New Work Trend: Characteristics of a Modern Workplace

Whether it’s called a “digital transformation”, “Work 4.0” or “the workplace of the future”, the concept of the New Work trend is one of the megatrends taking place right now.

Developed by the social philosopher Frithjof Bergmann, its fundamental values are autonomy, freedom, and community. 

According to Bergmann, the New Work concept is “simply the attempt to allow people, for at least some of their time, to do something they passionately want to do, something they deeply believe in.”

But how do you implement the concept of New Work and get the most out of it?

Placing humans at the center

The New Work trend seems to be the most significant shift in the working philosophy. After the rule of machines, it’s time companies started putting their people at the center. 

Companies know that they need to deliver their products or services to clients – often requiring automated processes. Yet even with automation, a lot of the work required has to be monitored or delivered by a person. This is where the New Work concept helps to demonstrate the value of the employees.  

The belief is that industrialization and technology should work for people, not replace them. Ideally, automating all the repetitive tasks so that people have more time and space to nurture their creativity. 

The New Work trend is connecting people

Community is one of the core values of this concept, but how do you create and reinforce it in the workplace? Bergmann believed that having a common goal is what connects employees the most.

It’s important for a company to support their employees’ passions and give their work meaning – something they will find fulfilling. If you like your job, creating a work-life balance becomes easier to achieve. 

Freedom and autonomy

The New Work trend assumes that freedom means doing something significant. You decide what you want to pursue because you believe in it with all your heart.  

People want to be at liberty to create their own working life –  choosing their tasks and projects. By making their work more flexible, in terms of location and hours, you can unleash their creativity and full potential. 

This concept also suggests that leaders should include their employees in strategy development. Connecting them with the bigger picture helps them to follow their goals and contributes to new creative ideas with higher motivation. It all makes “freedom of action” possible. 

New Work trend model for leaders & companies

Leaders and managers are no longer sitting behind their desks as if they were rulers of some office kingdom. They should be there to empower their employees to do their jobs. 

The New Work concept suggests that they should inspire, offering continuous learning opportunities and new tasks to keep their workers ready for any upcoming projects. It’s time to reinvent the role of the leader to someone who guides their employees, helping them to learn and grow. There is no doubt it will have an influence on the future definition of leadership in the work environment. 

According to the New Work concept, companies cannot let hierarchical structures interrupt the communication between teams. ‘Chain of command’ is not the shortest path, nor the most effective.

This is considered to be the most efficient means of maintaining contact between leaders and employees. Increased agility for decisive action, modern and democratic leadership, regular feedback, combined with trust and tolerance, can be real game-changers.

The new role of the employee

The concept of New Work introduces a completely new model for companies. It places employees at the center, empowering them and giving them more freedom and autonomy. 

It lets them choose what they want to do so that they can do it better and more willingly. The concept also reinvents the role of the leader and company, helping to improve communication and achieve success with greater enjoyment. 

Many companies like to implement new trends to try and stay competitive – finding better and more efficient ways to run their business. What’s interesting about the New Work concept is how employee-centered it is. It combines job satisfaction with increased efficiency. 

Observing how the New Work model already functions in modern companies, makes it possible to foresee how it can influence the future of the work environment.