Hochschule 

Furtwangen 

University

Unternehmenskultur

Significant challenge is the strong sense of competition between various departments, which hampers interdisciplinary exchange and cross-sector collaboration. As a result, there is a lack of cohesion and insufficient mutual support within the institution. Rather than fostering a cooperative working environment, an atmosphere of rivalry dominates, limiting opportunities for ambitious students and staff to achieve their goals.

A prevalent issue within the institution is the excessive number of meetings and discussions, which often fail to produce meaningful outcomes. Instead of fostering constructive problem-solving, these meetings primarily serve as platforms for departments to assign blame to one another. Consequently, structural issues remain unresolved, and there is a widespread reluctance among many employees to embrace change. Rather than implementing necessary reforms, discussions frequently result in empty rhetoric with no tangible progress.

The interpersonal work environment at the institution is characterized by significant conflict potential. Both the way colleagues interact with one another and how they speak about each other are often marked by negativity and resentment. In particular, individuals with difficult personalities seem to find employment here, contributing to a toxic atmosphere that makes daily work increasingly burdensome. Constructive criticism or attempts to address grievances are typically met with defensiveness and excuses. There is a widespread reluctance to actively resolve issues or implement necessary changes. Neither problem-solving nor mediation appears to be a priority, as fundamental challenges are consistently ignored. Instead of fostering a reflective and solution-oriented approach to internal difficulties, the institutional culture seems to be shaped by indifference and superficiality.

Employees are neither excessively exploited nor required to work an unreasonable amount of overtime. The contractual working hours and the assigned workload are balanced and generally manageable.

My experience suggests that the supervisor shows little interest in actively engaging with the team or fostering a positive work environment. On the contrary, it appears that they significantly contribute to the problematic atmosphere within the institution, particularly by making negative remarks about colleagues. In conflict situations, the supervisor is neither supportive nor solution-oriented but instead appears indifferent. Rather than taking concrete actions to improve the work culture, they remain a great speaker without tangible results.

A university always offers diverse and dynamic tasks, as well as engaging academic topics. Moreover, the academic environment provides opportunities to interact with interesting and inspiring individuals.