Desk sharing, mobile working, work-life-balance – these are key words which are more and more evident in our daily life.  Mobile office has meanwhile become a fixed part for the employees in administration and cannot be disposed of in working life. The progress in networking and digitalization also demands an adapted working world at myonic. Within the last year the first open-plan office was adapted to the hybrid and modern way of working within a pilot scheme. The new work office entails newly structured work places, the so-called desk sharing. Work places are no longer assigned to a certain person which also means that at any time a certain part of the employees work in mobile office as there are more employees than adequate desks.

Developing the new office with a project work
The target of the project was to design an innovative and sustainable working world on 380 m² for around 45 employees. Based on a 60 % average rate of presence, modern, attractive work places and smart working offers within a hybrid working scheme are to be created.  The project started with a feasibility study which was realized with the support of the company  Staehlin from Kempten and the management of myonic. As early as in the second phase the colleagues concerned were integrated into the planning.  Over a period of several months the experts for office planning developed the concept for the new open-plan office in close cooperation  and numerous detail discussions together with our employees. The company Uli Schuh from Ravensburg supported us in designing the work café.

Division into different work areas
The new work office consists of different areas. The largest part consists of the standard work places, which can be booked via a special software. Furthermore, there is the medium focus area which comprises most of the working places and the high focus area also called area for silent work which is situated apart from the other areas. For quick work on the laptop „touchdown places“ are available. For web conferences and intimate discussions two „cubes“ offering space for 4 people, and two  „phone boxes“ for one person each, are available. The heart of the new work office is the Work Café with its cosy lounges. This safe space shall offer space for communication and recovery. Moreover a larger meeting room was created – the so-called „project bay“. This room offers space for team and project work . However, it can also be used as a temporary work place. In planning the new work places the smallest details were taken into account, e.g. large green areas considerably increase the well-being.

New work office – more than only a modification of space
This sustainable design improves the communication among colleagues as well as interdisciplinary and among the departments. The decentralized way of working offers a possibility of leaving behind old routines, thinking of new ways of work and forms of organization and thus of being well prepared for the challenges of the future. The loss of fixed work places promotes the personal exchange and the direct flow of information between the different teams.  This offers a chance to look beyond one’s own daily work and to be inspired by the expertise, prospectives, knowledge and experience of other areas. In view of the green transformation, the almost paperless office is also one step further in reaching our goal.

Positive feedback from the departments concerned
Reactions among our employees are predominantly positive or even exclusively positive. It is much appreciated that most of the wishes and suggestions of the workshop were integrated into the office concept. The colleagues therefore feel at ease. The excellent technical equipment as well as the given flexibility and the possibility for self-organization is praized. Others appreciate the changing colleagues in the direct environment and a clean and tidy desk every morning.