Germany at the top: Academics work for 1.6 days in the home office!

Germany at the top: Academics work for 1.6 days in the home office!

German academics work in an international comparison above average in the home office. A current survey by the Munich IFO Institute shows that you work on average 1.6 days a week from the home office. This exceeds the global average for university graduates, which is only 1.2 days. This survey comprises 40 countries and occupies the high priority of home office in Germany.

Particularly high home office shares can be found in other countries, especially in Canada, where full-time employees work on average 1.9 days a week in the home office. The United Kingdom and Finland follow just behind with 1.8 and 1.7 days. In contrast, there are countries such as South Korea, where the home office content is classified as very low at only 0.5 days, followed by China and Greece with 0.6 days and Japan with 0.7 days.

regional differences and influencing factors

The study results also show significant differences within Germany's neighboring countries in Germany. Employees in Denmark work an average of 0.9 days, in France for 1.0 days, while the value in Poland is 1.1 days and in Austria at 1.2 days. In the Czech Republic it is 1.3 and 1.4 days in the Netherlands. Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland were not taken into account in this survey.

An interesting aspect is the connection between the use of home office and the overall social importance of individuality. English -speaking countries tend to show a higher level of individuality and trust between employees and employers, which is also reflected in the higher acceptance of home office. Furthermore, workers work with children more often in the home office than those without children who are more likely to work in the office or completely remote. There are no significant differences in the use of home office between the sexes.

Development of the home office

The home office not only established itself as a flexible working model during the Covid 19 pandemic, but also retains its meaning after the end. In 2023, around a quarter of employees in Germany worked in the home office. The home office is particularly widespread in the IT service industry, here it was 75 percent of employees who worked at least partially from home. In contrast, this proportion was only around six percent in healthcare.

A survey from 2024 showed that the offer of home office plays a crucial role in the choice of a company for more than 80 percent of those surveyed. This shows the increasing value of flexible work models. Differences between home office and mobile work should be observed: While the place of work is clearly defined in the home office and the employers have to provide office equipment, mobile work is possible from anywhere and does not necessarily require the provision of workers by the employer, although this is recommended.

technical requirements and challenges

In order to be able to work effectively in the home office, technical requirements are essential. Access to a work laptop and an employer's mobile phone plays a central role, as well as stable internet access. According to reports, around 92 percent of all households in Germany had internet access in 2023. However, there is a discrepancy in the availability of fast broadband internet between urban and rural areas. In addition, many companies have set high priorities on IT security and cybersecurity to ensure home work.

The use of digital technologies and communication tools such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom has increased to increase productivity. The combination of home office and modern technologies opens up new opportunities, but also brings challenges with it, especially with regard to cooperation and contact between colleagues.