Working from home is now a norm for over 2.3 million employees in Germany, a dramatic increase from the 674,000 pre-pandemic figures. The new data, presented by the Federal Ministry of Labor, reveals that this shift has led to at least 6% of all dependent employees working exclusively from home by 2022[1].
The Ifo Institute discovered that Fridays and Mondays are the most popular days for remote work, with 55% and 35% frequency, respectively. Company execs seem to appreciate the benefits of combining engaging meetings with employees present in the office with focused, undisturbed work from home. This setup ensures better employee satisfaction, saves commuting costs, and reduces office expenses for businesses, while still maintaining productivity[2].
However, the Coronavirus pandemic's impact has led to a notable decline in retail sales for city center stores with high office densities, like Munich and Berlin. On the positive side, remote work empowers employees with greater flexibility and saves them considerable travel expenses[1].
The Federal Statistical Office revealed that around 24.2% of all German workers now perform some form of work from home. Among these, 14.7% work remotely for a minimum of half of their working hours, or even every day. Approximately 9.5% spend fewer than half of their working days at home[3].
Solo self-employed workers are the most likely to work from home, with 76% spending over half of their working hours in their homes. This trend is more evident among professions with a high percentage of desk jobs, like science and management[3].
Notably, the proportion of remote workers in Germany almost doubled in 2020, with 21.0% of the workforce working remotely compared to 12.8% in 2019. With the ongoing trend towards remote work and hybrid models, companies are increasingly investing in digital collaboration tools to support their teams[3].
To sum up, the introduction of remote work in Germany has been largely driven by the escalating Coronavirus pandemic. However, the shift towards more flexible working models promises better productivity, employee satisfaction, and higher salaries, especially for skilled workers in the IT, digital marketing, and fintech industries[3]. The trend will also affect office-based retail stores and potentially disrupt sectors heavily affected by automation.
