With the growing trend towards remote work, the importance of effective employee training is becoming increasingly important. In this conversation, we'll take a look at the challenges and opportunities of employee training for remote teams. Luisa Leuze, an expert in communication and business psychology, shares her insights on how she promotes psychological safety, discusses the benefits of hybrid work models for employee psychology, and the role of a desk sharing software considered when reducing stress in the workplace.

At the beginning, we would like to know more about you and your career path. What particularly fascinates you about your work?

I am a trained communications expert and business psychologist. I have always been very fascinated by this combination of the question of how people communicate with each other and interact and develop while taking into account the given framework conditions. Our socialization and, for example, the requirements of the company in which we work are seen as framework conditions.

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In the last six years, two coaching courses and an interior designer training course have been added. I am often asked how interior design fits into my job as a business psychologist. It's very simple, my vision is to “create beautiful spaces” both psychologically and physically.

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I open up so-called development spaces for my counterpart and work on the question of what it takes to be fit for the working world of tomorrow.

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This includes personal development, team development and the question of how we want to work together in the future. However, the space in which we move is often not or only very superficially adapted to the new working methods and requirements. The same happens the other way around. In the company, it is decided that new offices are needed now, hardly anyone is deeply concerned with what people in the company have for the new premises, how they work, what personality they have and, above all, how leadership will change in the future and what is needed for this.

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Awareness and knowledge of different personality types, working methods, fears and concerns are often swept under the rug. In my position, I build the bridge here by connecting people, space and organization.

What challenges do you see in your daily work as a business psychologist, particularly when it comes to promoting psychological safety and the development of people in companies?

It starts with the fact that many people have little to do with the concept of psychological safety and do not even attack the issue of uncertainty and fear of getting too close to someone.

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Psychological safety is one of the most important factors when it comes to carrying people through challenging times and keeping their ability to act high. Space is created to learn from mistakes and to develop yourself, the team and the company. Above all, it creates security in times of uncertainty. People who are not afraid to speak openly, do not expect negative consequences when they express their opinion and feel valued are much more likely to open up to superiors and team members, ask for support and contribute ideas for solving problems.

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Psychological safety does not arise overnight, it is a long process and the challenge is created right here. To find an approach, to create space for feedback and to learn to listen to each other. Because that is exactly what we have often forgotten — to listen to each other and to understand that we all have different needs.

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In my role, I support teams in getting to know people's personalities and respective strengths and using them in a targeted manner. The next step is to learn how to give feedback and how to treat one another with respect.

This is because it is particularly during change processes, such as the introduction of new tools, that the scope of lived psychological security becomes apparent. Changes are accepted, lived and sustainably anchored much more quickly.

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Luisa's answer: Somehow the question doesn't fit. Focus a lot on psychological safety. New working models/tools are coming, the question is more how people can be supported here in order to accept the change and remain able to act within the given framework. It's already covered above.

What are the benefits of hybrid working for the mental health of employees?

We live more and more in a world in which everything is blurred together. We are moving away from “living to work” towards “work is only part of the whole.” “Work-life blending” is becoming increasingly important as a term in a corporate context. It is important to underline that my statement here only relates to occupations that are not tied to a place of work!

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Work-life blending is based on the fact that work and private life are becoming more and more blurred. Hybrid work supports this way of working in a positive sense. The office is no longer regarded as the sole place of work. Hybrid work makes it possible to choose a place of work that is perfect for the respective task and situation. In the past, for example, you had to take a whole day off to receive the craftsman at home, today we work from home and lose only half an hour instead of a whole working day.

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The mental health of employees is supported so that every person is free to choose the work environment that is tailored to them and the tasks to be completed. This can mean that there is more peace and quiet in the home office, saving two hours of commuting to work, or even coming to the office consciously to exchange ideas and strengthen social ties. The more we address people's personalities and needs, the more positive effects this has on mental health, motivation and productivity. It is not about “make a wish”, but about understanding the working methods of the individual teams and integrating these requirements of the workforce into the company goals and working methods. Because this is how we are able to positively support the mental health of our employees.

How can our desk sharing software reduce stress and uncertainty in everyday work?

Valuable features include in particular the transparency and predictability that your Flexopus Desk sharing app promotes. With just a few clicks, it is immediately visible who is working from home and who is in the office. You can book a workplace or other work opportunity in advance and thus ensure that exactly the space that you personally prefer is reserved. This gives many people security and creates transparency towards other team members.

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In customer projects, I often see how much uncertainty and stress people can experience when they no longer have a permanent job. This loss and the fear of not getting a job if you only come to the office later leads to an enormous restriction of individual personalities's ability to act and, as a result, productivity.

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Booking a workplace can therefore counteract this and reduce stress.

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It is the same with transparency towards other team members. The question of how colleagues are found or where they work is easy to answer this question. The targeted search function clarifies these concerns and creates transparent interaction between individual team members.

How can companies ensure that the introduction of desk sharing software is received positively by employees?

As everywhere else, communication is the solution to (almost) all problems. As with the introduction and implementation of every tool and the associated changes, the workforce must be informed and picked up about the goals and the initial situation. When people understand the “why,” the commitment is much higher. Sufficient preparation time, a good communication plan and the integration of the workforce are essential when it comes to introducing a tool.

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During establishment, support by so-called “power users” must be ensured. These are team members who can provide their colleagues with advice and assistance and set a good example. Before the tool is introduced, they must be thoroughly trained and prepared in their role for the upcoming tasks.

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If these requirements are taken into account and the workforce is involved, nothing stands in the way of a successful implementation.

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We would like to thank Luisa for this exciting interview. Her insights offer valuable perspectives for creating a future-oriented work environment that strengthens employees' mental health and promotes a supportive work culture. Through her holistic approach, which emphasizes the integration of psychology and technology, she shows how companies can actively shape the future of work. Her experiences illustrate the importance of transparent communication and comprehensive training when introducing new tools to ensure acceptance and effectiveness. Visit their website at https://leuze.agency/to find out more about their work.