Know-why, -what, -how, -who? What we need to know about the future world of work
Essay by Katja Ninnemann, Professor of Digitalization and Workspace Management at HTW Berlin
Faced with current challenges like disruptive technology developments, the increasing shortage of skilled workers, and the after-effects of the coronavirus pandemic, many people are posing questions about the future world of work. The future work and living environments are often painted as a dualism—with a dystopian image of a “world lost” on one side and a utopian version of a “better world” on the other. However, we must bear in mind that the way we live and work now and in the future does not simply exist or come into existence all by itself. Our built environment is always the product of social negotiation processes. Positive or frightening depictions of the future of work are irrelevant without a grasp of the underlying expectations, values, roles, and norms—what I call the know-why. Only by disclosing and confronting our motivations, which range from personal interests to organisational requirements and societal rules, can we discuss images of the future.
Moreover, this requires acquiring hard knowledge: We can summarise the insights from science and professional practice in that there is no blueprint for the ideal ratio between working in an office to working from home, from working together to working alone, or working in person or working remotely. Research findings show that the choice of work location in hybrid work models is influenced by the unique needs of individuals as well as the requirements of organisations with teams engaged in complex questions and tasks within innovation processes. Moreover, external factors play a role in the organisation of work contexts, including framework conditions like family, economy, culture and society, which can differ starkly depending on the individual and their particular stage in life. When considering all factors collectively, numerous design possibilities become available, yet they are not drastically different when viewed from a meta-perspective of past, present, and future: Working from home, for example, is not a novel invention of the information society. Even before the industrialisation in medieval cities, the living and working environments in the houses of merchants and craftsmen were closely linked. The women from the city’s lower classes would contribute to a household’s livelihood by working from home. The critical analysis of models and the expertise on valid concepts—the know-what—are thus a central basis to take part in shaping the future world of work.
What could tomorrow’s world of work look like? It depends, as legal experts like to say. Or to put it differently: We need skills and process knowledge—the know-how—to develop open, creative, efficient, and sustainable solutions for relevant problems in workplace organisation. In a society where the only thing that persists is permanent change, the focus cannot solely be on strengthening professional expertise. Instead, the active individuals (of the future) must be equipped with the methodological, social, and personality competencies—the know-who—in school, study, and work to be actively involved in design processes. If know-why, know-what, know-how, and know-who are thought together, we can model and realise multi-layered concepts for the future world of work.
Katja Ninnemann is an expert in the design practices and innovation processes of hybrid learning and working environments.
Prof. Dr. Katja Ninnemann – University of Applied Sciences – HTW Berlin