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Communication and healing environment are the alpha and omega

At the end of the 20th century, within two decades digitization becomes standard in of-
fice work. Computers, fax machines, mobile phones, copiers and the internet appear in
the office which also allows working in narrow and informal rooms. By now, the com-
plete office equipment fits into a smartphone. Necessary data can be retrieved via e-mail
and the internet and the new media allow quick and close contact with clients, suppliers
and employees. This compact office rearranges the social sectors such as office work and
economy, ecology and politics. It assists in working environmentally, for instance whe-
never the possibility is used to optimize the energy balance of the office and the office
building; whenever work is done in a paperless way and natural resources are sparingly
used. The analogue room becomes thus above all a basis as a place for meeting, for per-
sonal (analogue) exchange and for creativity. Since immaterial production plays an in-
creasingly important role, the tools and the space requirement change so that new office
forms such as the virtual and the open – portable and mobile – office come into existence.
Open offices have no clearly defined space, almost any location and any form of room
can become an office. Neither do they have a clearly defined time frame any longer since
fixed working hours are a thing of the past. Corresponding to the different functions and
requirements of the modern working world, there is a wide variety of office types. By
now, open-plan offices provide quiet areas because this positively affects well-being and
productivity. A pioneering form is the smart office with its office landscape with many
variants and for a variety of tasks. With this change of paradigm, new realizations come
up which are important for office work: privacy and profession may go together, team-
work is as important as a suitable and pleasant ambience and practicable tools and
media. But communication remains the alpha and omega since it is the good relationship Wohlbefinden durch Bewegung – ein Sportfeld fördert Teamgeist. • Movement for well-being – and team spirit.
with those working in the office that motivates and keeps people healthy. Rooms influ-
ence the way people work and how they feel while doing so. Since the senses function
like antennae in the room, the structure of rooms is just as important as are the light con- strength of the light source depending on the age of the employees or moving work out-
ditions, sounds, smells, the arrangement of the workstations and the ambience. The so- doors in summer. Sophisticated office acoustics is also required. Clicking of keys, hum-
called healing environment includes a large number of very varied material and mental ming air-conditioners and rattling printers disturbs the concentration and the well-being.
elements. With the objective of well-being, the concept of the living area transfers onto Teamwork has to be given a lot of thought. Successful teamwork considerably depends
the design of the working world. Thus more and more offices with a personal touch re- on the social skills of the team members. Good qualities for teams are trust and aware-
sult. The rooms are equipped with suitable furniture, bright colours, sufficient daylight, ness, respect, ability to communicate and the skill to handle conflicts. Since office work
clever work organization with free spaces and pleasant acoustic surroundings. in the 21st century is no longer functional but process-oriented, teamwork has been furt-
her developed towards agility. The teams are agile and clever regarding the structures
Sensible in many respects: now and again changing the position and the processes of work. They flexibly react to unforeseeable incidents, new demands
changes. A lively exchange of ideas and inspiring cooperation characterize everyday of-
Office work should be a pleasurable part of life – as communication and education, as fice work. The members work across all the disciplines and are physically present.
attitude and joy in the ambience. That is why attention as to be paid to furniture, media, Transparency and the knowledge sharing prevail so that decisions can be quickly made.
food, light and acoustics. The usual body posture in the office is sitting. It counteracts For working in an office, special characteristics are needed. Such as coherence, the fee-
well-being and should be newly acquired: sitting less, adopting other postures, using ling for one’s own ability and the capability of correctly evaluating current situations. As
height-adjustable tables, moving around more or ritualizing sitting, accepting it as a va- well as tolerance for ambiguity, the ability to suffer contradictions, vagueness and inse-
luable body posture and sitting correctly. Since the body stays healthy above all when it curity, the talent to emphasize with other people and to avoid thinking in black or white.
moves, the future office should be an office of movement and changing postures. Day- The most complex skill in teamwork is non-violent communication. Being able to under-
light is essential for the human body. This should be the light in the workplace. That is stand oneself and others. Non-violent communication promotes good communication
why many companies today consciously deal with light by choosing the kind and and is invaluable in all situations where people get together – such as in the office.