The Humboldt Foundation's new culture of cooperation
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
Bonn
Location
300
Employees
23
Managers
2023-2024
Project period
How do we want to work together in the future? This question was at the heart of a comprehensive change process initiated by the Humboldt Foundation together with combine. The aim was to rethink the strongly presence-oriented working culture before the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent, purely virtual phase during the pandemic - towards a flexible, hybrid form of collaboration.
The Humboldt Foundation has set out to further develop its culture of cooperation - a culture based on participation, trust and responsibility. One that puts people at the center. And one that preserves and further strengthens the specific character of the Foundation.
This culture of cooperation should shape the "return to the office" in a responsible, health-conscious manner and in harmony with the foundation's culture. In order to achieve this, we have set up a participatory process that actively involves employees and gives them room to maneuver. The resulting cultural change strengthens identification and acceptance within the foundation.
A new culture of collaboration cannot be imposed - it has to emerge from within. In the workshops and digital formats that we designed, all participants were able to contribute their perspectives, needs and ideas. The central questions were: What do we need to be able to work well? How is our work changing as a result of digital processes? And how do we design spaces and rules that support this? It was important for us to find these answers together - not as a solution from above, but as a new, shared self-image.
Dr. Hanna Genau-Hagebölling,
Project manager at combine
The answers were incorporated into a joint vision and specific recommendations for "New Work@Humboldt"
Three central themes emerged from the joint discussions:
Networking and participation: Promotion of cross-departmental exchange, empowerment of employees and transparent communication.
Area concept and rules of the game: Desk-sharing options, activity orientation instead of hierarchy, flexible spaces for different forms of work.
Self-organization and trust: Establishing a culture of trust, clear communication and collaboration rules, autonomy in terms of working hours and location.
The result: orientation, motivation - and a living document
Inspired by Alexander von Humboldt's research trip to South America, the Foundation is also embarking on an expedition - not to distant lands, but to new forms of cooperation. The participatory process therefore became a "Logbook of cooperation" a practical compass for working under New Work conditions. The logbook bundles recommendations, practical examples and so-called Work Hacks on topics such as hybrid collaboration, meeting culture and room design. At the same time, it describes the short-, medium- and long-term development of collaboration within the foundation - and thus makes change visible and manageable.
The logbook is deliberately not a set of rules, but an invitation to try things out, reflect on them and help shape them.
It offers orientation in a changing world of work and provides impetus to break new ground - with trust, openness and a clear view of the future. And supports employees in finding their own course in a flexible, hybrid working world. Flexibility is not understood as a loss of control, but as an expression of a modern work culture in which personal responsibility and creative freedom go hand in hand. As with any real expedition, the logbook lives from the experiences of its fellow travelers. That is why it contains checklists and space for your own observations: What was tried out? What worked well - what didn't? In this way, the logbook becomes a living document that grows and develops with you.
Three guiding stars for the new collaboration: place, people, work
The logbook structures the experiences, perspectives and recommendations along the three guiding stars Location, Human and Work:
LocationHow can spaces invite, inspire and connect? The physical workplace should be more than just a desk and chair - it becomes a meeting place and feel-good space in which creative collaboration can unfold.
HumanCooperation succeeds where trust, openness and community are tangible. Rituals, a feedback culture and space for encounters promote a foundation culture in which everyone can contribute.
WorkFlexibility does not mean a lack of rules - but conscious, transparent agreements. Whether synchronous or asynchronous, virtual or on-site: it's about designing working methods sensibly and communicating them clearly.
Travel equipment & ideas case - practical aids for everyday life
Two central chapters in the logbook provide specific tools:
Travel equipment"How-to" guides for hybrid meetings, room design, coordinating office presence or digital collaboration with tools such as Viva Engage. The aim is to provide orientation and make new forms of cooperation tangible.
Case of ideasA collection of new and tried-and-tested formats such as "job shadowing", "fuck-up events" and "walk & talk". They promote transparency, strengthen the community and invite reflection - on routines, collaboration and common goals.
Conclusion: A bold departure with a clear compass
With the logbook, the Humboldt Foundation not only provides tools, but also strengthens the common understanding of cooperation in times of change. It encourages co-creation and makes you want to explore new paths - even if they are unfamiliar or uncertain. Because, as on Humboldt's journey, the greatest discoveries often lie off the beaten track
Services
- Project Management
- User representation until moving in
- Determining requirements
- Occupancy studies
- Concept for working environments
- Change process support
