is uncertain where it will lead us.
As so often, there are two sides to one coin. Removing fix working hours implies to discard closing time, too. When work has no pre-defined time frame, when will we be able to switch-off with good conscience and just do nothing?
Thus, New Work requires caution: even the commonly used home office. While it has numerous benefits, it can also bear disadvantages. It might cut-off social ties to the company and especially for its main users, working mothers, it can turn into a career trap. The emphasis is on can, it doesn't have to be like that.
For everyone interested in successful usage of New Work, it will be worthwhile to meet the winners of this year's Xing New Work Award. Also, the four-day week is gaining popularity. Exciting to see what differences New Work will make.
New Work at Coopers
Coopers will gladly be your partner to ensure that you are well-position in the new working world. We live New Work!
Our fundamental values – innovation, flexibility and humanity – are a perfect match with the central aspects of New Work: We promote creative problem resolutions, we are agile and, just like New Work, we put the human being in the center of our daily work!
Thus, our mindset makes us the right recruiting partner for you – now and in the new working world.
Get in touch, if you have further questions about this topic.
Your Coopers Team
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