The Middle Ground: Why SMEs Need to Play Their Roles Differently

The German "Mittelstand" is the backbone of our economy, but that backbone is showing signs of fatigue. The list of challenges is long: a shortage of skilled workers, disrupted supply chains, and immense pressure toward sustainability. 

Many companies respond with old reflexes: they post job ads for positions that shouldn't even exist anymore. They look for "unicorns"—candidates who can do everything from daily operations to strategic IT transformation. The result? Unfilled positions and overworked teams.

In recent years, many companies have invested heavily in software. But often, a crucial mistake was made: technology was forced onto existing processes without changing how people actually work. Real workforce transformation means putting tools to the test regularly. If a piece of software consumes more time for documentation than it saves in actual work, it has to go. Digitalization should create freedom, especially through the targeted use of AI for repetitive tasks, allowing humans to focus on what matters.

Flexible working models like home office or workations are often seen as a risk to efficiency. The opposite is true—provided leadership changes. Leaders in modern SMEs can no longer just be "supervisors." They must become architects who actively design roles and skills within their teams.

• Trust as Currency: Those who count results instead of hours gain loyalty.

• Local Authority: Decisions should be made where the expertise lies, not necessarily at the top of the hierarchy.

• A Culture of Change: Teams must learn that working on the team is just as important as working in the team.

A company that must constantly adapt needs a stable foundation. Instead of conducting a massive restructuring ("reorg") every ten years that unsettles everyone, change should become the operating system. This only works through absolute transparency. Imagine a key employee leaves the company. In classic structures, panic ensues. In a transformed organization, one look at the dashboard immediately shows: Which roles are vacant? Which tasks need to be redistributed? This clarity allows gaps to be highlighted visually and priorities to be shifted without friction.

What does this look like in practice? Here are three levers for transformation:

1. The Lego Principle for Jobs: Allow applicants or existing employees to assemble their own job profiles from various open roles. This increases motivation and optimizes the use of individual strengths.

2. Task Forces Over Silos: For critical projects, the best talent should come together across departmental boundaries. Clear goals and responsibilities from day one massively increase the chances of success.

3. M&A Efficiency: During mergers, a central task dashboard helps to immediately align existing and new responsibilities. This allows teams to integrate in record time without losing vital knowledge.

Workforce transformation is not a project with an end date. It is the new way successful companies function in the 21st century. Those who set the course today secure their competitiveness for tomorrow.