MANNHEIM (dpa-AFX) - Despite the debate about returning to the office, many companies are not turning away from working from home. In 82 percent of companies in the information economy, employees work from home at least once a week, according to a survey conducted by the ZEW economic research institute and published by the German Press Agency. In the manufacturing industry, which is more location-bound, the figure is 48 percent.

According to study director Daniel Erdsiek, the proportion of companies that allow their employees to work from home at least one day a week has thus remained at a consistently high level since the coronavirus pandemic. There are currently no signs of a move away from such offers, he said. In the previous year's study, the figure was 80% for companies in the information economy and 45% in the manufacturing sector

Debate about returning to the office

In recent months, there has been a debate about the return from the home office to the office at companies such as the software group SAP and Deutsche Bank. Most recently, Federal Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) also called for the right to work from home. The coalition agreement between the two parties stipulates that employees - depending on their profession - should have the right to work from home. This has not yet been implemented.

Working from home established since the pandemic

The study also shows the extent to which mobile working has become established in recent years: Before the corona crisis, the proportion of companies with home office regulations in the information economy - which includes the information and communication technology sector, media service providers and knowledge-intensive service providers - was just 48%. In the manufacturing industry, the figure was 24 percent.

"Looking ahead to the next two years, companies do not expect to reduce offers of at least one home office day per week," said Erdsiek. On the contrary: the proportion of companies that want to offer home offices in 2026 is expected to increase further - to 88% in the information economy and 57% in the manufacturing industry. Companies also expect the proportion of employees who will make use of such offers to increase.

More home offices at larger companies

Despite the increase, the study also shows that the prevalence is decreasing with increasing frequency: In the information economy, for example, 22 percent of companies currently allow their employees to work from a home office five days a week. Before the pandemic, this figure was 12 percent. It also shows that companies with more employees also offer more extensive home office options.

Around 1,200 German companies in the manufacturing and information industry took part in the representative survey in June. Among other things, the survey asked about the proportion of employees working from home and the expected changes in home office use by 2026./jwe/DP/zb