Press Service of the New Work Evolution

The end of the employer market has set the course for topics such as diversity, inclusion and equality to complement or even trump traditional factors such as salary, job security or leadership. A study conducted by IU International University among 1,200 respondents on the top criteria they use to select their future workplace confirms this change: most frequently mentioned were equal opportunities, work-life balance, openness and acceptance of different characters and personalities as well as meaningful work. The NEW WORK EVOLUTION exhibition in Karlsruhe from 6 to 8 May 2025 will focus on topics such as d, e & i and corporate culture - the online format xChange will provide an initial foretaste with a New Work slot on 30 January. We spoke to xChange speaker Yvonne Weiß, Chief Cultural Officer at Funke Medien Group since one year.

INFO:

Yvonne Weiß will be presenting on the role of the chief cultural officer as part of the online event xChange. Free tickets for xChange and the full programme can be foundHERE.

Press release only available in german language.

Pressrelease only available in german!

Pressrelease only available in german!

Pressrelease only available in german!

Pressrelease only available in german!

In-depth discussions on the modern working world, exciting insights into practical implementation of new ideas and provocative questions all took centre stage at the first New Work Evolution at the Karlsruhe Trade Fair Center. Around 13,500 visitors headed to Karlsruhe to find out about new ways of working and learning at both the New Work Evolution and digital education convention LEARNTEC, which took place at the same time. Exhibitors and speakers agreed that while there is huge interest in the topic, there are varying opinions on the definition of New Work. For three days, New Work Evolution offered attendees the opportunity to share ideas and experiences, and learn from each other. Furthermore, exhibitors benefited from an open-minded audience of professionals from all over Germany who were specifically looking for New Work solutions.

"I am delighted that with New Work Evolution we have created a platform where companies can find and share inspiration around the megatrend New Work," says Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe. "The new trade fair perfectly showcased the advantages of Karlsruhe as a location, as it is a thriving economic hub with a high level of innovation, especially in digitalization. Equally important is the fact that many companies in the region are already pioneers in terms of modern working culture."

In the area of consulting and coaching, companies such as Return on Meaning and Work4Purpose explained their strategies for helping companies reshape their culture, structure and mindset in a comprehensive transformation process. Testing and trying things out for yourself was also the order of the day, for example in the workshops at the Drees & Sommer stand and in Framery's state-of-the-art office cubicles. At their joint stand, Steelcase and feco-feederle presented examples of how the office can become an oasis of well-being that combines individuality with functionality. Gabriele Künzig-Hoffmann, Sales Manager at feco: "We were able to have several high-quality conversations, with many getting deeply into the topic and very interested in New Work." And the exhibitors were able to convince with their content too: Around one-third of the visitors stated in the survey that they would close a deal after the trade show.

Zu den Pressebildern

Weitere Stimmen zur New Work Evolution:

Sven Mylius, Senior Manager, Drees & Sommer (Aussteller): „Die New Work Evolution bietet eine schöne Mischung aus Produktherstellern und Dienstleistern aus den verschiedensten Blickwinkeln der Arbeitswelt. Viele Besuchende hatten eine Vorstellung von New Work, und wenn sie von unserem Stand weggehen, haben sie dann eine völlig neue Vorstellung.“

Karsten Franz, New Work Scout, Work4Purpose (Aussteller): „Tolle Kontakte, aufgeschlossene Menschen, die sich positiv darüber äußern, dass sie auf der New Work Evolution auf angenehme Art und Weise angesprochen werden.

Ivo Hossnofsky, Area Sales Manager, Framery (Aussteller): „Wir hatten sehr gute Kontakte und Gespräche. Das Interesse an unserem Stand und am Thema New Work war groß. […] Manchmal mussten wir in die Tiefe gehen und das Thema erklären. Aber das ist gerade schön, weil man den Menschen ganz neue Einblicke verschaffen kann.“

Rolf Gerlach, Managing Director, Chairholder (Aussteller): „New Work ist für viele Firmen ein Thema, die nach Lösungen, Impulsen und Anregungen suchen. […] Die New Work Evolution ist ein guter Ort, um an einer zentralen Stelle von unterschiedlichen Kompetenzen Antworten zu bekommen.“

Duc Nguyen, emplify GmbH (Besucher): „Die Themen sind sehr relevant, wir sind von einem kleinen in ein größeres Büro umgezogen und finden hier Ideen, wie man die Arbeitsplatzgestaltung optimieren kann. Da wir dauerhaft im Home Office arbeiten dürfen, ist es auch wichtig, das Büro so zu gestalten, dass die Mitarbeiter gerne ins Büro kommen.“

Joy Lienert, Ärztekasse Genossenschaf (Besucherin): „Ich komme aus dem Bereich e-Learning und bin begeistert vom spannenden Angebot der Messe und der Vorträge.“

Steffen Grunert, procedes i-d (Besucher): „Wir haben hier bereits alte Kontakte wiedergefunden und uns mit neuen Kontakten vernetzt. Auch die Vorträge sind uns wichtig, das Thema New Work hat uns zur Messe gelockt.“

Here you will find a compact overview of all the facts, figures and highlights of the New Work Evolution.

Current image material is available for free download during the entire event here.

To the image material

Companies today have to cope with the demands of a rapidly changing VUCA world (1). One reaction of many companies is to break up previous structures and working methods under the keyword "New Work" in order to be able to act faster and more flexibly. However, what exactly New Work means and whether the concept is at all suitable for all sectors and companies will be explained by experts at the new trade fair New Work Evolution from 23 to 25 May at Messe Karlsruhe.

According to the Future Report 2023, New Work is the current megatrend and expression of a new era in work (2). Appreciation and meaningful work are intended to attract and retain skilled workers and at the same time boost productivity. In Karlsruhe, exhibitors from all areas of New Work will use hands-on solutions, practical examples and individual advice to explain how people-centred and purposeful work can succeed. On the Main Stage, 26 speakers will provide information on the various aspects of New Work, from leadership culture and methodology to hardware and software.

On-site audit: Where does a company stand - and what needs to be done?

Exhibitor Venture.idea supports its clients' management in terms of strategy, innovation and organisation. The basis for the management consultancy based in Düsseldorf, Germany, is first to record the status quo of a company and thus to define gaps and the individual starting point for a transformation towards New Work. At the booth, the company offers, among other services, an individual New Work audit with an evaluation directly on site (Hall 3, Stand 3.E29). For Nils Cornelissen, founder of the Berlin consultancy Return on Meaning and also an exhibitor at the new exhibition, New Work is "first and foremost an attitude. It's about creating a workplace culture that promotes enthusiasm and renewal and thus enables people to do more of what they really want and can do." His company advises companies around transformation processes, talent management, culture change and leadership. At the trade fair, Return on Meaning will present, for example, mindfulness hacks for everyday work (Hall 3, Stand 3.C28).

New work culture needs new workspaces - and IT solutions

The experts from Drees & Sommer, leading European consulting, planning and project management company, will explain at their stand how the diversity of the modern working world - whether in the office, home office or further workplaces - and the corporate culture can be depicted in a functional and people-centred way in interior design (Hall 3, Stand 3.E10). New rooms for new work is also on the agenda of the joint stand of feco-feederle and Steelcase. The two companies will be on hand to provide information on which office types are suitable for which teams or work situations and what role design, acoustics or furniture play in a productive, feel-good atmosphere (Hall 3, Stand 3.D10). In order for the flexibilisation of the working world to succeed smoothly, collaborative IT tools are also needed - from desk and room occupancy in real time via control of the room climate in offices to data security. Among others, Bachmann GmbH will present corresponding solutions at its booth (Hall 3, Booth 3.D21).

Jennifer Laue is People Manager at Messe Karlsruhe. She says: "One size fits all does not work for New Work. Many paths can lead to a modern and improved work culture. That's what we learned at Messe Karlsruhe: About two years ago, we started to question and improve our structures in order to increase employee satisfaction, to develop team potential and to be able to react more quickly to the needs of the market. We are all the more pleased to be the organisers of the first New Work Evolution in exhibition format and to be able to bring many practical approaches to the tableau for visitors, both on the exhibitor and speaker side."

Information on exhibitors, the programme and tickets is available online at www.newworkevolution.de/en.

Note to the press: Press registration for the New Work Evolution is now open at https://www.newworkevolution.de/presseservice.html. Press tickets are valid for the new trade show as well as for LEARNTEC and the LEARNTEC Congress.

(1) VUCA is an acronym made up of the terms volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.

(2) https://www.zukunftsinstitut.de/artikel/aufbruch-in-die-neue-arbeitszeit/ (website visited on 13 April 2023)

You can find the German article here!

More and more companies are turning to New Work to remain competitive and to attract and retain employees in the long term. At New Work Evolution, the latest addition to Messe Karlsruhe's portfolio, representatives from management, HR development and training, as well as associations and institutions, can now find out which approaches to New Work have proven successful and what experiences others have already made along this path. A program of lectures with more than 15 top-class speakers will cover the entire spectrum of New Work - from new leadership models to digitalization and corporate culture.

Waste collection as best practice and Generation Z: Presentations show the scope of New Work

The opening lecture on the first day of the trade fair on the topic of New Work Generations will be given by Generation Z expert Felix Behm with the title "Kein Bock auf 08/15-Jobs - Was die Generation Z wirklich will!" (May 23, 2023, 10 a.m.). Companies need to ask themselves whether "their employees are just building a wall or a cathedral," Behm said. "Real sense of purpose means being part of the company instead of just a number. Companies that recognize this will have far fewer challenges in the future recruiting enough junior employees and keeping them in the company for the long term." Due to the employee market, Generation Z has the advantage that it can emphatically demand a corresponding culture of appreciation.

Also on the first day of the trade fair, the author and consultant for strategic communication, Saskia Eversloh will explain on the topic of New Work Stories that new forms of work are not only conceivable for classic office jobs. Thus, the title of her lecture is: "Success factor New Work - not only for white collar management: best practices from garbage collection to care services to mail order and DAX-30 companies." (May 23, 2023, 1 p.m.).

Dr. Dewi Schönbeck, Vice President Sales at Steelcase, will speak in the New Work Innovations thematic area (May 25, 12:30 p.m.). Keynote speaker in the fourth thematic block of the new trade fair, New Work Culture, is Lysander Weiß. The management consultant, author and lecturer will highlight opportunities for transformation in his presentation, "With Gentle Change to Radical Improvement: Greater Satisfaction and Productivity through an Optimal Work Environment" (May 23, 1:30 p.m.). Time will be provided after each presentation for attendees to ask questions and exchange ideas with the speakers.

Inform, network, educate around modern work culture

New Work Evolution, initially launched as southern Germany's leading congress for new working environments, is being held this year for the first time as an independent trade fair in parallel with LEARNTEC, Europe's largest event for digital learning in schools, universities and the workplace, in Karlsruhe. More than 20 exhibitors will show trade visitors their products and services for innovative working worlds and modern corporate culture. The spectrum ranges from management consultancies such as Drees & Sommer and New Work Scouts such as Karsten Franz to office furnishers such as feco-feederle and Steelcase. Visitors can also find inspiration and user-specific solutions in the area of IT, a key component of modern, collaborative work environments, with exhibitors such as AppSphere and Bachmann.

"New Work is never a one-size-fits-all approach: what has worked well for one company and led to more agility, short decision-making paths and greater employee satisfaction would perhaps have the opposite effect for another. This makes it all the more important that everyone who is interested in New Work and wants to initiate a change process in your company has the opportunity to inform themselves, exchange ideas and make new contacts. And that's exactly what New Work Evolution offers as the first trade fair of this scope," says René Naumenn, Senior Project Manager at Messe Karlsruhe.

Spotlight on the future of work

During the three days of the exhibition, company decision-makers such as managing directors, HR managers, facility and infrastructure managers, IT managers, planners and consultants, can network and exchange ideas on the topic of New Work. At the same time, New Work Evolution offers exhibitors an ideal platform to showcase products and services from the New Work sector to a specialist and targeted audience.

The online event xChange has been taking place since the beginning of 2021 in preparation for LEARNTEC - Europe's most important event for digital education - and is increasingly focussing on the topic of New Work. Just four months before NEW WORK EVOLUTION, which takes place alongside LEARNTEC, the free xChange programme and four top-class speakers will provide in-depth insights into the world of modern working. NEW WORK EVOLUTION will also feature exciting online presentations and discussion panels as part of xChange, covering the most popular topics in the field of New Work. Dive in live either from home or from the office and experience everything new about New Work on 31 January. Anyone interested can register free of charge at www.newworkevolution.de/en/xchange.

How companies can successfully counteract the shortage of skilled labour

The online presentations will focus on the areas of Technology, People & Culture, DE&I and Office. Participants include Jörg Staff, Alex Gessner and Corona Feederle.

Jörg Staff, Chairman of the German Society for Personnel Management (DGFP), will be speaking on 31 January from 10:25 to 10:40 a.m. on the topic of "The (R)evolution of work: Impulses & trends on the future of work that have determined the future viability of companies and HR in this decade".

Alex Gessner, Chief Operation Officer and Managing Director at ACI Consulting, will then take over and devote herself entirely to the area of DE&I. In her presentation "Diversity - when will we finally get it right?" on 31 January from 10:45 to 11 a.m., listeners will gain new insights into current developments.

Corona Feederle, Managing Director of feco-feederle GmbH, will be providing information on the latest developments in the office sector from 11:05 to 11:20. Her presentation "How New Work is reinventing the office: Hybrid work as an opportunity and a challenge" will tackle all kinds of difficult questions about the future. "People are coming to the office more purposefully. They value personal interaction, which is difficult to replace with a screen. But they also need private areas to complete their personal tasks - and these should be better than before the pandemic," says Feederle. In this presentation, you will learn how to combine the best of both worlds. How to create a hybrid way of working that utilises the benefits of both the home office and the office. How to promote a culture of togetherness based on personal encounters, creative idea development and strong team dynamics. And how to organise your working environment so that it supports your individual tasks and goals.

The online event xChange has been taking place since the beginning of 2021 in preparation for LEARNTEC - Europe's most important event for digital education - and is increasingly focussing on the topic of New Work. Just four months before NEW WORK EVOLUTION, which takes place alongside LEARNTEC, the free xChange programme and four top-class speakers will provide in-depth insights into the world of modern working. NEW WORK EVOLUTION will also feature exciting online presentations and discussion panels as part of xChange, covering the most popular topics in the field of New Work. Dive in live either from home or from the office and experience everything new about New Work on 31 January. Anyone interested can register free of charge at www.newworkevolution.de/en/xchange.

How companies can successfully counteract the shortage of skilled labour

The online presentations will focus on the areas of Technology, People & Culture, DE&I and Office. Participants include Jörg Staff, Alex Gessner and Corona Feederle.

Jörg Staff, Chairman of the German Society for Personnel Management (DGFP), will be speaking on 31 January from 10:25 to 10:40 a.m. on the topic of "The (R)evolution of work: Impulses & trends on the future of work that have determined the future viability of companies and HR in this decade".

Alex Gessner, Chief Operation Officer and Managing Director at ACI Consulting, will then take over and devote herself entirely to the area of DE&I. In her presentation "Diversity - when will we finally get it right?" on 31 January from 10:45 to 11 a.m., listeners will gain new insights into current developments.

Corona Feederle, Managing Director of feco-feederle GmbH, will be providing information on the latest developments in the office sector from 11:05 to 11:20. Her presentation "How New Work is reinventing the office: Hybrid work as an opportunity and a challenge" will tackle all kinds of difficult questions about the future. "People are coming to the office more purposefully. They value personal interaction, which is difficult to replace with a screen. But they also need private areas to complete their personal tasks - and these should be better than before the pandemic," says Feederle. In this presentation, you will learn how to combine the best of both worlds. How to create a hybrid way of working that utilises the benefits of both the home office and the office. How to promote a culture of togetherness based on personal encounters, creative idea development and strong team dynamics. And how to organise your working environment so that it supports your individual tasks and goals.