Working from home – latest surveys and figures

For many job seekers, home office options have become a decisive criterion. Five years after the pandemic gave mobile working a massive boost, this option has not only remained popular, but has become firmly established in the German working world. According to a recent study by the Future of Work Lab Konstanz, employees' desire for flexible models that combine office and home working remains as strong as ever, as reported by t3n. For many, this flexibility is no longer a nice extra, but a decisive criterion when choosing a job and thus an important factor for employers who want to attract talent.

The study also dispels the assumption that all companies are pushing for a return to the old office requirement. There is no discernible widespread trend toward greater presence, and where it does occur, the study finds that it leads to greater emotional exhaustion rather than higher productivity.

In line with this, a recent analysis of job advertisements shows that more and more employers are recognizing the signs of the times and offering home office options more frequently again. After a slight decline in the previous year, the availability of flexible working models is increasing again, summarizes t3n. This shows that companies are responding to the wishes of skilled workers, for whom flexible working plays a central role in their choice of job. On the other hand, companies in a difficult economic situation are cutting jobs by enforcing stricter attendance requirements, thereby encouraging employees who want to continue working hybrid or remotely to change jobs, as suggested by the study by the Future of Work Lab Konstanz.

We were also interested in these topics:

• Labor Day: Tomorrow's Labor Day brings the debate about fair wages and working conditions into focus. Under the slogan “Stand up with us!”, the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) is calling for more commitment to a fair working world. In addition to demonstrations for more employee rights, a number of other demonstrations have been announced, reports the RND.

• Women's quota successful: The women's quota on supervisory and executive boards is showing results after ten years. According to the Fidar Initiative, the proportion of women on supervisory boards has almost doubled and on executive boards of listed companies has even quadrupled, reports Manager Magazine. Despite this success of the Leadership Positions Act, the initiative still sees a need for action to achieve greater parity.

• Diversity: Diversity programs in the US are coming under increasing pressure from the Trump administration. According to a recent survey by the Diversity Charter, 90 percent of the organizations surveyed in Germany are maintaining their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs unchanged. Only a few companies—mostly those with ties to the US—report cutbacks, writes the FAZ.

Are you passionate about politics and want to be right in the thick of it? Our networking and career fair, CHECKPOINT Political Consulting, will take place on May 22, 2025, in Berlin! Take a look behind the scenes of the political world and get to know renowned consultancies such as 365 Sherpas, ADVERB, Brunswick, Fink & Fuchs, FTI Consulting, Miller & Meier Consulting, and Serviceplan. For more information, visit ckpt.org.

This text first appeared as an editorial in the weekly politjobs newsletter. If you would like to receive this newsletter with the latest jobs in politics directly by email every Wednesday, you can subscribe to it here.

Spread the word: Do you have friends or acquaintances who are also interested in political jobs? Feel free to forward the registration form for our newsletter.