Templin health factory among the award winners for new working models

Templin health factory among the award winners for new working models

What a day at the forest campus of the University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) in Eberswalde! The “University Meets Business” event took place there on June 30, 2025, at which the Barnim-Uckermark startup network chose its 2025 prize winners. The Gesundheitfabrik Templin GmbH, the Kochkommode GmbH and the Klosterfelder Senfmühle GmbH were pleased to receive honored recognition. They received individually designed trophies that were designed by students at the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences and manufactured at the HNEE, as the Uckermark Kurier reports.

The focus of the event was the exciting topic “Working time models – between the time clock and personal responsibility”. Dr. Elisa Lopper from the Humboldt University of Berlin gave a rousing keynote speech and shared current research results about the challenges that flexible working time models can pose for companies and employees. The organizers emphasized that the correct organization of working hours not only increases productivity and competitiveness, but also significantly influences the satisfaction and motivation of employees.

New working time models are trending

The so-called flexible working time models have established themselves as a key factor in the New Work context. In today's world, when 9-to-5 working hours are no longer considered appropriate, trust-based working hours are very popular. This is also confirmed by pxtra's findings, which emphasize the need for flexible working hours due to individual life circumstances, such as getting used to daycare or high workloads.

Employees benefit from a system that takes into account their creative phases, be it early in the morning or late in the evening. This flexibility leads to greater satisfaction and motivation because it allows everyone to balance work and life. But not everything is rosy: The Federal Labor Court recently introduced an obligation to record working hours, which is causing controversial discussions in the industry.

The balance between work and leisure

Another central concern of flexible working time models is to promote the work-life balance of employees. The New Work Hub blog highlights that flexibility helps fit work with life, not the other way around. The possibility of working in different forms such as flexitime, part-time work or home office increases efficiency and ensures a better balance between work and leisure time.

Nevertheless, the flexible models also bring challenges. The sharp distinction between work and personal life can sometimes be blurry, and constant availability is a double-edged sword. This makes clear structures and open communication within the team all the more important so that all employees can adapt to the new circumstances.

The future of work undoubtedly lies in balance. The creative approaches that were presented at the HNEE and by the winners of the founder network show that it is possible to develop working models that benefit both companies and employees. The time is ripe for a new era in the working world in which individual needs are given priority.