World of work
Every fourth in the home office: Working at home remains popular
The home office has established itself according to Corona. Employees go to the office again more often, but researchers do not see any return during presence times. Two groups in particular like to work from home.
Even years after the Corona pandemic, employees in Germany appreciate the home office, but use it a little less often. Many people go to the office again more often, show new figures from the Federal Statistical Office. However, experts do not see a broad trend towards returning. Commuters and parents in particular take the opportunity to work strongly from home.
Last year, almost a quarter (24 percent) of all employees were at least occasionally in the home office, as the statisticians in Wiesbaden said. The proportion was similarly high as in previous years 2023 (23 percent) and 2022 (24 percent).
However, the home office is less used than in the partly characterized by Corona pandemic for previous years. In 2024, only 24 percent of the people who used the home office worked completely from home. In 2023 it was 26 percent, at the pandemy year 2021 even 40 percent.
On the other hand, the proportion of those who spent less than half of their working days in home increased: in 2024, 46 percent of home office users worked less often from home than at work. In 2021, the proportion was still around 31 percent.
Home office was hardly widespread in Germany before Corona. In 2019, only 13 percent of workers worked from home. The trend has long been visible for the world of work. In this way, the desks remain empty in many offices, companies reduce the area or lower office buildings.
According to the IFO Institute, the home office has firmly established itself in Germany, even if some companies again demand more presence. The home office rate has been almost unchanged since April 2022, it said in a study from spring. “We see no evidence in the data that the home office is on the withdrawal,” says IFO researcher Jean-Victor Alipour. “Individual initiatives of companies to bring their employees back to the office do not form a statistically readable trend.”
Home office by no means possible in all jobs
A survey by the job portal Indeed among 1,000 employees from June also shows the high priority of the home office for employees. Accordingly, many people in Germany work more in the home office with approval of their superiors than the official rules of their company. More than 40 percent would even accept salary if they were allowed to do more home office.
However, not everyone can work from home. According to the IFO at service jobs, for example in IT. In contrast, only about every sixth in the home office (around 17 percent) and every eighth (12.5 percent) worked in industry recently. The bottom light is the construction industry with a share of less than five percent.
Popular with parents and commuters
Especially in age groups that typically have to get work and family under one roof, working from home is popular, as statistics show. In 2024, the highest home office share among all employed people had 35- to 44-year-olds with 29 percent, followed by the 25 to 34 year olds with 28 percent.
Commuters also appreciate the home office to save the time in the car or train. The longer the route, the more: 42 percent of the employees, whose work was at least 50 kilometers from their place of residence, worked in the home office in 2024. With a distance of 25 to 50 kilometers, it was 29 percent and at 5 kilometers 14 percent.
Compared to pandemic, the shares have increased, especially for commuters with a long way to work, the statisticians write. Your guess: “Employees accept longer commuting routes in existing or new employment relationships, which they can avoid at least a few days due to the home office option.”
Home office in Germany slightly over an EU cut
When it comes to home office, employees in Germany behave similarly to the EU cut. The home office quota of 24 percent in Germany is just above the means of the EU countries. There, 23 percent of all employees aged 15 and over, at least occasionally worked from home. In the Netherlands (52 percent), Sweden (46) and Luxembourg (43), the home office was the highest. The quota in Bulgaria (3 percent), Romania (4) and Greece (8) was the lowest.
dpa
Source: Stern
