Collective Well-being at the Organizational Level: Healthy Coexistence in Municipal Daycare Centers in Munich
The KoWOrg project was launched in 2026 and is funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung through 2027. Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Orkan Okan, TUM is collaborating with the City of Munich’s Department of Education and Sports to strengthen collective well-being at the organizational level in daycare centers. The focus here is on the staff at the City of Munich’s daycare centers.
Background
As central locations for education and care, daycare centers play a key role in shaping everyday and work culture not only for children but also for educational staff and administrators. A healthy and supportive organizational climate promotes individual and collective well-being and has a direct impact on quality, satisfaction, and sustainable development processes.
What has been lacking so far, however, are practical concepts that systematically assess, evaluate, and strengthen collective well-being across the various levels within the daycare setting. Increasing demands, such as those resulting from a shortage of skilled workers and societal change, require innovative organizational approaches.
Project Goals & Approach
The goal of the project is to systematically investigate collective well-being at the organizational level in the daycare setting for the first time and to strengthen it in the long term.
To this end, the following activities will be part of the project:
- conduct a literature review,
- analyze existing services offered by the City of Munich,
- conduct qualitative focus group interviews with professionals and managers.
And based on the results:
- develop a practical guide with standards to provide guidance for operators, managers, and staff (examples: see here and here),
- develop a theoretically grounded model and a definition of collective well-being at the organizational level.
Both are based on scientific literature, existing concepts, and the statements and suggestions of professionals.
The results can serve as a basis for recommendations regarding future interventions and their implementation. A multi-perspective, participatory approach is being pursued that links well-being and health literacy.
Project lead and contact
Prof. Dr. Orkan Okan (project lead)
Monika Singer (research fellow)
Eva Winkler von Mohrenfels (research fellow)
Alena Bex (research fellow)
