Survey: Employees enjoy working from home – and they don’t

February 2, 2024

Three years of surveys show that there are both advantages and disadvantages to working remotely.

In the latest study on working from home conducted by the Liz Mohn Center and the Ispos opinion research institute, a representative cross-section of employees in Germany were asked how they feel about their working conditions. The findings reveal an overall positive trend in the last three years. Yet the latest results also point to dissatisfactions within the workforce, for example about the appreciation shown for employees’ efforts, the cohesion within companies, and work-life balance. In 2023, positive responses to working at home reached their highest level (92 percent) since the surveys began in December 2020 (80 percent). Respondents were similarly optimistic about their own professional future and that of their organization. More than two-thirds (67 percent) feel their work makes a meaningful contribution to society.

Demands of today’s working world

Yet there is still room for improvement. After all, only 56 percent of the respondents say their company is well prepared to meet the demands of today’s working world, and 36 percent are not or only partially satisfied with how flexible their working conditions are. Moreover, there are considerable differences between various groups. First, not all employees can work from home. At almost 22 percent, the figure for those who feel disadvantaged because they must work in the office while colleagues can work remotely is currently at its highest level. Receiving adequate recognition and appreciation plays a key role here, as do opportunities for ongoing training and learning. On the other hand, younger employees (18-24 years) and women are less satisfied with the teamwork they experience and their opportunities for further education and training. 

After more than three years of surveys, the current study reveals additional areas that can be optimized. As in previous years, the findings show that actively managing corporate culture is one field that must be addressed to ensure it reflects today’s working conditions, as is sensitizing and training managers to further develop their own roles. Given the current situation in which people now work from home, legislators and social partners also face many unanswered questions – along with opportunities to take action. As occupational safety regulations and data protection laws for remote work are often still lacking or inadequately defined, the social partners must clarify for themselves the extent to which working from home should be part of collective bargaining and works council agreements.

Ansprechpartner:in

Dr. Jörg Habich