Interview with Michael Weiss –
Next Work Monopoly – a Playfully design your new workplace culture
Dear Michael, you created the Monopoly board game “Next Work – Playful Collaboration”. What’s behind it and why is it a game changer for the new world of work?
It enables teams to exchange their attitudes and perspectives on mobile working in a playful way. In this way, employees get to know each other better, and the respective manager can agree on rules and framework conditions for the implementation of mobile working that suit his or her team.
Why do organizations, managers and their teams need this game right now?
Many teams are working mobile very successfully, mostly forced by the pandemic. Organizations and leaders now often want to bring their employee:s back into the office, which many employees don’t really want to do. Therefore, it is now important to find viable implementations for ALL, that are easily enabled by this game.
Are there any special game or feedback rules that need to be observed?
The rules of the game are very simple, based on those of Monopoly. When answering the questions, it is important that there are no justifications or counter-arguments, but that there is a high interest in getting to know the different attitudes and points of view of the other players.
“Next Work” has already been used in various companies. What have been your most important lessons learned so far?
The game is a lot of fun for all participants, the answers are honest and informal, and there have been some “aha effects” and surprises when attitudes and perspectives are expressed that the others have not heard before. The keyword-like documentation of the answers is very important, so that the team can derive concrete implementation plans afterwards, and the leader recognizes which framework and rules of the game the team needs.
What criteria must be met in order to use this game successfully?
There must be an unconditional willingness on the part of the organization and the respective leader to actually implement the findings from the game. Therefore, time and financial resources should also be available to enable this implementation.
For whom is the game rather unsuitable?
For players who do not plan to implement the findings together afterwards. The exception here are executives who play together in order to get to know different approaches to mobile working, and who also form opinions in the process.
Is there a hybrid or online version of the game?
Yes, the game can be carried out both hybrid and online with a webcam transmission.