The pandemic has already permanently changed mobility. More and more people are working in their home offices, saving themselves the way to the office.
The car seems to be losing more and more of its importance, which is of course partly due to the cost of gasoline. Many cities want to curb traffic in the future and are already developing appropriate concepts. Some cities already have traffic-calmed areas (also called “residential streets”).
At first, many thought that home office work was just a pandemic phenomenon and that the majority of people would return to the office. However, home office has stayed and is becoming more and more popular. Of course, it is important to remember here that not every job is suitable for the home office. This applies to factory employees.
Many managers were initially very skeptical when employees were sent to the home office because they feared that the work could only function with intensive contact between team members. That’s why many managers were initially opposed to home office work.
A study from 2017 was compared with surveys from 2020. The number of people who worked in a home office was just 17% in 2017. During the first lockdown in 2020, that number increased to 37%.
The number from the lockdown remained around 36% in 2022 after the withdrawal of workplace-based restrictions, which many would not have expected to be the case.
Today, there are more and more (hybrid) work models. There are people who work completely from home or in the office, as well as people who work sometimes from home and sometimes in the office.
Most people work about 2.5 days on average from the home office or on the road. The rest of their work days are spent in the office. The pandemic has steadily increased the percentage of those who work from home offices or on the road. Over 1/3 of people work just under half of their working hours away from their original workplace.
Especially high earners benefit from this, however, one can see a democratization in home office. Thus, in 2017, mostly well-educated and high earners worked from home office. Nowadays, this trend has also reached people with lower income and educational qualifications.
Again, note that this of course does not apply to jobs that are location-based, such as nursing.
The share of “click work” is increasing significantly. These are mostly low-paid jobs on computers or in call centers. The danger for exploitation exists especially here for precariously employed click workers, since they can no longer go to the office or organize in a union.
Certainly, the roads have become a bit emptier, but even today many people are still stuck in traffic jams for several hours when they drive to and from work. In Munich, the number of hours per motorist per year is over 70 hours(!).
This raises the question of why working from home does not alleviate traffic congestion?
The study “Mobility in Germany” from 2017 has proven that the home office reduces the number of kilometers and thus the traffic load. However, other transport services such as delivery services increased. The proportion of people ordering online has increased from 5.7% in 2017 to 17.4% in 2022.
So what this means is that if everyone worked as they did in 2017, the congestion problem would be much worse. Without a home office, traffic density would be about 1/4 higher!
However, there are isolated studies that are supposed to prove that online ordering with the help of bundled delivery routes could reduce traffic volumes under certain conditions, as customers no longer drive to the supermarket individually. This could work if delivery services were to join forces and “pool” their packages. So far, every single package and parcel is still delivered to the door by a large van, which makes it even worse.
Is there a cap on home office work?
Working from the home office is definitely here to stay. In the future, at least 1/3 of all employees will spend at least half of their working hours away from the office. And this cuts across all industries and hierarchies. This will have enormous consequences for infrastructure planning.
It is questionable whether new roads will still be needed. The fact is that car traffic is nevertheless increasing and the roads are becoming steadily more crowded despite home offices. According to TomTom, although the number of cars continues to decline, the number of kilometers driven is decreasing.
Implications for urban planning and business
Pandemic times have triggered a shift to home offices and online shopping, and this will not change in the future. As a result, local retail is under increasing pressure unless it is easily accessible on foot or by bicycle. Parking spaces in front of the door are not decisive. People today do not want to be bothered by traffic jams and full parking lots. Therefore, shopping malls should focus less on cars and more on greenery.
Does working from a home office exacerbate the housing shortage?
Quite the opposite. Many office buildings have to be converted and could then be made available to the housing market.
Will a 49-euro ticket help bring employees back to the office?
No, because even 49 euros is still too expensive for many people. For high earners, the high cost of commuting was the decisive factor.
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* Source: Der Spiegel (German)
The dietary and exercise behavior of many people has changed significantly in recent months, especially during the pandemic period with home office. Working from home has become increasingly important.
It is important for companies that employees are sick less often. Here, companies can consciously tax their share and thus actively promote and strengthen the health of their employees.
Company home office health management
Süddeutsche health insurance, in cooperation with the Nuremberg-based mhplus health insurance company, published the study “Healthy Home Office”. In this study, 65% of respondents stated that they prefer to work from their home office rather than in the office.
Regardless of whether they work from home or in the office, employees should exercise regularly, eat as balanced and healthy a diet as possible, and get enough sleep. All these topics are considered in occupational health management.
The topic is becoming increasingly important in recent years. Thus there are already special projects in different European countries, which concern themselves exactly with the topics mentioned before.
For example, the National Council has newly regulated the topic of “home office” in the Employment Contract Law Amendment Act (German: AVRAG). Our neighbor Austria has also addressed the issue and developed a strategy paper. The focus was on the needs of employees and companies.
And the courts are also increasingly having to deal with the issue when it comes to deciding, for example, who pays in the event of accidents in the home office and whether this accident is considered an occupational accident.
Which brings us to the question: May or must the employer take care of health management in the home office?
It is important to know here that the actual occupational health management (OHM) is company-related. In the home office, it has been difficult for companies to measure the health of their employees. Until now, however, because this is where companies are now taking action. Attempts are being made to introduce health-promoting standards specifically for home office work. The home office concept is much more self-sufficient and deviates in many ways from the classic concept of workplace health management, as employees now no longer work together in one place.
To date, occupational health management has been subdivided into the following areas:
In BGM, the focus is on developing the corporate environment to promote health in traditional offices. Workplace health promotion is more broadly defined, as it encompasses all measures taken jointly by the company and its employees, as well as society, and is therefore not just focused on the workplace.
Mobile health promotion (German: MGF) as an approach
Certainly, there are people who spend their entire lives in the same company. And yet, mobile working from home as well as on the road is becoming increasingly popular. This is evidenced by concepts such as coworking, coliving and workation.
The MGF here could be broken down as follows:
In the classic and yet very rigid BGM, dynamic work content has been considered, but not dynamic workplaces. They are focused on a specific company. With MGF, the focus is more modular.
Now the focus is on creating opportunities to become healthier and, above all, to stay healthy. For example, small movement breaks and sports exercises can be integrated into the daily work routine quite easily.
Health management rethought
By no means every company is enthusiastic about home office. However, a rethink is now taking place in many executive suites. The work environment is becoming increasingly dynamic, but should still be resistant to crises. A more resilient working environment and infrastructure not only supports our daily lives, but also the resilience of the economy and society.
The pandemic has shown us that it is possible to transfer an office job to the home office. Of course, this does not apply to classic factory work, as special machines are sometimes used here.
However, let’s keep in mind that everyone is different. There are people who love to work from the home office, while others consciously want to spatially separate private and professional life and therefore prefer to work in the office. Others work alternately from the home office and in the office. Personal sensitivities sometimes play an important role here. For example, many people prefer to work from home if they suffer from back pain or period cramps. These pains often do not warrant sick leave and are easier to cure from home.
Whatever the future holds. We must learn to adapt and become more mentally flexible, as this will help us get through the new era better and healthier.
Creating new structures
The MGF should not only manage, but exploit existing potentials so that suffering and illnesses do not break out in the first place. The solution to this is regular health care and awareness. One that is neither excessive nor forced. Our health is our most important resource. Therefore, the care of our health needs to be rethought.
At its best, health should be organized through technical interfaces and independent partners. We would be happy to help you organize and coordinate appropriate health management measures. Simply arrange a non-binding consultation with us.
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* Source: Der Standard (German)
Are you perhaps also one of those people who are often plagued by fatigue and listlessness in the home office?
Today we would like to give you a few useful tips on how you can actively promote your health and at the same time work in a healthy and concentrated manner.
Ventilate your workspace regularly
You sit at your workplace for several hours every day and sooner or later you are surrounded by “stale” air. You find it difficult to concentrate because there is less oxygen in the room air. The result is often headaches, frequent yawning and fatigue. It is therefore all the more important that you ventilate your workroom several times a day. This is especially important during the heating season when the room climate is dry.
Drink coffee consciously
We all know that caffeine makes you awake, but only for a short time and in small amounts. If you drink too much coffee, you quickly become tired and unable to concentrate. We therefore recommend that you drink your morning cup or your espresso after a meal consciously, i.e. not while you are working. Take a small coffee break for this purpose.
Drink plenty of water
Our body needs an average of 1.5-2 liters of fluid per day. It is best to drink this amount throughout the day, but especially in the morning, as this will help you prevent headaches and fatigue in the afternoon. Instead of putting a water bottle on the table, we recommend that you rather get each glass separately, because this way you immediately provide some exercise. By the way, this also applies to the cup of tea in the cold season.
Pay attention to a healthy diet
If you often eat very heavy and a lot, you will quickly become tired and unfocused, thus putting a strain on your digestion. A varied diet with vegetables, fruit and fiber is therefore enormously important to stay fit. You will find fiber especially in whole grain products and legumes. For breakfast, we recommend a muesli with fresh fruit, and for lunch, for example, a pasta with fresh vegetables. Carrots, apples and nuts are also an excellent snack for in between meals. Again, try to consciously focus on eating.
Release tension through movement
The often very rigid posture in front of the screen can quickly lead to tension and back pain. The ability to concentrate also decreases after a short time. In order to get your circulation going, you should make sure that you move regularly during your workday, for example when you are on the phone or walking to the coffee machine. Small exercises can help relieve your tension. These can also be done at your desk. In addition, we recommend that you exercise regularly.
Sufficient sleep
In order for your brain and body to remain efficient, you should make sure that you get enough sleep. If you go to bed at the same time every day and get enough sleep, you will wake up in the morning much fresher and more refreshed. Many people find it difficult to rest in the evening if they have spent many hours in front of a screen during the day. We therefore recommend that you stop using electrical devices (smartphone, tablet, etc.) before going to bed, because the luminous displays impair your day-night rhythm and thus lead to problems falling asleep. Instead, read a book, which should not be too exciting, so that you can switch off.
Time out against stress
Frequent and continuous stress disturbs your metabolism and sleep. Therefore, take time out every day just for yourself to switch off and come to rest. Mental relaxation techniques are very suitable for this and at the same time promote your concentration. You can consciously counteract stress with simple mindfulness exercises. They have an extremely positive effect on your immune system and can also prevent depression and anxiety. Sports and sufficient exercise also ensure mental and physical relaxation.
Maintain social contacts
Since you often work alone in a home office, feelings of isolation and loneliness can quickly arise. These quickly lead to fatigue and listlessness. It can help to maintain contact with other team members, even if they are physically separated from you. Contact your team members, write or talk to them. It is also conceivable to take a break together via video call.
Feel free to share your opinion on the topic with us on social media.
* Source: NDR
The cold and wet season doesn’t exactly make it easy for us to get out of bed early in the morning, get ready and drive to the office. How good it is to have the option of working from a home. The only question is who will pay for the heating, equipment, etc.?
Since spring, companies are no longer obliged to let their employees work from home, but some companies continue to offer this option. The IFO Institute estimates that one in four employees in Germany still works from home. In some industries, the number is even higher.
Particularly in winter, employees appreciate the option of working from home, as it saves them the way to the office, which can become a real challenge due to icy roads, snowfall and train delays.
But what about the actual legal regulations for working from home?
The terms at a glance: Home office, telework and mobile working.
So far, mobile working has not been clearly regulated by law in Germany. Thus, the colloquial term “home office” is often used.
In contrast, telework is clearly defined. This means that work with fixed working hours takes place outside the company at a fixed workstation, which is usually located within the employee’s own four walls. Precise requirements apply, which are regulated by the Workplace Ordinance.
If the above-mentioned characteristics are fulfilled and corresponding conditions are agreed upon, it is a case of telework. In this case, the employer must comply with the legal regulations on telework. Detailed regulations on the implementation of home office can result from the collective agreement or a company agreement.
If one works partly in the office and partly in the home office or on the road, one speaks of alternating telework, since the employee does not work from a fixed location. For example, the work can also be done in a coworking space, on the train or from a hotel.
What does a home office minimum equipment look like?
According to Verdi, the employer is obligated to equip the employee with a home office workstation – at the company’s expense. In addition to furniture, this also includes other office materials and suitable telecommunications technology, including software and hardware. This can also include computers, telephones, headphones and cameras. The costs of any maintenance and repairs are also borne by the employer.
According to the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations, the employer may not demand that employees use their private devices for work unless this has been agreed with the employees in advance. Regardless of which devices are ultimately used, data protection and data security must always be guaranteed.
What should the workplace in the home office legally look like?
In addition to ergonomic equipment, accident prevention regulations and occupational safety naturally also play an important and central role. The employer has a duty to ensure this. It is important to ensure that sufficient space and ventilation and heating options are available. A risk assessment, which in the best case is carried out by each employee on the instructions of the management, can help to uncover and eliminate possible risks. The employer does not have a general right of access to the private home.
In larger companies, there is a works council that can provide support in the design and implementation of home office regulations. In addition, a works agreement can contain home office regulations.
Does the employer contribute to the costs incurred in the home office?
This can be agreed between employer and employee on an individual basis. According to Verdi, if there is neither an agreement nor a collective bargaining agreement nor a works agreement, it depends on the overall circumstances. The employee has a legal right to reimbursement of his additional costs, provided that the employer’s interest in performing work in the home office outweighs. In this regard, there is a case law of the Federal Labor Court on the reimbursement of expenses for home office.
The more employees work from home, the fewer costs are incurred by the employer in the company. This is what makes home office work so attractive to many employers. If disagreements do arise between the two parties, employees can enforce the right to application replacement in the labor court.
I can just go to the company if it is too cold at home, right?
If the employer gives the employee the option to work from home or at the office, you can of course also do the work at the office. The same applies if your home office agreement includes a right of return to the office. In any case, you should make an arrangement with your employer for the costs incurred (electricity, heating, pro rata rent, telephone, etc.) in home office and write it down.
Feel free to share your opinion on the topic with us on social media.
* Source: NTV
Companies have so much to do when it comes to winning the competition for the best talent and to bind them to the company in the long term.
Nearly one in four office employees is dissatisfied and can list a number of points of criticism. That’s according to a survey commissioned by technology company Slack. Of the 2,090 respondents (late October/early November 2022), 6% have specific intentions to change the job.
But what are the most common reasons for changing jobs?
A full 82% of respondents cited lack of pay as a reason to change, followed by an unhealthy work-life balance (74%) and dissatisfaction with their supervisor (72%).
What is surprising, however, is the fact that around 29% of the 2,000 people surveyed by Yougov would be willing to move to another city for a suitable job offer. Popular cities are Hamburg, Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt and Cologne.
Home office is becoming increasingly popular
Many office workers no longer want to come into the office every day. A mix of office and mobile working would be in line with the times for 56% of those surveyed. Working exclusively in the office would be an option for 20% of respondents, while 18% would work exclusively from home or on the road.
Another Future Forum Pulse survey found that inflexible return to office policies not only negatively impact the employee experience, but also employee turnover. More than 10,000 employees from the U.S., Australia, France, Germany, Japan and the U.K. participated in the survey.
Yougov’s survey found that employees in technical positions (1,090 of those surveyed) are significantly less likely to have intentions to change or feel dissatisfaction in their jobs. They are the ones who would be willing to move to another city and value a hybrid or mobile workplace.
Oliver Blüher (Head of Central Europe at Slack): “If companies want to stand a chance in today’s competition for the best talent, they have to offer flexible working conditions and the appropriate digital infrastructure.
Feel free to share your opinion on the topic with us on social media.
* Source: NDR
The big question on the table is: Should employees be allowed to continue working from their home offices or do they have to go back to the office?
Many company leaders disagree on this question. Some (such as Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk) insist on office presence, while others recognize that office presence is not necessary in every case. A shift in thinking is taking place, not least as a result of the experiences of the last few pandemic years. Companies are increasingly realizing that working from home can work well if they learn to trust their employees. Trust and connectedness are more important than ever.
As a result of the pandemic, many company leaders were forced to send their employees to the home office from one day to the next. For many company leaders, this working model was completely new and posed challenges in its implementation. Especially since they no longer had full control over their employees. However, they had no choice but to learn to trust their employees. In the end, even the biggest doubters were able to put aside their prejudices about working from home, as they noticed that their employees were significantly more productive in the home office, as they were able to work in a self-determined manner.
Some companies (e.g. the energy company RWE) rely on trust-based working hours. This means that employees decide for themselves when they work. They have recognized that as a company you have to move with the times and become more modern if you want to attract young people to the company. However, it is important that employees take care not to work more hours despite this freedom. Many trade unionists are critical of the danger of “extra work”.
So should employees rather go back to the office?
This question should be considered from different points of view. There are employees who commute every day and accept a long drive to the office just to be present in the office. This only makes sense if the presence is urgently needed to carry out the work. Certainly, most companies cannot do without an office presence. But an employee-friendly solution can be found for this as well.
Gunnar Kilian (Volkswagen board member), for example, reports that the company made a digital push when the pandemic hit. They realized that they wanted to work more creatively together as a team in presence in the future. Judith Wieso (Siemens board member) reports something similar. She believes that people need to exchange ideas directly wherever cooperation and creativity are required. Zvezdana Seeger (Labor Director RWE) adds that first meetings were personal and emotional and gave them a creative boost.
One has learned from the last 3 pandemic years and does not want to fall into old patterns. Today, many companies offer their employees much more flexibility on the job. Team members decide jointly with their managers who comes into the office and when. If flexibility in location is out of the question, there should be flexibility in time for employees. However, not every company manager knows how to implement this in a target-oriented manner. Here, one should consciously rely on the personal responsibility of the employees. A regular exchange with team members is important, especially if you are new to the company. This is often underestimated, but it is important in cooperation.
As Fränzi Kühne (Chief Digital Officer Edding) said so well: “Corporate culture is created at the coffee machine.” It’s where team members can talk to each other, both professionally and privately.
Feel free to share your opinion on the topic with us on social media.
New Work is currently on everyone’s lips and is seen by many as the answer to the demands of the modern working world. It is hoped that this will lead to more flexibility, fewer hierarchies and participation in decision-making. However, this requires a genuine cultural change in companies.
Many still have misconceptions about New Work. The term is often associated with trendy start-ups, where hip offices offer 10 different types of cereal and post-its are stuck to the glass walls everywhere. This cliché is long outdated. New Work is increasingly spreading throughout Germany, in companies of all sizes.
Many companies are focusing on open office concepts and workplace autonomy. This means that anyone who comes into the office sits down where a team task is currently pending and where they are needed.
Since the pandemic, home office in combination with flexible working hours has also become increasingly popular. The same applies to job sharing, where you share a management position, for example.
Some companies are even going one step further
They are reducing hierarchies and relying on the fact that decisions that were previously made solely by the boss are now shifted to the employees. The teams work together toward a common goal and must organize themselves in this regard.
Two very radical models are holocracy and sociocracy. Here, the complete decision-making power is transferred to the group and the company is run democratically by executives. However, these models tend to be the exception.
The New Work model is spreading in more and more companies in Germany. This was the result of a survey conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering in Stuttgart on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
It’s time for new work models
Originally, the idea of agile working came from the IT industry, where the aim was to develop software faster. Today, agile refers to the state of constant change in the world of work.
Did you know that the term “New Work” can be traced back to the Austrian-American social philosopher Frithjof Bergmann?
It was he who worked with the unemployed in the American automotive industry in the 1980s, looking for a way for employees to find their work worthy and meaningful. As you can see, people have been working on this topic for quite a long time.
He developed a 3-pillar model in which wage work, community work and work that people really want to do complement each other. Nowadays, people have often moved away from this concept.
Implementation is not always possible
Introducing new structures is a good first step, but it is not enough, because the psychological empowerment of employees also plays an important role. To achieve real cultural change, it is critically important that employees feel that their work is meaningful and that they perceive themselves as self-determined, competent and influential. So it’s not enough to simply flatten hierarchies. Quite the opposite. If leadership tasks suddenly land with the team, this could quickly lead to conflicts.
In some companies (e.g., nursing homes, daycare centers, etc.), physical presence is required, making home offices and flexible working hours simply not feasible. For the trade unions, occupational health and safety also play a centrally important role, because self-determination in the New Work model must not ultimately lead to self-exploitation of employees. It is enormously important to the unions that working hours are recorded. Flexibility and freedom are all well and good, as long as the employee does not suffer in the end.
Benefit for young workers
New Work is popularly used these days to “lure” new employees into the company. It makes a company much more attractive to many young people. Good pay has long ceased to be the decisive reason for applying for a job. Today, people also pay attention to the work-life balance and whether the job is meaningful. In the end, the conditions simply have to be right.
There is a lot of potential for companies in the New Work model, because it has been proven that it can lead to less depression, later retirement and innovation. And, of course, it’s also about being successful in the new world of work.
Feel free to share your opinion on the topic with us on social media.
* Source: Tagesschau
The world’s largest companies are taking different approaches when it comes to remote work. Some companies are closing offices completely, while others are trying to bring all employees back into the office. Depending on what works best for the company.
Dell Technologies, for example, has made it its mission to offer flexible options to its employees. In the end, the question for companies is how and where they can best achieve their business goals.
So why do many companies still resist working remotely?
The most commonly cited reasons are as follows:
– not conducive to company culture
– new employees may feel excluded
– working in the office is more productive than working from home
– career opportunities are significantly greater in the office
When it comes to remote working, Dell Technologies is clearly one of the pioneers of our time. For more than 12 years, they have offered their employees the flexibility to work from home, driven by the belief that work is an outcome and not tied to time and place.
The management of Dell Technology believes that such an approach can work for almost any business. They prove it themselves with their “Connected Workplace” hybrid work model, which has been positively embraced by employees, creating a healthy corporate culture. They deliberately focus on employee engagement, giving them the feeling that they are part of the company. As a result, Dell Technologies has built a diverse as well as inclusive team.
The key to the hybrid work model is: flexibility
At Dell Technologies, flexibility means remaining agile, listening, learning, and adapting. Common myths of hybrid work have been debunked by employees.
One common myth is that the company culture cannot be sustained. To this end, Dell Technologies recently conducted a survey on “team member engagement” and was privileged to find that this is not true.
Dell Technologies team members (94%) saw company culture and values, as well as work flexibility, as the most important differentiators compared to other companies.
People believe that customers and innovation are the foundation of success. People want to win together as a team and achieve results with integrity. Team members’ work results were consistent regardless of work style. This is fact for team members who have been with the company for many years as well as team members hired in the last 2 years.
This result shows that as a team, you don’t necessarily have to sit and work together in a physical building for the company culture to be sustained. In the end, you are united by your shared values, strong company culture, and common purpose, not by where you work.
Integrate new members into the team
Another common myth about hybrid working is that new team members often feel left out because they lack proximity to the team. Dell Technologies can disprove this myth as well.
Team members who were hired in the early stages of the pandemic feel just as much a part of the team and were able to build strong relationships within the team. A higher turnover could not be found in this context. More than 90% of team members find Dell Technologies has an inclusive culture for all and feel a sense of belonging.
This is attributed to purposeful action aimed at driving inclusion and connection. To this end, resources such as special mentoring programs, numerous group opportunities and various events are used to foster and strengthen the team’s sense of community.
There is also a global interactive event series called “The Great Reconnect” to intentionally engage team members and showcase the various resources that bring the employee philosophy to life.
Equal career opportunities for all
A third common myth is that team members have greater learning and career opportunities in the office. Dell Technologies team members (90%) say that every employee has the opportunity to grow and learn new skills. This is true for employees who work remotely as well as those who work in the office.
There would be no significant differences in performance, engagement or rewards between remote or office locations. This is also the view of team members themselves, who do not feel that office-based employees are favored over those who work remotely.
With a high-performing culture at Dell Technologies and a wide range of on-demand virtual learning solutions, individual team members can be targeted to help them achieve their career goals, regardless of where they work.
Dell University’s mission is to help team members develop skills for the future, transform agility and build leaders. Even during the pandemic, Dell continued to innovate, deliver products and introduce new offerings to customers – under exceptionally difficult circumstances.
The magic word is flexibility
Offering flexibility through hybrid work models is working very well, at least for Dell Technologies. The focus is on performance, balance, connection and inclusion. They strive for excellence and say about themselves “We are satisfied, but never satisfied.” There is pride, but they remain humble and strive to continuously improve hybrid work.
The future of work is looked forward to with optimism and confidence. In this regard, great emphasis continues to be placed on creativity and inspiration for implementation. At Dell Technologies, they also try to continue to focus on preserving and strengthening the very special corporate culture and the strong track record of the last 38 years (!).
Dell Technologies is committed to help every team member do his/her best, regardless of where he/she works from. They believe other companies should do exactly the same, especially given the ever-increasing need for top talent. Hybrid work models allow employers to recruit and hire from anywhere in the world, which is a huge advantage for the company as well as the employees.
Feel free to share your opinion on the topic with us on social media.
* Source: Dell Technologies
The Otto Group (Bonprix, Hermes Fulfilment, OTTO and Otto Group Holding amongst others) has decided to lower the room temperatures in many of its office buildings to 15 degrees, in some cases even to 6 degrees. This measure is intended to save energy and to enable as many employees as possible to work from their home offices.
In an ordinance, the German government has lowered the minimum temperatures for private companies until end of February 2023. Offices in which mainly physically light and sedentary work is done will only have a minimum temperature of 19 degrees instead of the previous 20 degrees.
The step announced by the Otto Group at the beginning of October is all the more drastic. Of course, the provisions of labor law also apply to the Otto Group, so that lowering the room temperature to 15 degrees would not be possible if people had to work in it.
Employees should therefore work from the home office if possible. However, there will still be a few heated areas to allow occasional work in the office building. The two canteens and the fitness center will also remain open to employees.
This is to ensure that mutual exchange, networking and hybrid working will continue to be possible. According to the Otto Group, one positive consequence of saving energy is that new constellations can form among the employees.
And yet the Otto Group points out that there is of course no home office obligation and that employees are free to decide whether they want to work from home or in the office. Heated rooms are still available. Only the temperature in the rooms that are used less will be lowered.
The switch to mobile working will result in “relevant additional costs” for the company. The switch to district heating is also associated with high costs. The gas-fired combined heat and power plant on the site in Hamburg will be shut down.
The company is also doing away with some of its illuminated advertising. The illuminated signs at 60 Hermes sites will be switched off. At Group subsidiaries, the hot water in the restrooms will be dispensed and coffee machines, refrigerators and dishwashers will be switched off. Lighting is deliberately dimmed. Through these targeted measures, they want to “actively contribute to saving energy”.
The Otto Group’s goal is to reduce the consumption of electricity, gas and district heating in Germany by 15-20%. The measures have already been in place since the beginning of October and are to remain in place until end of March 2023.
Feel free to share your opinion on the topic with us on social media.
* Source: t3n
The new “Hybrid Working” company agreement has been in force at Audi’s Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm sites since October 1. In the future, this will enable employees to freely choose their place of work. However, there is no intention to completely forego presence. In this way, work in production is also to become more flexible.
The aim of the new company agreement is to give employees more flexibility by allowing them to choose where they work. There would probably be no fixed days of presence. Audi is deliberately focusing on desk sharing, the redesign of office space and financial support for ergonomic equipment in the home office. The aim is to achieve a better balance between mobile and face-to-face work.
In the future, employees will discuss with their managers which days they will come into the office and which days they will work from home, “provided this is compatible with their work tasks,” says Audi. However, there will be no rigid guidelines in this regard. Quite the opposite. Instead, the company wants to let employees decide for themselves which working model is right for them, based on their respective life situations.
The previous “Mobile Working” company agreement has now been replaced by the new “Hybrid Working” company agreement. According to Audi, the experience has been positive.
Xavier Ros (Member of the Board of Management for Human Resources and Organization at Audi): “The new company agreement is a consistent step toward a hybrid working environment and at the same time an expression of a corporate culture that is characterized by personal responsibility and trust, which we will continue to consistently promote in the future.”
The situation is somewhat different for production employees who cannot work from home. Here, better room concepts, new catering offers and more flexible working models are being planned to improve working conditions. Audi received support here from the University of St. Gallen, which surveyed 1,500 employees from over 100 different departments.
Nevertheless, Audi does not want to completely dispense with the office presence of employees, as personal contact strengthens the feeling of togetherness. “Innovative ideas are created in a joint exchange,” Audi says.
To make this possible, the technical and spatial conditions are now being created at the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm sites, in the form of project corners, meeting rooms, creative spaces and lounges, among other things. The focus here is on communication, networking and collaboration.
However, desk sharing is to remain voluntary, as some employees prefer a personal workstation. Such a desk can be booked via a digital tool.
Employees who work on a mobile basis and wish to participate in desk sharing receive not only technical equipment in the form of an IT package, but also a 500-euro voucher (currently up to 750 euros until June 30, 2023) for ergonomic office equipment.
The new company agreement is an “elementary building block” of the “better normal” concept, which is intended to provide Audi employees with maximum flexibility. The basis for modern working models is the culture of trust and personal responsibility practiced at Audi, which strongly promotes them.
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* Source: Elektroniknet
