YOU.START.NEW WORK!New Culture of Cooperation at the University of Hamburg

10 December 2024, by Newsroom editorial office

Photo: University of Hamburg/Esfandiari

New Work@UHH final event: At the interactive, town-hall event, attendees surround the main players.

More than 150 people gathered in Mozart Hall for the final event of the New Work@UHH project on 9 December 2024. The event was a milestone, marking the transition from the project phase to implementation.

The event was held under the motto “a project journey to a breakthrough to a new culture of cooperation” and was an opportunity for exchange, inspiration, and reflection on the future of work and cooperation at the University.

“With the New Work@UHH project, we have created conditions for providing all University employees with support and tools. Now we are actually entering the more exciting phase in which everyone should ask themselves: What offer should I take up? How can integrate tools and methods concretely into my team or daily work life? To which we say: Just start! True to our motto, “Full sail ahead! You start New Work!” said Sabrina Fuhrmann, deputy head of administration at the University and responsible for the New Work@UHH project. 

Final event highlight 

It was an exciting event with many of the main actors from various areas taking visitors on a journey through the project results and experiences in an interactive, town-hall atmosphere (main actors, surrounded by attendees, taking center stage).   

While touring the topics, moderator Friederike Redlbacher also made pit-stops at the New Work “islands” to introduce the New Work Team Tool, the New Work Toolbox, and the New Work Tool Finder, and to give insight into the new culture of meetings.

Nale Lehmann-Willenbrock from the Center for Better Work at the University of Hamburg, which provided scientific guidance and evaluation, presented the first interesting findings from the staff surveys on the topic of New Work. Subsequently, Martin Hecht, Kristina Hohendorf, Petra Steinorth, and Tom Gobien illuminated and discussed the introduction of the informal German “Du” at the University of Hamburg from various perspectives. Audience members could also join the conversation and share their views of the new “Du” culture of informality and questions about aspects of New Work.

During the break, participants had a chance to try out the tools at DYI stands and talk to the experts. At a panel discussion, Susanne Zemene and Stephanie Meyrahn, representing 2 pilot areas, talked about their concrete and positive experiences with the implementation of New Work subprojects. Afterwards, Sabrina Fuhrmann and Rosalie Förster gave a preview of further cultural changes and invited everyone to begin and plan their next steps towards making the cultural changes a reality.  

From digital tools, the informal “Du,” and testimonials about individual New Work efforts to coaching offers and methods for agile collaboration—participants received a comprehensive overview of resources and options available to them.  

A sustainable project 

The New Work@UHH project aims to promote a new, modern, culture of collaboration at the University of Hamburg. In the last few 2 years, many participatory opportunities and innovative approaches to work have been created and established and are now ready to be rolled out. In hindsight, the project has not only inspired many new ideas but created a sustainable foundation for employees to build upon.  

The final event officially concluded the New Work@UHH project but the journey to a new culture of collaboration has only just begun. The University of Hamburg invites its entire staff to actively take part in this change, to use the support opportunities, and to try out new ways of working. 

See the project web page for more information about the project itself and the tools.