“Here it is, the text that is so important to me,” Sachar Klein wrote on Twitter when his guest article for W&V magazine appeared. “New
Personally, I feel just like Sachar. In the last nine months, I have had problems with two colleagues who have not done their job. They were busy with everything but did not do what they had agreed to. Meanwhile, both colleagues no longer work for us. It is fascinating to note that we do not notice their absence at all. But we still feel their mistakes.
They got along well with other colleagues and even were friends with some of them. As a result, they were often defended despite their misconducts. Several times the sense of Neue Arbeit connected to harmony and its importance to us was pointed out, as well as the fact, that we got along well with both of them. Those who protected them, even bid them farewell, never worked closely with them. Those who did not say goodbye to them with loving words; instead, remained silent.
This situation lasted nine months as we don’t take it lightly to dismiss someone. There were many opportunities for both employees, in different positions in the company, at various locations and with different responsibilities. Nothing helped, so in the end, way too late, we could only help each other with a separation. The emotional damage caused by both of them cannot be fully comprehended yet and remains with us.
Neue Arbeit is marked by emotionality.
What Neue Arbeit is about is deciding how you want to work. But there is still work to be done. You don’t always like the task. But everyone enjoys the freedom to do a job as they want it. Colleagues trust that you are doing your job. They can, therefore, focus on their own tasks. This is how we function as a team.
This is my very personal view on what happened. The two former colleagues have their own perception of it. Against the background of the entire company and the work we do every day, this anecdote may seem like a trifle. But it has shaped my emotional perception of my job over the past few months. I was not able to do my job with the same joy as usual.
Even if many things are okay in the company, minor problems can prove to be significant obstacles. Because Neue Arbeit has a lot to do with the development of one’s own personality, Neue Arbeit is characterized by emotionality. Organizational problems are quickly also personal issues. These feelings should also be accepted, but the basic understanding of work must be that work is being done. Even in Neue Arbeit (and New Work).
Header Image: Kati Kremkau, Dublin 2019
