Working from a home office has many advantages, such as flexibility and the ability to design your own work environment. However, it can also be difficult when children are present in the household.
Today we would like to give you some tips on how you, as a parent, can work efficiently in a home office, even when the kids are at home.
Create a plan for your work every day. Divide your work into smaller tasks and schedule them for the day. This way you can focus on one task and avoid getting distracted. Also, set fixed work hours and communicate them with your partner and children.
Create a separate workspace where you can work in peace. Also inform your children that you are working and do not want to be disturbed. Wearing headphones is also an easy way to help you concentrate better.
Set realistic expectations for your work and be careful not to overextend yourself. It is important that you prioritize and focus on the important tasks. Also, give yourself enough time for breaks and to take care of your children.
Use your lunch break to make time for your children. Spend time together, play with them or have lunch together. This way you can better plan your work time and also strengthen your relationship with your children.
It is important to talk to your partner about your work schedule and your needs. Discuss who will take care of the children when you have to work and plan your working hours together. This way you can better focus on your work and also have time for your family.
It can also be a chance to spend time with your children when you work in a home office. Use your breaks to play with your children or to cook together. This way, you can strengthen your relationship with your children and also reduce stress.
Be flexible and adjust your work schedule when necessary. Your children may need attention or unforeseen events may arise. Take the time to care for your family and adjust your work schedule accordingly.
Overall, there are many ways to work efficiently as a home office parent, even when the kids are home. However, it does require a certain amount of planning, organization and flexibility.
It’s important not to overextend yourself and set realistic expectations. Communicate with your partner and children to find a suitable solution together. Also, use time with your children to strengthen the relationship and relieve stress.
If you follow these tips, you can find a good balance between work and family and work successfully in a home office.
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The pandemic has resulted in many people being forced to work from home. Working from home has many benefits such as flexibility, time and cost savings, but it also has its challenges.
One of the biggest challenges is the loneliness that many people experience in the home office. Today, we’re going to look at home office loneliness and some ways to combat it.
Loneliness can manifest itself in a number of ways, but it can be particularly severe in the home office, where social contact is often kept to a minimum. Working alone all day and having no face-to-face interactions can leave you feeling isolated and disconnected. This can lead to feelings of sadness, depression and anxiety. It can also affect motivation and productivity.
One of the best ways to combat home office loneliness is to create a structure and routine for the day. Having a clear structure can help you feel more focused and productive. It’s also important to make time for breaks and leisure activities to relax and unwind.
It’s important to communicate with others regularly to feel connected to the outside world. Use digital technologies such as video calls, chats, and social media to stay in touch. You might also consider organizing virtual coffee breaks or lunches with colleagues or friends.
Just because you work in a home office doesn’t mean you can’t have social interactions. Look for opportunities to connect with others, such as attending online events, virtual conferences, or work groups.
Sometimes it can be helpful to simply take a walk outside. It’s important to get out and move regularly to clear the mind and activate the body.
Another way to combat loneliness in the home office is to seek collaboration with others. You could network with other freelancers or businesses and form a collaboration to work together on projects. This can help you feel like you’re part of a community and share common goals.
Overall, home office loneliness is a common challenge that many people experience. However, there are several ways to combat this loneliness.
Creating a structure and routine, communicating regularly with others, and seeking opportunities for social interactions are some effective strategies for feeling connected and motivated. Working with others can also help reduce feelings of isolation.
It is important for everyone to individually figure out what strategies work best for them to combat home office loneliness and find a healthy balance between work and social interactions.
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In recent years, the concept of working from home has become increasingly popular. However, it wasn’t always seen as a legitimate way of working. Before the pandemic, many people were skeptical of the idea, assuming that those who worked from home were simply trying to get away with doing household chores instead of working. However, when the pandemic hit, many people were forced to work from home, and they soon discovered that it could actually be a very effective way of working.
According to a study conducted by the Allensbach Institute, only six percent of top executives in business, politics, and administration believe that working from home is only a temporary phenomenon. Instead, the vast majority of those surveyed believe that remote working is here to stay. As a result, companies that want to attract top talent will need to allow their employees to work from wherever they choose.
The pandemic has completely upended the traditional office model, according to Thomas Olek, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of office real estate investor Publity. Olek admits that he was a long-time opponent of remote working, but he has since changed his mind. He now believes that remote working will become even more important in the future. In fact, 97 percent of those surveyed in the Allensbach study believe that future employees should be given the option of remote working.
However, it’s important to note that not everyone can work from home. People who work in manufacturing, healthcare, or other industries may not be able to work remotely. Furthermore, some people prefer to work in an office environment, even if they have the option of working from home. To ensure that there is no division between those who work in the office and those who work remotely, companies need to be mindful of the needs of all their employees.
One consequence of the rise of remote working is that there will be a reduced need for office space. However, the office spaces that do remain will need to be of a higher quality. Employees will want offices that are larger, more modern, and centrally located. The days of cramped cubicles are over. Instead, the offices of the future will be open, airy spaces that are designed to promote collaboration and creativity.
In summary, the pandemic has transformed the way we work. Remote working is no longer seen as a luxury but rather as a necessity. However, companies need to ensure that they don’t focus exclusively on remote working at the expense of the traditional office model. By finding a balance between the two, companies can create a working environment that meets the needs of all their employees.
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Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung
Providing food benefits to employees has become a popular trend for many companies, and for good reason. Not only do employees value these benefits, but they can also help increase employee retention and contribute to a positive company culture.
In simple terms, employee food benefits refer to when a company offers food as part of their overall employee benefits package. Examples of such benefits include office canteens, catered lunches, free office snacks, or daily food allowances. Many well-known companies, such as Google, are renowned for their food perks, including offering free snacks and catering lunches made by professional chefs. Similarly, many startups and small-to-medium-sized enterprises offer free coffee or snacks as an office perk.
However, as companies transition to hybrid work models, it’s crucial to shift the way they offer food as a benefit to employees. It’s essential to provide food that caters to employees’ different lifestyles and working locations, no matter where they are.
Providing food as a benefit can offer an impressive return on investment (ROI) of up to 150%, according to a study by Eat Club. This is because offering food to employees can make them feel more appreciated and can contribute to increased productivity.
Food is a significant employee retention and talent attraction tool. More than half of well-fed employees state they are more likely to stay with a company and recommend it as a great place to work. A LinkedIn poll also found that 77% of respondents would be more likely to accept a job if a food allowance were included as an employee benefit.
Lastly, food fuels company culture. Food and drinks can be the heart of socialization and interaction throughout the day, and this applies to the workplace. As hybrid work models become more prevalent, connecting and engaging employees will become even more critical, and food can play a vital role in this process.
Lieferando for business is a flexible employee food benefit solution that helps employers connect their employees through food. The online and offline solution enables companies to offer food to their employees, no matter where they work. The Lieferando Pay digital allowance and Lieferando Pay Card provide employees with access to food, whether they are on the go, at a client meeting, working from home, or meeting colleagues at the office.
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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(!).
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.
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.
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.
Quite the opposite. Many office buildings have to be converted and could then be made available to the housing market.
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 behaviour of many people has changed significantly in recent months, especially during the pandemic period with a home office. Working from home has become increasingly important.
It is important for companies to have employees who are sick less often. Companies can consciously tax their share and thus actively promote and strengthen their employees' health.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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* 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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* 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.
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.
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”.
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.
*Source: SZ-Wirtschaftsgipfel
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