- That's how common home office is now.
Despite the debate surrounding the return to offices, there's no sign of a reversal of remote work in many companies. According to a survey by the ZEW economic research institute, 82% of companies in the information industry allow employees to work from home at least once a week, while in the manufacturing sector, it's 48%. This high level has been consistent since the COVID-19 pandemic, with no indications of a shift away from such offerings.
Home Office vs. Return to the Office - The Debate Rages On
In recent months, there has been a debate about the return to the office in companies such as SAP and Deutsche Bank. Most recently, Federal Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) has demanded the right to work from home. The coalition agreement of the traffic light coalition provides for employees to have a right to work from home, depending on their profession. However, this has not yet been implemented.
Remote Work is Here to Stay
The study also shows how strongly mobile work has established itself in recent years. Before the COVID-19 crisis, only 48% of companies in the information industry had home office regulations, and in the manufacturing sector, it was 24%. Looking ahead to the next two years, companies do not expect to reduce offers of at least one home office day per week. In fact, the proportion of companies planning to offer home office in 2026 is expected to increase to 88% in the information industry and 57% in the manufacturing sector. Companies also expect the proportion of employees using such offers to increase.
Size Matters: Larger Companies Offer More Home Office
However, the study also shows that the prevalence decreases with increasing frequency: currently, for example, 22% of companies in the information industry allow their employees to work from home for five days a week, compared to 12% before the pandemic. Furthermore, larger companies tend to offer more extensive home office options.
The representative survey involved around 1,200 German companies in the manufacturing sector and the information industry in June. It asked, among other things, about the proportion of employees working from home and the expected changes in home office usage by 2026.
The German Press Agency reported on the coalition agreement of the traffic light coalition, which grants employees the right to work from home depending on their profession, though this has not yet been implemented. If the study conducted by ZEW economic research institute is to be believed, the proportion of companies in the information industry offering at least one home office day per week is expected to increase to 88% by 2026, as per The German Press Agency's report.
