Home office: Germany slightly above average in an EU comparison
As reported by the Federal Statistical Office, in 2021 Germany was slightly above the EU average of 24.2 percent when it came to working from home. Almost a quarter (24.8 percent) of those in employment in Germany were able to work at least part of the time from home. A full ten percent of the employees even worked exclusively from the home office. The number of people working from home is at a record high. Before Corona, in 2019, only 12.8 percent of employees worked from home.
Only five percent of Germans want to go back to the office completely
According to the latest international labor market study “Hopes and Fears 2022” by the auditing company PwC, only a few employees are averse to this development. Although on average fewer employees in Germany (44 percent) state that their work can be carried out remotely from home than globally (54 percent), only five percent of working Germans want to return completely to the office. In a global comparison, the share is at least eleven percent. 35 percent of Germans would like to work completely remotely (global: 26 percent) and 23 percent of Germans want to be able to work at least mostly from home (global: 23 percent).
“The working world of the future is hybrid. That raises challenging but exciting questions, especially for us managers. For example: How do we motivate employees even at a distance? How do we create and maintain sustainable relationships with customers?” says Petra Justenhoven, Assurance- Leader and, from July 1, 2022, spokeswoman for the management at PwC Germany.
Fears about technology
However, this development is not only associated with challenges for employers, but also with some fears on the part of employees. With regard to technology, 29 percent of German employees (global: 40 percent) state that they have too few opportunities to learn from more technically skilled colleagues. A further 32 percent fear (globally: 39 percent) that their employer will not provide them with urgently needed skills. Other concerns are, on the one hand, that the company is not investing enough in innovative technologies (Germany: 29 percent; global: 37 percent) and, on the other hand, that it could be replaced by technologies in the next three years (Germany: 20 percent; global: 30 percent ).
“The fact that around a third of employees in this country fear that their employer is not providing them with the specialist knowledge they will need in the future in a sufficient manner makes us think. It points to a clear potential for upskilling. Companies should therefore urgently invest further here – and communicate transparently which goal which measures are used,” explains Petra Raspels from PwC.
E. Schmal / Editor finanzen.net
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