The Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society (HWG LU) organized together with the Future Initiative Rhineland-Palatinate (ZIRP) e.V. a digital conference on the topic of "New Work" on November 20, 2020. Minister President Malu Dreyer, BASF and ZIRP board member Michael Heinz, and Prof. Dr. Jutta Rump, head of the university-affiliated Institute for Employment and Employability, provided exciting impulses.
Digitalization is changing the world of work, and with it personnel management and collaboration. Employees and prospective managers of Generation Y and Z are also bringing their own self-image and expectations of development opportunities and workplace design into the company. The Corona pandemic acts as an additional driver.
The young generation's expectations of New Work and the effects of the Corona pandemic on work were accordingly the central topics of the "Work-a-thon".
After an introduction to the topic by University President Prof. Dr. Peter Mudra and Prof. Dr. Klaus Blettner, Dean of the Department of Marketing & Human Resources Management, the Rhineland-Palatinate Minister President Malu Dreyer focused in her keynote speech on the connection between technologization, communication and collaboration, particularly with regard to the younger generation: "We are on the threshold of a major generational change. That is why it is so important to know what Generation Y and Z expect from their future workplace, from their future employer," said the Minister President. Following that, Michael Heinz, member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE and chairman of ZIRP, took a look at the impact of the current pandemic on the world of work: "Corona has shown that much more is possible than we thought. Now it's a matter of defining the new normal - even after Corona - and not falling back into old patterns. We will work in a more flexible and hybrid way. At the same time, we must not question presence altogether." In the third keynote speech of the day, IBE Director Prof. Dr. Jutta Rump expressed her conviction that the Corona pandemic will have a significant impact on Generation Z: "Generation Z is currently experiencing, due to the crisis, that the labor market is more of an employer market, although at the same time there is a shortage of skilled workers. In addition, there are massive transformation processes with digitalization, structural change in the economy and awareness of climate and environmental protection. This leads to uncertainty."
The impulses were taken up in three subsequent workshops: Around 100 participants - including junior staff as well as HR managers and executives from companies in Rhineland-Palatinate and the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan area - discussed the workplace of the future, their own role in the company and development opportunities there. Prof. Dr. Stephan Weinert, Professor of International Human Resources Management at HWG LU, led the workshop "My role in the company" together with Nicole Haeffner from SAP SE. His conclusion: "We were able to lead a great and stimulating breakout session on topics such as "Shared leadership in virtual teams", "The curse and blessing of modern communication" or "Flexibility versus workload in the home office". Many thanks to all the panelists!"
All in all, the digital conference made it clear that New Work is not just about working methods, but is closely linked to people's need for fulfillment, meaning and stability.
Background: ZIRP
Founded in 1992, the Zukunftsinitiative Rheinland-Palatinate (ZIRP) e.V. (Future Initiative Rhineland-Palatinate) strengthens the state as an international business location, an attractive place to live and work, and a vibrant place of European culture through the joint commitment of business, politics, science and culture. ZIRP promotes the dialogue between various social groups and provides impulses for forward-looking topics and projects. It sees itself as a network, impulse generator and location initiative. The Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society is also part of ZIRP.
Further information at: www.zirp.de
