Expert forum 2026

Changing Values

“More flexible, lazier and more laid-back” than in the past – is Germany really experiencing a shift in values? And if so, how is it affecting everyday working life and HR?

To explore this question, we first conducted an exploratory study with a German sample. The study drew on Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and compared data from the 2008 World Values Survey with the current value preferences of our sample.

To assess these preferences, we used the Hofstede-based Culture in the Workplace Questionnaire (CWQ), a questionnaire designed to measure cultural values in the workplace.

**Experts Visiting TWIST:** Representatives from 20 companies and TWIST HR experts exchanging views on changing values.

**What Matters to Us?** Values shared by participants at the beginning of the Expert Forum.

The TWIST Expert Forum in Video

INSIGHTS FROM THE TWIST STUDY

How Values in the Workplace Are Changing

While the TWIST study is, of course, not representative of Germany as a whole, it provides valuable insights into changing values within Germany’s mid-sized business sector. The findings point to shifts in the following Hofstede dimensions:

Uncertainty Avoidance (approaching tasks with greater flexibility
Achievement Orientation (working to live rather than living to work)
Indulgence vs. Restraint (meeting senior management without a tie and wearing sneakers)

Our annual Expert Forum in early July provided the perfect opportunity to put these findings to the test in practice. Representatives from 20 companies and TWIST HR experts reflected on the results together and developed ideas for how organizations can respond.

**Welcome and Introduction:** Managing Director Sonja Nitsch welcomes the participants and introduces the topic.

**Insights from the TWIST Study:** Consultant Pia Rübsam presents the study and its key findings to the group.

TAKING THE DISCUSSION FURTHER

What Does the Shift in Values Mean for Leadership and Collaboration?

Following a brief presentation of the study and its key findings, participants joined two parallel workshops: one focusing on a stronger orientation towards quality of life, the other on greater tolerance of ambiguity. In both workshops, participants explored questions such as: Are we already seeing these shifts in our day-to-day work, and what makes them visible? Are there differences between younger and older generations? And what do these developments mean for leadership and collaboration?