This is what OTTO’s hybrid working model looks like

The world of work is becoming more flexible in terms of space and time, and individuals will have noticeably more autonomy. New Work is much more than just a catch-all term for new working practices and tools. New Work is about constantly rediscovering and redefining yourself in your job. We must remain adaptable. That’s why, at OTTO, we are taking an iterative approach to designing the post-pandemic working world, rather than pursuing a “one-size-fits-all” solution.

We consulted our colleagues

We are taking a research-based approach. We conducted a survey of about 5,000 employees, the results of which clearly confirm that we will not be returning to the kind of working world that we knew prior to early 2020. On the contrary: we will be saying goodbye to the old desk-based culture and the rhythm of being in the office from Monday to Friday, 9 to 5. And what’s more: we must also say a definitive goodbye to the idea that good performance can only come out of one single location.

This means that in the future, we will work neither fully remotely nor fully on site. Instead, we will combine remote and in-person work in order to get the best of both worlds and therefore ensure optimal working conditions for all OTTO colleagues. We are firmly convinced that the future lies in a hybrid working model that unites real and virtual working environments in an efficient and meaningful way. The new working model takes into account our individual preferences, as well as the differences, needs and working practices of each specific team.
Just as before, the guiding principle of activity-based working is at the heart of everything. In concrete terms, this means that I can choose to work wherever is most suitable for me to complete each of my tasks to the best of my ability, in line with the kind of teamwork that my job and activity profile involve. It doesn’t matter whether that’s at home, in the office or somewhere else entirely. In doing so, I choose the tools and working methods that are the most helpful to me. For example, while many people find it easier to do high-concentration, programming or conceptual work at home, it is difficult or impossible to carry out commercial or manual activities remotely. The same is often true of creative or strategic activities, such as team-building tasks or spontaneous social interactions, which often work better in person than remotely.

Team-specific policies

In order to ensure effective working relationships, each organisational unit will have its own policy regarding the choice of work locations, tools and methods. To this end, we are enabling our teams to use an innovative methodology: the collaboration sprint. This is a participatory process to design what teamwork will look like. The teams will soon be figuring out the balance of remote and in-person work that best suits their activities.

In addition to the collaboration sprint, our “Collaboration Matrix” helps teams to map out which activities require which type of interaction, and therefore where they can be carried out most effectively. According to the matrix, the more emotional a subject is, the greater the degree of synchronous and personal communication that is required, and the more beneficial it is to carry out that particular activity at the Otto Campus.

The office still has a special significance

This development comes as part of a change in how companies understand the workplace. What’s important is that the office itself is far from obsolete – but it is definitely changing. Although we will attach more importance to remote work in the future than we did before the pandemic, the office space still has a special significance: it serves as a central anchor for people to identify with the company culture, it is a place for interaction and collaboration, and the ideal forum for exchange among colleagues. For it to be these things in addition to its pure function as a place of work, it needs to have emotionally designed areas that offer a wide range of opportunities for casual encounters, as well as spaces that can be used for project work and knowledge exchange. We need to create functional and inspiring physical spaces where everything is centred around people’s needs.

We can hardly wait to open our campus in Bramfeld and look forward to gradually rolling out our new hybrid working model, trying it out and experiencing it together, and in doing so, actively helping to shape the new working world together with all OTTO colleagues.