Conversations in Munich: the intersection of talent and technology

Described by Monocle Magazine as Germany’s ‘economic engine’, Munich has been awarded first place in the publications annual Quality of Life Survey for its economic and intellectual draws. It is no surprise then that the WORKTECH conference series is returning to the city in September to showcase the latest research and innovation to come from the Bavarian capital.   

WORKTECH Munich will take place on Wednesday 18th September at the Accenture Munich office in the heart of the city. The venue embodies key themes that are set to emerge from the conference from a commitment to sustainability to a focus on high performing environments, flexibility and collaboration. 

Here are some sessions to look out for: 

Innovating AI 

AI, robotics and the Internet of Things are a hot topic for organisations undergoing transformation projects. Raphael Gielgen, a ‘trendscout’ at Vitra, will draw on examples from enterprise firms, start-ups, universities and research institutions globally to shed light on how AI and automation is reshaping work and how to build strategies to support a culture of continuous learning.  

Continuing the theme of AI, Uli Bloom – a senior associate of Zaha Hadid Architects – will discuss the trends in AI usage across workplace design. In particular, he will look at the experience of using AI tools at Zaha Hadid Architects to reflect upon how AI can be an innovative force in the workplace design process.  

Culture clash 

Germany has a unique working culture and each major economic hub from Hamburg and Berlin to Frankfurt and Munich have their own sub-cultures. How then does a global firm navigate the delicate idiosyncrasies of workplace culture across different geographies? A team from legal firm Burges Salmon will walk through the intricacies of legal workplace between their UK and German teams, highlighting how design can be used as a powerful tool to communicate culture.  

Cutting edge talent 

Munich is home to two of Germany’s top universities – LMU Muchen and the Technical University of Munich. This, in no small part, accounts for Munich’s accolade as having the highest proportion of employees with an academic degree in Germany at 41 per cent.  

There is a trend of nurturing talent in Munich. In 2023, the city set aside an investment of €668m to build and renovate nurseries, pre-schools and schools. To keep talent in the region, Munich must keep abreast of the changing expectations and demands of the workforce. Philip Tidd, managing director based in Munich at global architecture firm Gensler, will highlight key research that outlines shifts in how people are working and their expectations for the workplace moving forward, as well as global commonalities and unique differences globally. 

Markus Huber, vice president of EMEA real estate and workplace services at Salesforce will continue along the same theme, looking at how organisations can create high performance cultures where employees are highly engaged and motivated.  

Munich’s reputation as a hotbed of innovation and elevated quality of life presents a compelling backdrop to discuss the future of work and workplace. The global workplace still has a lot to learn from this German powerhouse. 

Find out more about WORKTECH Munich and get your ticket here.