The study conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (Fraunhofer IAO) in 2023 addresses issues relating to working time flexibility, productivity, health and the dissolution of boundaries, social relationships and leadership. To this end, 362 HR managers were surveyed for the study in order to re-examine topics from previous studies from 2020 to 2022.
The study found that the option of mobile working is standard in German companies, with only 0.6% of respondents stating that they do not offer any option for mobile working. 83.2% of respondents also stated that mobile working has become significantly more important as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The vast majority of companies (81.7%) have included the expiring coronavirus exemptions in works agreements or are planning to do so (6.4%).
When assessing the possibility of mobile working, most respondents see the integration of new employees as the biggest challenge arising from this. The assessment of whether networking has deteriorated or the exchange of knowledge has suffered shows an indifferent picture. The study also found that any fears of increased sickness absence, higher burnout rates and declining demand for further training programmes were not shared by the majority of respondents. It is clear that the labour market is becoming increasingly flexible and, in view of the growing demand for mobile working, including internationally, both legislators and companies are facing further challenges.
