Home office, flexible working hours and new forms of cooperation: the modernization and digitization of the world of work has accelerated further during the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, half of all employees (50 percent) in Germany work fully or partially in the home office or on the move. There is great support for more flexible forms of work. The vast majority of workers are united behind the values and attitudes associated with the “new job”: free allocation of working time (95 percent), self-determination of individual performance and learning goals (95 percent), and generally meaningful work ( 91 percent) percent) that you can pursue are widely shared desires for work.
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Employers should take social responsibility (91%) and promote equality and diversity (92%). Given the choice, nine out of ten employees (88 percent) would like to work at least partially from home after the pandemic, eight out of ten (80 percent) would like to have a permanent job in a one-man office. In general, the vast majority (71%) believe that mobile working in Germany should be used much more. These are the main findings of a representative survey of more than 1,500 employees in Germany aged 16 and over commissioned by the digital association Bitkom.
The digitization of work is increasingly seen as an opportunity
During the pandemic, the outlook for the digitization of the world of work has continued to develop strongly for the better. More than eight out of ten employees (84%) see digitization as an opportunity for their professional situation. Those who are not authorized to work remotely, even if the job would allow it, are dissatisfied with it.
Many also want more flexibility among those with jobs that require physical presence. Four in ten (44%) would work remotely if their job allowed. This contrasts with three in ten (29%) who don't want it. A quarter of employees with face-to-face jobs (23%) would like other offers such as additional vacation days or more self-determination when creating shifts and shifts.
Nine out of ten see their future in the home office
If the workforce has its way, there will be a mix of mobile and face-to-face work in the post-pandemic period. In the future, nine out of ten (88%) would like to work at least part of the time from home. For Bitkom president Achim Berg it is therefore clear: “The new normal does not decide between the classic face-to-face work and the home office, but it is a clear both.”
Corona is leading the culture shift towards New Work
With the digitization and flexibilisation of the world of work, the culture in the workplace is also changing. The coronavirus pandemic has triggered a vast rethinking of leadership, collaboration, and processes. Eight out of ten dependent employees (79%) feel that their employer has trusted their employees more since the pandemic and has increasingly relied on personal accountability. Three-quarters (74%) say they are more open to digital technologies.
Less stress, more time and better work-life balance
The bottom line is that the benefits of mobile work outweigh the drawbacks for the majority. 85% of employees who work remotely feel less stressed about not having to commute to work. 82 percent view the associated time savings as a positive. And three-quarters (74%) see generally better work-life balance.
The lack of personal exchange with other employees is in turn the most frequently cited disadvantage of working from home. Four out of ten (44 percent) complain of less contact with colleagues. For a fifth (19%), having less contact with supervisors is also a problem. Other disadvantages mentioned are difficulties separating private life from work (27%) and feeling cut off from important information (25%).