The Evolution of Office Design in the Age of New Work

In a constantly changing world of work, the concept of New Work is becoming increasingly important. New Work stands for flexible working models, autonomy and a sense of purpose at work. A central aspect of this movement is the redesign of office space to create a working environment that promotes collaboration, innovation and well-being.

Traditional offices are giving way to a flexible and open design that supports individual needs and ways of working. In the Börsenvereinsgruppe, we initiated a transformation process some time ago, which has led, among other things, to us implementing a new type of interior design in a large test area.

Reasons for the transformation
Our decision to invest in a New Work-ready environment is a step towards sustainability and agility. Since the end of the pandemic, hybrid work situations have become part of our everyday life. In order to meet these new requirements and offer our colleagues an optimal working environment, we have decided to adapt our office space accordingly. We want support hybrid working methods and meet the different needs of our teams. We attach particular importance to the fact that the office is not only a place of work, but also a place of exchange, creativity and collaboration. We are convinced that this will not only increase satisfaction and productivity, but will also help us as a company to meet the ever-changing demands of the job market.

Development of the area
All of this led us to want to further develop our location in Frankfurt's Haus des Buches as a workplace. This gave rise to the idea of converting a suitable floor of 300 m² into a test area. Early on, we formed various working groups, involved colleagues and held workshops with a pilot team to answer questions about how we work and what requirements the new space should meet.

The four zone model
In order to be able to work across departments and companies in the future, we have developed a so-called zone model with four central areas.
Zone One: Here are workstations for colleagues who need a fixed place because they come into the office every day or are dependent on certain materials or eqipment.
Zone Two: The quiet area with curtains, as well as sound and privacy protection is ideal for conceptual work.
Zone three: Collaborative work is possible here, thanks to a huge table with workstations where an entire team can sit and a library with a sofa to work together on a project or exchange ideas in a relaxed atmosphere.
Zone four: Creative work, hybrid meetings or confidential discussions can be held in this zone thanks to meeting and project rooms, some of which are also equipped with flexible furniture for individual needs.

What happens next?
Time will tell whether planning and reality go together in this test space. After the pilot team used the space for a few months, it has now been made available to all colleagues in the Haus des Buches and can now be booked via online tool. We are very excited to receive the colleague's feedback and what insights we can draw from it for all future spaces.

Who did you work with to develop the space?
We chose the Frankfurt-based company RoomHero. The team takes a holistic approach and already has a lot of experience in office design based on New Work. Together, we were able to implement our vision quickly.

Conclusion
The transformation of our office space into a New Work-enabled environment is a significant step on our journey into the future of work. By closely involving our colleagues, developing innovative concepts and collaborating with expert partners, we were able to create a space that optimally supports our team's current needs and working methods.