AOE is a leading global software service provider for the development of digital product, e-commerce, and portal solutions. At eight global locations, AOE's teams of experts support companies and corporations in the digital transformation of existing business models and in the development of new digital solutions and products. The service provider is active in industries such as aviation, telecommunications, healthcare, and the public sector. Over 200 employees work at the headquarters in Wiesbaden, the capital of Hesse. Here, 4,000 m² of office space has been innovatively designed and divided into a combination of open space and team rooms. The facilities also include a dedicated massage room and a “play area” with games and sports equipment. "Our offices and working conditions support our teams in giving their best every day. Because to excel in your work, you need a professional environment. In addition to space for focused work and collaboration, we offer a culture that promotes independence as well as mutual support," explains Joern Bock, COO at AOE. The extent of this employee orientation and feedback culture at AOE was also evident in 2019 in an office design optimisation project: Together with interior designers, internal teams intensively discussed and evaluated improvements – from lighting and acoustics to indoor climate and space allocation. One aspect that was particularly critically evaluated was humidity.

Since the end of 2019, AOE has had a direct room humidification system from the manufacturer Condair Systems installed. Over 50 small humidifiers are mounted on the ceilings and, when needed, emit a micro-fine water mist that is immediately absorbed by the room air. A pressure of 60 to 80 bar is required to generate the barely visible mist, which is fed through a high-pressure hose system to the humidifier nozzles. The water is first demineralised and sterilized in a multi-stage treatment process. Both the water treatment system and the high-pressure system are installed in transportable containers, which are automatically replaced every six months for maintenance. For Anne Petri, who is responsible for the air humidification system at AOE, this service provides a high level of safety and makes operation easier: “Replacing the containers is child's play and can be done in just a few simple steps. To see the comprehensive hygiene functions of the system for themselves, many employees even took a look at the water treatment system in person. This increased acceptance right from the start.” The humidity is controlled by small sensors that continuously measure the relative humidity in the rooms and activate the humidifiers as needed. At AOE, the relative humidity is regulated at a constant 40% as the ideal value for protecting health and increasing well-being.

In order to gain the right insights into what work at AOE might look like after the pandemic, the company has formed a “Ways of Working” working group. The central question for the working group, which is made up of members from different teams, is what opportunities and freedoms the employer should offer in the future to promote collaboration. For Joern Bock, the priority in all considerations is that the connection with AOE is not lost: "There will be no going back to 2019, that's for sure. Our goal is a hybrid model of office presence and remote work. On the one hand, we want to enable individuality in terms of work location and different ways of working, but on the other hand, we also want to strengthen the connection to the company and to colleagues. Personal collaboration is important for a positive corporate culture and a shared team spirit." For AOE, this aspiration means rethinking and realigning office work. In the future, the office as a meeting place should exert a natural pull that makes employees want to come back to the office. The company is confident that this can be achieved by offering additional benefits that are not available at home. This can include communication and functional areas with an experiential character, but also additional elements for greater well-being and health at work.