In the Frankfurt Convention Bureau podcast "MICE am Main", Katharina Path talks to Kersten Riechers from Quäntchen+Glück and our CEO Dr. Dirk Reiner about New Work and its influence on the event industry.

One year of Corona has changed a lot: how can collaboration be adapted to the new framework, what remains, what becomes obsolete?

What opportunities lie in accelerated digitization and innovative new formats?

Many questions and exciting answers, tips and learnings in the episode "New Work":

Meetings and workshops at memox are special - especially productive and especially creative. Teams from a wide variety of companies and industries regularly leave the locations with the feeling that they have achieved their goals and optimally used and strengthened their own innovative power.

This experience has led many of the companies we work with to consider our Corporate Solution. From individual meeting rooms to entire conference floors in flexible use with contingents in our memox locations.

Almost three years ago, the first memox rooms were set up in various companies and educational institutions, and we asked ourselves the following questions as the year drew to a close:

• What impact did the space have on team collaboration in the long term?
• What impact(s) does memox have on the results achieved in meetings and workshops?
• And - would the decision for a memox room be made the same way again?

Our first stop: the Centre Löwenberg of the SBB

On a tour through Switzerland with stops in Zurich, Bern and Basel, we visited innovative companies that have taken the step of using memox to offer their employees a special learning and event environment.

One stop on our trip was the Centre Löwenberg of the SBB in Murten. The seminar and conference center of the Swiss Federal Railways is located on the Löwenberg Castle estate and offers an interesting field of tension with its architecture on the impressive grounds. Two years ago, the first memox room was set up in the Centre, under the leadership of Thomas Aebischer, the head of the SBB education centers.

Man - Technology - Organization

"It all happened very quickly. I was convinced of the concept and I conveyed this conviction. Of course it took energy, but I took the time to present the concept to my employees and the trainers at the kick-offs, and that was time well spent. So for me, it wasn't tedious at all; on the contrary, it was a pleasure. I am convinced of the product and it works. It was the right way to go."

For Thomas, a factor in the room's success is how it fits into the educational center's working philosophy: people - technology - organization:

"The triangle of people, technology and organization simply has to be right. You also have to get people fit. It's no use just putting a technology in the room and leaving people alone with it. The room has to be aligned with the event and the setting of the educational event, or vice versa. We have the critical size that, fortunately, we have a dedicated culture and leadership area with excellent facilitators to support us internally."

Skepticism at the beginning - then enthusiasm without end

The Centre Löwenberg now has two rooms equipped with memox products that follow the processes of the Collaboration Intelligence & Operating System (CIOS) in their setup and use: they can be quickly converted and adapted, the furniture and room layout support workshop participants in achieving their objectives, and the rooms can be used for different formats. We asked Thomas what the feedback was on the space and whether there were any critical voices. Did people feel comfortable in the room or were they overwhelmed?

"The participants felt comfortable, and in my opinion no one was overwhelmed. But yes, there were definitely critical voices; however, less from the participants than from the moderators. They now have to set up the room themselves together with the participants instead of ordering specific seating. But this criticism only lasted until they did it themselves for the first time, then it was off the table.

The initial skepticism - which there is with everything that is new - was there, but only for a very short time. I can remember the first workshop I did here. People saw from the outside that there was something different, and that alone had a positive influence on the workshop. Encountering something different than expected turned out to be a good tune-up for the sequence. No one wants the classic plenary seating in this room - but would still be feasible, of course."

Pioneer with charisma - further rooms in Zurich, Olten, Bern, Bellinzona and Lausanne

In the meantime, the Corporate Solution has not only been implemented at the Centre Löwenberg; the training centers in Zurich, Olten and Bern have already set up rooms and use them for internal workshops; Lausanne and Bellinzona will follow. How did it come about?

"In Zurich, Olten and Bern, I was on site and was able to explain the concept and the space. Then word got around until Lausanne and Bellinzona also said: we want a space like that, too. It was great to experience this development. I have been following this story for three years now - from the initial skepticism, where I had to "push" people a bit, to today, where I sometimes have to put the brakes on them. But that's how I prefer it: I'd rather brake than push. And it happened the same way with these spaces."

Innovation, yes please! But how?

"I never have to make a profitability calculation to the Executive Committee because they like working in the space themselves and like coming here. But of course, you can't leave people who are coming into the room for the first time completely alone. There are presenters who can handle it, but others are overwhelmed by it. Therefore, if I can arrange it and someone is here for the first time, I do a short intro and that's how it works very well. There is also support in writing if someone wants to read up on it. In the end, though, it's always: I want to be in this room. Because the demand is extremely high, we have now purchased additional furniture, so we can even quickly turn a traditional room into a memox room.

Into the future with memox

Could Thomas observe any changes in terms of collaboration or results from using the memox space?

"The changes show up more in the course events than at the finish line. Someone who has been in here wants to come back again and again because they know: I can work here. And then I did a small survey on a pilot basis, with trainees, facilitators, everyone who used the room: did this setting, this room make a positive contribution to achieving the goal, and 80% said: yes."

The Centre Löwenberg has a total of 30 rooms, including the rooms in the castle. In the meantime, there is also a mobile facility that can be used to set up a third memox room spontaneously when demand is high.

"In 2021, the Centre will be completely refurbished and modernized. I strongly expect that in 2022/2023 the proportion of such rooms, as opposed to traditionally furnished ones, will tend to increase."

That means you would make the same decision again for the memox room?

"Absolutely. It's really different, you come in here and it's...wow. It's creative, it's motivating, it's different. That's the best proof for me. It would be bad if the room was empty all the time. But the opposite is the case.

(laughs) And that, of course, is a satisfaction for me!"

Legal but a great responsibility.

COVID-19 has changed everyday working life. Real contact has been drastically reduced. Public and private meetings are regulated by authorities, but business meetings are possible - both within and across companies. Numerous meetings have been postponed or transferred to the digital world.

Limits of virtual communication became clear.

Video conferencing has many advantages and has often saved us through these difficult times. But what has also become apparent is that there is often no substitute for effective face-to-face communication. "face-to-face communication is 34x more successful than digital communication" (Harvard Business Review, Vanessa Bohns).

Virtual meetings do not have the same outcome as face-to-face interaction, as numerous CEOs confirm in conversation (Northstarmeetingsgroup). Trust is not formed via video conferences, but it is a key factor in their success. Formats that focus on the development of content experience significant productivity losses in the virtual. This is particularly evident in agile formats (e.g., design thinking, software development...).

Solution required for secure face-to-face communication.

We will have to coexist with the coronavirus for quite some time. For this reason, solutions must be found to make meetings, workshops, training and education safe.

Meetings & workshops are not a restaurant visit.

The objective was to develop a Corona protection concept that honors the special features of meetings & workshops.

• In the restaurant, you have a fixed seat, the glass is right in front of you. In interactive workshops, you move around the room.
• In the supermarket, you have to concentrate for 10 minutes. In a workshop lasting several hours, a target can quickly be forgotten in the "heat of the moment".
• At the desk, everyone has their own pen. The whiteboard marker in the meeting is usually shared.
• ...

memox.saftey - a protection concept for meetings & workshops.

memox's core competence is to positively influence work flows and participant behavior via the data-driven configuration of room setups as well as the selection and provision of equipment. memox has used this know-how to develop a comprehensive protection concept for meetings, workshops, training and education based on the recommendations of institutes (e.g. Robert Koch Institute) as well as government agencies (e.g. BAG).

memox.saftey includes measures in five areas that enable safe collaboration. The residual risk is probably even significantly lower than a visit to the supermarket or a ride on public transport.

1. change processes, organization and behavior.
This category includes measures that lead to procedural and behavioral changes. memox.safety provides for more frequent posting of distance notices (magnetic stickers, labels, floor lettering) and behavioral recommendations oriented to the work process than is common in other industries. Likewise, recommendations are given for dealing with risk groups, subgroups in breakouts, and collaboration on whiteboard or flipchart.

2. adapt equipment, equipment and tools
With regard to the equipment of meeting and workshop rooms, and especially the use of various tools and aids, numerous adjustments are made. The provision of personal equipment such as whiteboard markers is particularly important. Surfaces that are difficult to disinfect in critical areas must be removed. We are now familiar with disinfection stations in all areas, and the memox Corona concept provides this at the workgroup and individual level, depending on the format. Likewise, face masks are provided, which can also be used depending on the situation, for example, if there is a lot of movement in the room.

3. reconfiguring room layouts and setups
Room layouts and setups were adjusted so that the distance recommendations can be adhered to and are not immediately forgotten even when there is movement in the room. Specific measures range from placeholder "I stay clear" signs to a new arrangement of chairs and tables. Likewise, seating options (e.g., bar stools or Cubehocker) are used specifically to reduce unconscious movement in standing formats.

4. revise beverage and food offer
In meetings and workshops, it is very common to consume food while working. A new perspective on this arises from the movement in the room. Whereas it is usual to consume from cups and glasses, we currently recommend small bottles (ideally even resealable). The contact surface between mouth and vessel is thus covered before opening by the screw cap or crown cork. We also offer cups with lids as an alternative to the cup and the possibility of labeling them with one's own name to avoid confusion. Food is only offered individually packaged. The lunch conversation should take place after and not during the meal.

5. intensify hygiene and cleaning measures
In addition to providing disinfection facilities (see point 2), cleaning intervals have been increased and the scope of cleaning maximized. Special focus is placed on surfaces that are touched by numerous people, e.g. door handles, light switches, remote controls, coffee machines, refrigerator handles, etc.

It can start again!

At www.memox.com/covid-19 we provide a more detailed insight into the recommended and implemented measures, and the safety poster developed specifically for the Meetings & Workshops sector can also be downloaded free of charge. We are happy to support and provide further materials as well as our know-how.

Our Meeting Spaces in Frankfurt and Zurich are available to you again. All measures are also part of the corporate solutions - whether operator model or room equipment.

Our goal - secure meetings for every company and team.