Next Stop: New Work! A 3-Stop Journey Through the New World of Work with Storytelling

It was another stressful morning. Two whirlwinds of kids who’d rather do anything than get moving—breakfast, getting dressed, brushing teeth, hurry up and go! After drop-off at daycare, a quick stop at my parents’ place to pick up a printed document (we’re one of those millennial households without a working printer…). I was already halfway back in my car—which was illegally parked on the sidewalk along the play street—when my mom asked me, “Do you want to stay for coffee?” I paused for a moment, ran through my work calendar in my head, and realized: Why not, actually?

And even though that lovely morning spent chatting was quite a while ago now, and many more spontaneous changes of plans have followed since then, that situation has stayed with me.

It was the first time I had consciously taken advantage of our flexible work schedule. This freedom—not to structure my day around work, but to decide for myself—is perfect for me, as it allows me to literally juggle my many “roles”: Head of Onboarding, Head of Family, Head of Grocery Shopping, Head of Doctor’s Appointments, and so on.

And I’m not alone in this. Recent surveys show that nearly half of those surveyed would even quit their jobs today if they were denied the flexibility they crave.

“New Work” is the buzzword here—one that has likely been swirling through the minds of many CEOs and HR managers, at least since the pandemic. After all, in the War for Talent, it’s essential to respond to employees’ changing needs. However, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution. What we might call flexible hours, trust-based leave, and workations could look completely different for other organizations. Spoiler alert: Storytelling offers exciting approaches to this challenge, too! Here are a few tips for your New Work roadmap:

How can storytelling support the adoption of New Work?

Storytelling can help companies not only develop new work models, but also shape them together with their employees and communicate them clearly. It all starts with storylistening: Through personal stories and experiences, companies discover the needs, desires, and challenges that their teams are actually facing. During the introduction of new ways of working, stories can make changes easier to understand, highlight different perspectives, and foster dialogue. And in employer branding, authentic employee stories ultimately demonstrate how “New Work” is truly put into practice in everyday work life. In this way, storytelling supports the entire change process, from the initial listening phase all the way to communicating the new world of work.

Station 1: Identifying Employee Needs Through Storylistening

New What? While the final decision on measures and their implementation usually takes place at the management level, the need for change comes from the team. “Workation” is probably less in demand among a group of school parents than among young freelancers. Remote work might not be all that exciting if everyone lives within walking distance of the office anyway. So, rather than unilaterally imposing well-intentioned “New Work” measures on the workforce like a straitjacket, decision-makers should first take a step back and listen carefully instead.

Storylistening means discovering employees’ stories and experiences through active listening and open-ended questions. A Corporate Campfire provides a safe space for this: team members gather around an imaginary campfire and share their personal experiences, hopes, and challenges in their day-to-day work. What drives them (or gets them out of bed in the morning)? What do they particularly value about their employer? What would be their wildest career dream? And what challenges have they had to face most recently? Like a spark, each story ignites a small fire in the other participants and inspires them to share their insights as well. Not only do exciting insights come to light, but team spirit and camaraderie are also strengthened along the way. And companies can identify which aspects of New Work are truly relevant to their employees, rather than determining measures based solely on general trends.

But shh, here’s a little tip: Managers tend to be more of a distraction in this intimate setting. So it’s best to delegate the facilitation of storylistening to neutral colleagues or outside consultants. If executives want to listen themselves, anonymous surveys can be a first step.

By the way, that’s how we kicked off our “New Work” journey at the end of 2020!

Station 2: Using Storytelling to Support the Transition to New Work

Once the individual needs within the team have been identified, it’s time to focus on the finer details. After all, on the journey from the old way of working to benefits there are still a few stops along the way that companies shouldn’t skip. Now it’s time to figure out the “how.”

So what does flexibility actually mean for the team? Is it about working from anywhere? All the time, or do people still meet in the office? Do work hours need to be completely flexible, or does the staff perhaps just want a flexible start time? What kind of framework, if any, should still be in place? How do we ensure that the benefits for some don’t become disadvantages for others? Ideally, these discussions should also take place within the team so that the decisions are supported by everyone and truly address the core of everyone’s needs.

And even though the process naturally results in a host of wonderful innovations, changes to structures that have often been in place for ages are usually accompanied by fears and concerns—especially among long-time employees. Effective change management, in which everyone feels heard and understood, is therefore essential.

Here, too, storytelling can help highlight motivations, underscore the company’s values as a solid foundation through shared stories (remember the “Corporate Campfire”), and thus make the transition to the new world of work as smooth as possible. Incidentally, personal stories and anecdotes also help leaders come across as more approachable and likable, thereby helping them win over all employees to the planned New Work initiatives.

What might that look like in practice? Suppose a company introduces flexible work hours. While one employee explains how this allows her to better balance family and career, a colleague might talk about the challenge of finding times when the whole team can meet. Both stories highlight different needs and help the group develop solutions together. Managers, too, can share personal experiences—such as the uncertainties they themselves associate with new work models. In this way, an abstract change initiative becomes a relatable dialogue about opportunities, challenges, and shared ground rules.

Station 3: Highlighting “New Work” Through Authentic Employee Stories

We’re nearing the provisional end of our New Work journey. We’ve identified the new structures and selected the right benefits for the team; all that’s left is to share the good news with the world. Because let’s be honest: in the war for talent, companies need every weapon they can get. An authentic, inspiring, and—above all—team-designed work environment can be an unbeatable advantage that organizations should highlight to potential talent.

With the help of effective storytelling, the careers page becomes a flagship, and employees become the best proof of why applying is worthwhile. After all, even the most attractive benefits are only half as convincing when presented in a cold and impersonal way. A few bullet points listing benefits simply don’t entice anyone these days. Instead, all of a company’s public channels must convey the company’s spirit and its unique brand voice—the qualities that set it apart from the competition.

So why not let employees share what the “New Work” initiatives mean to them and how they’re using that flexibility? What benefits do these initiatives bring to their daily lives, and what values shape their interactions with one another? After all, potential colleagues can relate much more to a casual coffee chat at Mom’s house—made possible by flexible work hours—than to mere generic lists 😉

So breathe life into your efforts and show how each of you is shaping your new shared work routine in your own unique way.

FAQ: Shaping “New Work” Through Storytelling

How can storytelling help with the implementation of New Work?

Storytelling helps companies communicate changes in a way that’s easy to understand, engage employees, and bring different perspectives to light. Personal stories reveal the needs driving new work models and how these models are changing day-to-day work.

Why is storylistening important for New Work?

Storylistening helps companies identify the actual needs of their employees. Through open-ended questions and active listening, they learn which working conditions, challenges, and wishes are relevant to the team. This allows “New Work” initiatives to be based on concrete experiences rather than general trends.

How can “New Work” be communicated in employer branding?

New Work is most credible when it’s illustrated through real stories from employees. Instead of simply listing benefits like flexible hours, remote work, or workations, companies can show how their teams take advantage of these opportunities and what difference they make in everyday life. This gives potential applicants a concrete insight into the company culture.

TL;DR: New Work and Storytelling in a Nutshell

🚀 Three stations to the goal: identifying needs, shaping change, and bringing the new world of work into focus.

👂 Listen first, then make changes: Storylistening brings employees’ needs and wishes to light.

🔥 Discovering stories together: Corporate Campfires create space for personal experiences and new perspectives.

🧩 There’s no one-size-fits-all solution: New Work must align with the company culture and the individual needs of the team.

🔄 Supporting change: Storytelling can help make decisions easier to understand and foster dialogue in change management.

❤️ People Over Perks: Personal stories show how new work models are making a difference in everyday life.

📣 Authentic Employer Branding: Employees share their own experiences of how “New Work” is put into practice at their company.