io in Transition

Digitalization, remote work, the shortage of skilled workers: The world of work is changing. How do you view the developments of the past few years?

Compared to the world of work 15 or 20 years ago, an immense amount has changed—especially when you look at the last five years. But despite all the doomsday predictions, I believe the situation has improved significantly overall.

In what ways? Can you elaborate on that? 

Thanks to digital media—which is why, looking back, I’m actually somewhat grateful for the pandemic. The pandemic forced us to invest in new technologies in a very short time. Equipping entire companies with a full infrastructure of microphones, cameras, and teleconferencing systems would certainly have taken ten to 15 years under normal circumstances. But as it was, all companies that wanted to stay competitive had implemented the necessary systems within a year. Today, it’s second nature to hold online meetings via Teams, Google Meet, Webex, or Zoom—and everyone knows how to use the software. This gives us the ability to communicate and interact with one another very quickly. It’s a huge advantage.

So, are conference tools and communication platforms driving this change?

Of course not—they’re not the only factors. The world as a whole has become more digital—with all the advantages and disadvantages that transformative processes inevitably bring. Today, we’re able to work on the same file across different locations. Everyone can see who’s doing what and where. That’s fascinating—and, overall, a major advantage that has led, for example, to travel activities reaching a level that can be integrated much more easily into each individual’s daily routine. For business meetings, I now drive only a third of the annual mileage I used to cover just five years ago. And I’m certainly not alone in this.

Don’t you miss the days when people would still meet in person for appointments?

Yes, but that still happens. There are still many good reasons to sit down together at a table—especially with clients. But even there, we can rely on technological solutions today. For example, it’s sometimes better to connect with someone live rather than having to postpone entire meetings due to traffic jams or missed connecting trains.

Do you notice any differences there compared to the time before the pandemic?

The pace of communication has increased significantly. You can see that in the way people interact with one another. Over the years, we’ve all become a bit more impatient. When we exchange and send data, we actually expect everything to be analyzed and taken care of within an hour—which isn’t really possible, because we work on things intensively, analyze them, develop concepts, and then present them to the team for feedback and refinement. Perfect solutions don’t just fall from the sky. If you want good results, you have to invest time and energy. Everyone needs to be aware of that.

Does this perhaps apply primarily to so-called Generation Z?

I don’t think Generation Z can be reduced to that. That said, young people in particular are used to getting everything in real time because of social media. But sensible, high-quality work requires patience, calm, and perseverance, which is why I hope we’ll all become a bit more relaxed again. My advice to those just starting their careers would therefore be to cultivate a certain sense of calm and composure. Not everything has to be done immediately—doing so might compromise the results and quality. We also need to give others the time and opportunity to produce good, reliable work.