How Berlin.Industrial.Group. Innovates Corporate Structures | CleanTech Marzahn

At Zukunftsort Cleantech Marzahn, highly specialized technology companies and startups are gathering under the umbrella of Berlin.Industrial.Group. (B.I.G.). They are all setting standards in their markets with customized high-tech solutions, for example, in medical and energy technology, tool and machine construction, or the automotive industry. The B.I.G. campus sees itself as an innovation hub. It is a place where not only the group’s own companies work but also creative startups that appreciate the spirit of the place and the infrastructure. They find office space, business services, a makerspace for rapid prototyping, manufacturing areas, and plenty of room for exchange at the site.

Image: Berlin.Industrial.Group.

Collegial Leadership and Self-Organization Instead of Conventional Hierarchies

It is not only the products and the campus that make Marzahn worth a closer look. The way it works is another area in which B.I.G. sets itself apart from comparable medium-sized engineering companies. The group is convinced that truly new solutions can only be developed if people are given responsibility and allowed to implement their ideas. To this end, the B.I.G. companies are increasingly doing away with hierarchies. Around 360 employees shape their working day around the principles of cooperative leadership and self-organization.

What does that mean in practice? The companies in the group have only a few managers left, and some have none at all. Management tasks are shared, each team member is encouraged to make their own contributions, everyone takes responsibility, and, at the same time, has a great deal of creative freedom. It is part of the collective understanding to incorporate different positions and approaches independently of hierarchies.

Image: Berlin.Industrial.Group.

Challenges and Opportunities of the New Work Structure

When hierarchies are non-existent or very flat, however, there is also a lack of a central organizing authority. In the case of shared leadership, order or structure as an anchor point and “emotional home” can only arise from within the organization. This is also an analytical and methodological challenge: Who has to talk to whom and when? How are decisions made? How are conflicts dealt with? When more people have a say, there is indeed more friction. So, at the beginning, the question was whether the employees would feel a bit lost and insecure without traditional leadership. In fact, however, the psychological security of the employees is very high. The Energy Factory – a spin-off of the University of St. Gallen – checks this with a survey every six months.

Image: Berlin.Industrial.Group.

The Spirit of Innovation Pays Off

Establishing new management models in corporate structures means hard work. It requires the courage of the managing directors to let go, to let the teams make important decisions, and to trust in the power of collegial knowledge. It requires a sense of belonging, appreciation, and the opportunity for personal growth. It requires an environment of trust, enjoyment of work, and, last but not least, real chance and serious opportunities to help shape the future. The people at B.I.G. are convinced that it’s worth it – and are thus making a significant contribution to shaping the work environment of the future.

Image: Berlin.Industrial.Group.

Images: Courtesy of Berlin.Industrial.Group.

More about B.I.G.: Berlin.Industrial.Group. – Unique, United.