Beyond control
Raphael Gielgen, Trendscout Future of Work at Vitra, explores why organisations struggle to adapt, what it means to work in Beta, and how companies can rethink control, culture and space.
Although companies have long spoken about volatility and uncertainty, transformation often lags behind. Why have organisations held on to outdated ways of thinking for so long and what has changed?
Companies clung to familiar ways of thinking because the world once appeared predictable: crises came and went, globalisation increased, efficiency increased, and volatility followed patterns we could understand. Today, disruption is structural. Technology, AI, platform economies, geopolitics and environmental constraints are transforming how decisions are made. Yet many organisations continue to rely on outdated logic: planning instead of acting, consensus instead of speed, hierarchy instead of evidence. This no longer works when uncertainty is constant.
AI, geopolitics and economic pressure are accelerating change. How can companies adapt?
Organisations don't struggle because of a lack of knowledge. The issue is their internal logic. Culture isn't what is written on a website, but what is rewarded on a daily basis. And that is usually predictability, not experimentation. The real barrier is identity: what once drove success can now hold organisations back, and changing that means questioning past success. That is uncomfortable. Ultimately, it comes down to how decisions are made, who is allowed to challenge ideas and whether mistakes are tolerated. In a fast-moving, uncertain world, judgement matters more than efficiency. It is paradoxical that under pressure, companies try to exert even more control – precisely what slows them down.
What does working in "Beta" look like in practice?
Making decisions earlier, developing projects in short cycles and embedding feedback into the process. Teams are more flexible and interdisciplinary. Responsibility moves closer to practice; leadership shifts from approval to guidance. The goal is not to avoid mistakes, but to learn faster.
Which "illusions of control" do you encounter most often?
Four recur consistently: Predictability: the belief that more data eliminates uncertainty. In practice, it often delays decisions. Hierarchy: the assumption that authority equals control. In reality, speed comes from decentralisation. Efficiency: optimising what already exists, instead of exploring what's new. Programmes: the belief that culture can be changed through initiatives. It cannot – it changes through behaviour.
If nothing is stable, how can organisations create psychological safety so people can function and thrive?
Security no longer comes from predictability, but from how uncertainty is handled. People need clarity: Is there a clear direction? Can questions be asked openly? Are mistakes treated as personal failure or as learning opportunities? In Beta, three things matter most: Clear direction instead of detailed plans. Transparent decisions that build trust, even when outcomes are imperfect. Protected time for focus and reflection. The less external certainty exists, the more important internal clarity becomes.
Have you seen organisations that truly embody a Beta mindset?
Yes, where learning and execution are connected. At Manthey Racing, every race leads to adaptation and success is temporary. At MIT's The Engine, ideas are tested early, and working with hypotheses, prototypes and rapid iteration is standard practice. And in Shenzhen, prototypes are built within days; development and production happen in parallel, with immediate feedback. Failure is not a stigma here, but a form of insight. Beta is embedded in laboratories, funding models and interdisciplinary collaboration.
As a trendscout studying workplaces globally: what physical signals indicate whether an organisation is open to adaptation?
Physical environments reveal quickly whether adaptation is truly embodied or merely discussed. When I enter a workplace, I do not look first at design – I look for tension: Are spaces modular and reconfigurable, or perfectly designed but rigid? True Beta cultures look like workshops, not showrooms. Are leaders physically isolated or visibly present among teams? Are there protected spaces for focused work? Organisations serious about learning protect attention. And finally, incompleteness. If everything looks polished, control is stronger than learning.
AI is often framed as a catalyst for transformation. Could it also reinforce old paradigms?
AI is becoming infrastructure, like electricity or the internet. And infrastructure is never neutral. It shapes how organisations think and decide. In open cultures, AI supports learning; in rigid ones, it reinforces control
Where should companies start?
Not with reorganisation, but with awareness: identify which behaviours are rewarded, create small spaces for experimentation and allow people to experience different ways of working.
If you had to describe Beta in one sentence, what would it be?
Beta is the freedom to transform the future of work.
Raphael Gielgen is Trendscout Future of Work at Vitra. He explores how technology, society, and space reshape work and value creation. Through global research and field insights, he advises organisations on navigating transformation and designing workplaces as strategic infrastructure for learning, innovation and performance.