A new study shows that the use of home offices has declined significantly over the past two years. While 82 percent of office workers regularly worked from home in 2022, this will drop to just 65 percent by 2024. One in 10 CEOs are calling for an end to remote working.
A study by Deloitte Austria, in collaboration with the University of Vienna and the University of Graz, examined the spread of flexible work models. In 2022, at least half of employees in 90 percent of the companies surveyed would have had the opportunity to work from home. In 2024, that will be only 73 percent.
Productivity in the home office is not demonstrably lower
Managers in particular were skeptical: almost a quarter of employees would like more home offices, while a quarter of managers think the current size is excessive. More than a third of these managers even call for a complete halt to remote working, even though productivity is not demonstrably lower when working from home.
“A significant number of managers continue to fear that working time in the home office will be used for private purposes,” explains Bettina Kubicek, professor of work and organizational psychology at the University of Graz. “Although such cases can occur, studies show that these concerns are largely unfounded.” 44 percent of managers assess the effects of working from home on productivity and performance positively, 47 percent see no difference between working from home and working in the office. 76 percent of employees believe that they are more productive and efficient at home.
Expert: Innovative working models should be a priority
Alternative work models such as work or the four-day workweek were rejected by companies. Around 50 percent of employees are not allowed to work from abroad and only five percent of companies actively work with the four-day workweek, although 45 percent of applicants have higher expectations of this model. Christian Korunka, professor of work and organizational psychology at the University of Vienna, warns: “Companies cannot afford to ignore the needs of their employees for flexible work models. Innovative work models must be prioritized to remain competitive.”
Source: Krone
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