Home office boom: Majority of Germans want more flexibility!

Home office boom: Majority of Germans want more flexibility!

In Germany, the topic of working from home has its downsides, as shown by a current survey by Indeed, which was carried out among 1,000 employees. Accordingly, many employees work more from home than is officially permitted - and often with the consent of their superiors. A quarter of those surveyed are given the freedom to work more from home if their performance is good. Nevertheless, there is dissatisfaction: over 50 percent of the participants are dissatisfied with the time they are allowed to work from home, and more than 40 percent would be willing to accept a reduction in salary in order to be able to work from home more time. The survey also shows that more than two thirds of those surveyed find the home office regulations to be clear, while strict controls are usually only carried out in companies with fixed office days. More than half of those surveyed deliberately plan private appointments on office presence days in order to enable additional home office days.

But why the urge for more freedom of work? The results illustrate interesting trends: 62.5 percent of employees occasionally decide to be more present if they see added value in it - be it to maintain relationships (28.4%), to access informal information (23.3%) or to change the work environment (20%). Nevertheless, employees overall want a flexible working environment. According to current studies, the desire for office presence has declined in recent years, and companies are increasingly relying on hybrid working models, where a combination of home office and office work is in the foreground, as Haufe reports.

The shift towards hybrid working models

Five years after the first Corona lockdown, the trend towards office presence has declined, according to a study. Only 19 percent of employees are subject to an increased attendance requirement - a decrease compared to the previous year, when it was 22 percent. Most employees (75 percent) prefer to present themselves in a hybrid model. On average, Germans want 2.77 days of home office per week, with managers wanting an average of 2.63 days and employees without management responsibility wanting to work within their own four walls for 2.90 days. Home office now plays a crucial role for 70 percent of those surveyed when looking for a job.

The aversion to strict attendance requirements can also be felt among managers: only 25 percent of them would like a stricter attendance requirement. This shows a change in the management culture in Germany, which is aimed more at professionally designed hybrid models. Nevertheless, the social structure within many companies is eroding as collaboration suffers. One of the biggest challenges remains that emotional exhaustion can increase due to increased attendance requirements without achieving any increase in productivity.

Technological support for hybrid working

The technical infrastructure is also very important for the implementation of a hybrid working model. Solution providers like Ferrari electronic rely on Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) solutions that enable unhindered access to documents and internal networks. The OfficeMaster Suite 7DX offers an all-in-one solution that combines email systems with other communication channels. These technologies not only optimize business processes, but also ensure that documents can be transmitted securely and efficiently.

In summary, the demand for flexible working models remains high and many employees want more time in the home office. Technical progress could help to overcome the challenges and create a harmonious balance between office and home office. Companies that don't recognize this could be planning around the needs of their employees.