Flexibility of the place of work
From a fixed office to a flexible workplace
Making the place of work more flexible makes it easier for employees to reconcile family and career. Here you can find out how employers can support their employees and which methods have proven particularly effective.
Digitalization has greatly changed the world of work and enables many people to pursue their work from different locations. With this flexibilization of the place of work, your employer can support you in balancing family and career. However, it should be noted that this model cannot be implemented equally in all occupational fields. In industry or production operations, it is often not possible without attendance times.Companies in these sectors can examine whether it is possible for them to accommodate their employees in terms of compatibility in other ways. Here, models for making working hours more flexible would be conceivable. In principle, each company must find the model that is right for it and its employees. Where flexibilization of the place of work is possible, it brings great advantages for the compatibility of family and career.
Advantages of a flexible work location: time savings and improved results
First and foremost, a flexible work location leads to time savings for you, as travel and commuting times are eliminated or can be used productively. It also gives you more leeway in organizing your work. Family tasks such as childcare can be organized more easily and adapted to individual daily routines. This can lead to higher-quality work results.
Exploiting the opportunities of digitization
Digitalization opens up many opportunities for flexible organization of the workplace and working hours. Mobile devices and laptops are widespread in large parts of the working world. Cloud-based work processes enable employees to access relevant data and content from virtually anywhere.Against this backdrop, the following two models have established themselves as the most proven options for flexible work location design:
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Home Office
In a home office, you do your work from home.Here, a quiet environment that allows concentrated work as well as the technical requirements for processing and electronic transmission of work results must be ensured. As a rule, the employer provides the necessary work equipment, such as a laptop, a printer and, if necessary, a company cell phone. In some cases, furnishings such as desks or office chairs are also provided. In principle, the same occupational health and safety standards apply as for a traditional office workplace. Home office is the most common model of work location and also working time flexibility. Employees often agree with their employers on a fixed day per week. According to their own information, four out of ten companies in Germany offer home offices for their employees.
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Mobile work
When working on the move, occupational health and safety requirements are more flexible. This gives you the option of carrying out your work while on the road, for example on business trips, while commuting or at a customer's site. Here, too, the same technical requirements as for the home office must be met and the selected workplace must enable concentrated and careful work. You should also agree on the details of mobile working with your company. A clear regulation on accessibility, for example, prevents you and your colleagues from feeling stressed by a sense of constant availability.
Transparent communication and trust are essential
Companies that allow flexible work locations in principle should communicate this transparently to the entire workforce - as well as the premise that a flexible work location requires the same form of accessibility and conscientiousness at work as face-to-face work. This way, no one feels excluded or disadvantaged. If there is then also regular exchange and joint evaluation of work processes, home office and mobile working are a win-win situation for companies and employees alike.
Where can we find help and advice?
The Employment Agency regularly organizes events at its various locations on the subject of reconciling family and career. Here you can also get personal advice on your individual situation.
https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/familie-und-kinder/familie-und-beruf-vereinbaren
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