A leadership question – employees. Home office requires more discipline and motivation? Germany is definitely undergoing a much-needed cultural change. Our meritocracy has been changing since March 2020.

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Individual entrepreneurs can tell you a thing or two about it. Culture change happens every day for them. Start the day in the morning and be productive until the evening. If not: no turnover. So discipline and motivation are simply required for a living.

This „self-discipline“ is now being taught to employees in Germany. Managers are learning everything anew. Staff without imagined on-site control. Did managers really have employees under control? In their own company rooms they thought they did. Colleagues/employees know how to „spend the day“ at work. Pulling off something for 4 hrs and doing the rest differently. You know the „guy“ in the company: „Stomp loudly through the corridor – I have so much to do… really important“. Since March 2020, that’s simply a thing of the past.

I was already convinced of this 20 years ago – 4 hours of concentration on the job a day is quite enough to be effective. All other hours of the day are employment and social. Part of it, of course. Serves to cope with problems. Business as well as private. Social plan for followers of orders and „workers“.

As a graphic designer, I was allowed to be creative in advertising agencies at a young age. The first thing I was taught: The double drawing board. Experienced graphic designers know what that means. It was a good way to get the 8-hour day around the corner. Half and half – for the boss and for me. Every graphic designer has always had good lucrative side jobs. That’s how self-employment began.

Get to know other and strong „types“ via „video-conf“ now. Home office.

With videoconferencing, the time of my years-long recommendations finally came. More efficient and effective. I always wanted to know briefly what the client wanted. Contributed my experience and ideas. Produced and presented. Proposals were discussed and then decided on the final version. That’s how I worked years ago. Also today. I develop websites without knowing the client personally. By video-conf and then to work. Of course with advance payment.

The whole blblbl: „Getting to know customers personally as well as QM.“ I research that on the net and know who I’m dealing with. I’ve met good paying customers via video-conf. With a website with a production time of 48 hours, we don’t have to become friends.

Working with business owners on a great longer time – we also become friends 🙂

Employees share their work.

Figures: 1/3 work in the company – 2/3 in the home office. Let’s assume that. Questions such as vacant office space How is the commercial market changing? I am convinced that the real estate market will change from a landlord market to a tenant market. Like it was in the 2000s. Many more vacant office spaces will become available. There are already providers converting commercial space into private space. That will come. With great strides.

Employees will also insist on their home office rights. It will take even longer to „release“ employees from the home office back into the office than to send them home to their computers. The change to home is in full swing.

Teamwork will not suffer. The daily interaction takes place in short „teams or zoom“ conversations. Then you have a quiet breakfast and concentrate on the job. Ready.

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Those who are left alone will also find their way. The learning process is in full swing. I am very confident. Have good conversations and everyone thinks it’s „great“.

Employees will manage themselves more in the future. They will simply become more effective. Communication with superiors and colleagues will become more team-oriented. That’s what we all really want. No longer so hierarchical. Delegating will be different – a short announcement, a counter-question from the recipient and then working through it. Result on the computer and a short correction – done.

Employees develop their own quality. I recommend that managers just keep their mouths shut and let them do their work. Results are delivered. I am convinced of that. A walk along the Spree is even recommended and desirable. Recharge your batteries and gather ideas.

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Office bullying will also be greatly reduced. The distance to colleagues allows the external impressions and associated emotions to fall asleep. This can have a healing effect on many. Let’s not fool ourselves. For many, sitting on top of each other for 8 hours means stress. Unwanted side-activities develop – negative reactions to each other. Quacking and infecting others. This cycle is partly broken.

There is more time for self-reflection. In the office we are distracted by this. At home, we are more likely to find peace. In couples, the partner can still have a positive influence – of course, a little education is required. If the partner is more „reflective“ and not a stressor, a solution is worked out. Of course, this can also be different – in which case the relationship doesn’t last long. This also has something positive. Partnership trainee…

Leadership culture 2.0 – Developing and not just managing

Agility and new thinking – daring to do something new. Let’s develop strong ideas. Let’s have visions and move Germany forward. Only through this further development, e.g. through new technologies, can we also achieve our goals. Become climate neutral. We need clever minds for this. We can only make progress by protecting our environment with intelligent, non-toxic and sustainable products. Not by doing without and developing backwards.

Germany needs strong employees and developers. Only we can change the world. We have to allow it. Politics, lobbying combined with the financial world are slowing us down.

I’ve been working in a home office for 20 years. Nothing new. And I will continue to enjoy it for years to come. Let’s go to dinner 🙂

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Titel: PhotoConcierge Ronny Wunderlich – Pics: Gerry