New work describes the world of work of the future – a working environment in which people can realise themselves and unlock their full potential. Today, new work is a familiar term to many. While already widely practised in some companies, new work still poses challenges for others. After all, new work is an invitation to fundamentally rethink the concept of work. This new form of work often requires a complete transformation of corporate culture – making it more agile and adaptive. The traditional career path becomes secondary, while the question of purpose takes centre stage. But what exactly does new work mean, and what role does Human Resource play?
New work is a collective term for meaningful, value-oriented and forward-looking work. It places particular focus on personal development, flexible working hours and locations, digital communication through appropriate tools, and working together at eye level. There is no single way to implement new work within a company. Depending on the existing organisational structure, the effort required for transformation may vary. The motivation for this change lies in the many benefits new work offers: today's world of work demands constant innovation – which requires employees who take responsibility and are motivated to contribute solutions. When individual development is prioritised, employee satisfaction increases. New leadership dismantles hierarchies and bureaucracy while boosting performance and motivation. Trust-based work, home office and flexible working models create space for fulfilment – both at and beyond work.
One of the thought leaders and pioneers of new work is the Austrian-American social philosopher Frithjof Bergmann. As early as the 1980s, he described the transformation of the working world as one that puts human needs first. The core values of this “new work” included autonomy, freedom, participation in community, and meaningful activity.
Goes hand in hand: new work and digitalisation
Digitalisation has fundamentally changed how we understand work. It supports new structures, remote work, and work-life blending. Modern working models such as new work offer employees more flexibility – but also demand greater individual responsibility. As such, new work goes hand in hand with digital transformation. As repetitive and monotonous tasks become increasingly automated, new work puts the focus back on meaningful activity. Corporate cultures werden agiler und adaptiver. New Work ist also kein Prozess, sondern eine Frage der Führung, Kultur und Haltung. Als entscheidendes Medium der Unternehmenskultur become more agile and adaptive. New work is therefore not a linear process but a question of leadership, culture and mindset. As a key driver of corporate culture, companies should establish innovative platforms for meetings, dialogue and knowledge exchange. Innovative tools and software form the foundation of internal communication – they create transparency and strengthen the flow of information across the entire company. The same applies to external communication.
New possibilities such as smart communication tools also enhance agility – both within teams and across company culture. Agile companies are generally more high-performing and innovative than hierarchical ones. Agility strengthens the transformation of established corporate and thinking processes and enables new leadership principles and modern relationships between employees as well as with clients.
New work: the role of HR
New work introduces new priorities in Human Resources. The HR function should create value and evolve both itself and the organisation in an agile way. Employees are a company’s most valuable asset. It’s no longer just about successfully recruiting suitable talent – but even more about retaining it. It is especially important to recognise each individual’s potential, to promote it, and to deploy it more precisely. A company that wants to adopt new work needs people in key positions who drive and embody innovation. An agile company that understands and lives new work is also more attractive to applicants. That is why it is all the more important for HR to clearly communicate to talent the benefits of the modern model. Depending on the target group, this may include offerings such as yoga, healthy food or engaging team events – but just as important are values and a sense of purpose. Here, HR must be creative.
If your company is currently undergoing organisational development or a change process, HR is particularly in demand. Staying in dialogue, convincing staff to engage with the digital shift and supporting them through it are essential. HR professionals should also act as coaches – helping managers adopt a leadership style based on equality and appreciation. These are major challenges. Refline’s e-recruiting software relieves HR professionals of administrative and repetitive tasks, creating space for these essential duties.
With all these convincing arguments in favour of new work, it is also important to acknowledge the potential risks. For instance, self-directed work or digital communication may be more difficult for some than for others. This learning process can bring challenges – and once again, HR professionals play a key role. At the same time, flexibility and tools like home office blur the boundaries between work and leisure. Staying in dialogue increases employee satisfaction and helps position new work as an opportunity.
Ready for the new HR reality?
New work requires new mindsets – and the right tools to strategically evolve HR. If you want to relieve your HR team and prepare it for the future, test how Refline can support you.