Trust instead of control, motivation instead of pressure

We think, that freedom, trust and flexibility make people happier and more creative. And not just in everyday life - we think this should also apply to work. That is why we work as a team, but everyone independently, only exactly when and where he/she wants. It works really well for us. And this is what New Work looks like at HÄNG:

There is no classic group photo of us. Because we work all over Germany (and the world). Some from their campervan, others from the classic home office. Some start at five in the morning, others prefer working at night. Both are completely okay, people are different. It is crucial that everyone knows when he/she can reach the others. This needs to be communicated clearly, and respected. We adhere to this: once I log off from work I am no longer available, and no one will push me with urgent tasks.

Sure, when the office and home are one, it can sometimes be difficult to really switch off. Not opening notifications and mailboxes can help. Just going offline and going for a walk is much nicer anyway. 

Sense of unity despite working from home

Nevertheless, a sense of unity is important to us. We want to know who we're working with and how we can meet each others needs. That's why we have a digital coffee kitchen in which everyone can reveal a little bit about themselves - who we are and what makes us tick. Night owl or early bird, strengths, hobbies, weaknesses. This also provides enough starting points to talk about on a video call. Yes, seriously: Small talk is part of it. We are big fans of direct face-to-face communication as a general rule. It just feels better hearing a voice and seeing a face rather than chatting. Much is lost or misunderstood through written communication. As such, we skype at least once a week. And then we don't just talk about work.

Working digitally takes practice

We use a project management tool for the very important work information. It is home to everything that is or could become important to the others, what we are currently working on and where help may be needed. By the way, such tools don't even have to be expensive. If in doubt, a simple table will do the trick just as well. The main thing is that everyone can access it.