Dr. Wilhelm Bauer (54) is Head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO) and the Institute for Human Factors and Technology Management (IAT) in Stuttgart, Germany. He also lectures on office work design at the universities of Hanover and Stuttgart. As the co-initiator of the Office 21 joint project, Bauer is particularly concerned about how office and knowledge work will develop in the future.
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Digitization has dramatically changed the media industry. Which sectors will this development affect next?
Bauer: The digitization of the world of work will forge ahead in all areas and industries. The degree will vary, of course. A physician, for example, has to actually examine patients at some point and cannot treat them only via remote diagnoses. Thus, intrapersonal differences between sectors are more important.
What do you mean by that?
Bauer: I’m referring to conditions related to life phases. The human factor plays a crucial role when we try to make changes in the work environment. There are the “digital natives,” for example — young people who immediately incorporate every new technological advance into their private and professional lives. There are also the “digital immigrants” — older people who are used to fixed work stations and face-to-face meetings.
What does this mean for our future work?
Bauer: That the world of work is diversifying! There will no longer be standard job profiles, because the areas of work are becoming more individualized, depending on a person’s skills and commitment. Individual work environments are also changing in line with requirements. One example is the Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD concept, in which every employee supplies his or her own equipment. Companies provide self-assured, dynamic, and highly qualified employees with a budget for buying their preferred work equipment themselves. For example, I can decide myself whether to work with a laptop and a BlackBerry or with an iPhone and an iPad.