Het Nieuwe Werken (HNW)New World of Work (NWoW)

FD Career Challenge 2011Lieke Muller

This is who I am• 25 year old female

• Ambitious

• Global young professional with international experience but still

as Dutch as a portie bitterballen and Koninginnedag

• Allergic to boring PowerPoint bullets, so…

My name is Lieke Muller. The bulleted ‘facts’ about me tell you

something about me but then you still won’t know who I really am. My

passions are writing, reading and cooking. I love to travel and meet

new people and cultures (and food). At work I often bridge gaps

between people, outside work I’m usually someone who gets a party

started.

Even though I can be pretty smart at times, I’m also be the clumsiest

person you’ll ever meet. Making a really clever remark just before

spilling coffee over a desk/keyboard/myself is among my expertises.

At the moment I would like to further broaden my horizons. In the

future, I wish to start my own company connecting and enabling

people from all over the world to work together towards common

goals – either commercial or as an NGO.

did I mention I like to write?

First I will cover some of the obvious benefits and differences between the traditional

way companies work and the new world of work (NWoW). Having covered the most

important differences I will look into the shift we have to make to get from A to B. Finally

there’s a conclusion/advice for companies and employees considering shifting to the

New World of Work.

The information and conclusions in this presentation are based on both my own

experiences working in an international environment, as well as on feedback, referrals

(to articles, presentations and people) from colleagues, friends, family and total

strangers.

Photo credits: http://www.inmagine.com

Other images were created by myself

Tradition vs. New World of Work

Tradition vs. NWoW

WORK HAPPENS FROM 9 TO 5, LIFE TAKES PLACE OUTSIDE THOSE HOURS

GO TO THE BEACH DURING THE DAY, WORK FROM HOME IN THE EVENING

Tradition vs. NWoW

STUCK IN AN OFFICE WORK EVERYWHERE & ANYWHERE

Tradition vs. NWoW

WORK HAPPENS FROM 9-to-5

WITH LOCAL EMPLOYEES

WORK AROUND THE CLOCK

AND AROUND THE WORLD:

CONTINIOUS IMPROVEMENT

Tradition vs. NWoW

BLINDLY FOLLOW THOSE WHO WENT BEFORE YOU

DO WHAT YOU LIKE AND WHAT YOU’RE GOOD AT IN YOUR OWN PACE

Tradition vs. NWoW

STAYING PUT & NOT SHARING KNOWLEDGE OR INFORMATION

DIPPING INTO A DYNAMIC, GLOBAL POOL OF EXPERTISE, EXPERIENCE

Tradition vs. NWoW

INFORMAL, UNOFFICIAL COMMUNICATION BY TALKING NEAR THE COFFEE MACHINE

“MANAGEMENT BY WALKING AROUND”

REAL SOCIAL CONTACT RISKS BEING REPLACED BY ONLINE- AND TELE-

COMMUNICATION

Tradition vs. NWoW

REQUIRES A LOT OF SPACE & TIME (=WASTE)

REQUIRES A LOT OF TRUST & SELF-DISCIPLINE (=MATURITY)

NWoW requires a paradigm shift. The new structure of an organisation will need to

focus on the strenghts, ambitions and ability of the people and match them to the

business needs – rather than fitting people into the needs of the business

Both employees and organisations will have to make adjustments in the way they

think and behave. Employers will need to TRUST their employees to do the work,

while employees will need to accept full RESPONSIBILITY for their output.

Besides the way employees and companies work, NWoW also requires a new way to

develop and grow. Rather than growing into the hierarchy of a company, NWoW

inspires people to reflect on who they are and who they want to be(come)as a

person.

The best thing you can become in life is yourself

Paradigm shift

Traditional organisation: top-downEverything and everyone has to fit in to meet the needs of the organisation.

Personal development merely exists to further benefit the organisation’s (future) needs and requirements.

Company

Department

Employee

•Top-down, organisation decides what happens when and with/to who

•Focus mostly on external customers; company is influenced from outside-in

•Cater to the organisation•Managing people/department

•Part of a larger structure; no development unless a reorganisation takes place

•Fit into the department•Personal development to benefit the company (not to satisfy personal needs)

New World of Work: bottom-upSmart and experienced individuals become more independent and get more

responsibility. Rather than managing others, people

Organisations need to look at their employees as internal customers, rather than as tools to serve external customers

Dynamic Organisation

Team

IndividualContributors

•Employees as internal customers whose needs are equally as important as needs of external customers

•Organisation is dynamic, driven from inside-out

•A dynamic team inspiring and coaching each other

•Result matters more than hours (output over input)

•Responsibility•Personal growth•Self-management•Internal customers•Individual development

New World of Work: Together AloneIndividuals with different expertises in various locations combine their strength to

work towards a common goal.

Working together, individuals share passion, knowledge and experience – thus further developing themselves as independent individuals with a broader

knowledge.

DIVERSE TEAM WITH A

COMMON GOAL

Person 1 in Location 1 with

Expertise A

Person 2 in Location 2 with

Expert B

Person 3 in Location 3 with

Expertise C

Person 4 in Location 4 with

Expertise D

Person 5 in Location 5 with

Expertise E

Person 6 in Location 6 with

Expertise F

For those familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, NWoW focuses on the top two needs of the pyramid: self-actualization and esteem.

By combining different expertises and experiences in one team; the sum becomes larger than the equation

1 1 3

Self-actualization

Esteem

Belonging

Safety

Physiological

NWoW results in…

If you treat your employees as internal customers, it is important to listen to their needs

and preferences. Though some people may be perfectly capable to work from home,

others may appreciate the comfort and social surroundings that come with “office life”. It

is vital for both the organisation as well as the people to find the individual balance.

NWoW is not the perfect solution for every employee or organisation.

Don’t blindly follow NWoW. It may unleach a few stars and inspire them to reach new

heights, but you risk a negative impact on skilled employees who prefer hierarchy and

structure rather than personal development and a dynamic environment.

Regardless of the benefits we see, change doesn’t necessarily mean improvement.

Conclusion

Vimal CV, Yacine Ndione, Yvonne Buma, Arthur Kruisman, Marcus Rolloos, Joep de Hoog,

Harald Overbeek, Hans Muller, Georgio Mosis, Peter den Ridder, Hannie Bouwmeester,

Erik van Eykelen, Jakolien Sok, Lieke Lamb, Floor Nobels, Sandra Beenhakker, Dick

Rochât and also Jason Fried’s TED presentation “Why Work Doesn’t Happen At Work”

Feedback through: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, telephone and by simply talking

to people over a cup of coffee and a slice of home-made apple pie

THANK YOU to everyone who inspired me and provided me

with feedback and insights

It’s not about what you know, it’s who you know

FD Career Challenge 2011

liekemuller@ziggo.nl