Working from home or back in the office? These pros and cons will help you decide

Google wants to allow its employees to work from home even after the end of the federal lockdown, while Goldman Sachs wants to see its employees back in the office as soon as possible. Whether employer or employee - the "home versus office" debate is in full swing. A clear trend? Not foreseeable. This article will help you to weigh up the pros and cons of both options wisely. Important to know: What are the legal requirements for teleworking and how does the implementation in employment contracts work?

Advantages and disadvantages of working from home for employees

For you as an employee, working from home sounds tempting: being more flexible in terms of time, concentrating on your tasks in a pleasant atmosphere. It's a different story in the office. While you try to focus on spreadsheets and emails, your colleagues have a chat. The noise level in the open-plan office is high. According to measurements, it reaches a sound pressure level of up to 70 decibels. Your concentration suffers as a result. This is not a problem when working from home. You can arrange your workspace just the way you want it. With absolute silence, your favorite music in your ear or with the window wide open.nullThere are also advantages because the commute to work is eliminated. According to statistics from the Federal Statistical Office, around a quarter of all German employees need more than 30 minutes to get to work. Working from home means sitting at your desk immediately. Without traffic jams, train delays or other annoyances, your working day starts more relaxed. After work, you have more time for friends, hobbies and family. Days spent working from home also have a positive impact on your wallet. You save money on petrol or public transport tickets.nullAnother advantage of working from home is the flexible working hours. An early start to work, an extended lunch break, an early finish: as long as there are no deadlines in the way, you can organize your working hours in the home office according to your wishes. This has a positive impact on your work-life balance. Working from home also allows you to better reconcile your job with caring for relatives or children in need of care.nullThe disadvantages: Working from home means you don't have the opportunity to take a coffee break with your favorite colleagues. Social isolation can weaken cohesion among employees in the long term. Without direct collaboration, communication channels become longer. If information can be passed quickly from desk to desk in the office, the flow of information at home is more difficult to ensure. Despite online communication, chats often lead to misunderstandings. Long and frequent "Zoom meetings" require more concentration than face-to-face meetings.

Working from home: advantages and disadvantages for employers

As an employer, you can save money by having employees work from home - for example on electricity costs. There are no computers, projectors or lighting. There are also no costs for employee catering, for example for fruit, snacks or drinks. Depending on how many of your employees want to work from home on how many days in the long term, you can reduce the office space. It may even be more attractive in terms of price to move to new premises that can be better adapted to the coronavirus-related hygiene regulations. Our tip: Have your rental agreement checked by our specialist lawyers so that you know exactly what your options are.nullAccording to a study by Malakoff Mederic, employees who work at home are up to 85 percent less tired than when they are in the office. The result: they are sick less often. In addition, they do not infect colleagues as they do not leave the house in the event of minor illnesses.nullThe attractiveness of your company increases if you let your employees work from home. Around one in three employees would like to occasionally work from home. For example, because they want to save themselves the long commute. This is according to a study by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW).

Does productivity suffer in the home office?

One of the most important questions currently occupying employees and employers alike. Until reliable studies from various industries under the currently prevailing coronavirus conditions are available, an individual assessment must be made. Working from home usually requires a lot of self-discipline. For this reason, many employers fear that productivity will fall. However, the study "Does working from home work" found that employees are up to 13% more productive when working from home. However, this goes hand in hand with increased stress. A study published by the UN's International Labor Organization in 2019 shows that employees who work from home regularly suffer from anxiety and insomnia. It remains to be seen how this will be exacerbated by the current coronavirus situation.

Mandatory home office: this rule is prescribed by law

In order to reduce the risk of infection, the federal emergency brake will apply until June 30, 2021. It obliges employers to offer home office. Exceptions are only possible for compelling operational reasons. For example, if you do not have the necessary work equipment or your employer has an inadequate IT infrastructure, your presence at the company may be required.nullThe obligation to work from home only applies to activities that can be carried out from home. For example, if you work as a craftsman in a joinery, your boss may still send you to the customer for an order. However, if you are responsible for bookkeeping or appointments, you must be offered the opportunity to work from home.nullAs an employee, are you obliged to accept this offer? Until June 30, 2021, you must relocate your professional activities to your private home as far as possible in accordance with Section 28b of the Infection Protection Act. There is only an exception in justified cases such as these:

Disadvantages that make working from home unacceptable

• Disadvantage of the apartment: It is too small to set up a desk for a home office.
• Working from home is not possible because the technical requirements are not met (weak internet connection).
• Declining productivity: You fear interference from third parties, such as distraction from your children.

To refuse to work from home, an informal notification to your boss is sufficient. A comprehensive justification is not required.

Working from home: does your employer have to amend your employment contract?

The inviolability of your home is protected by the German Basic Law (Article 13 GG). The introduction of home office work requires an employment contract agreement between you and your boss. You can have our specialist lawyers check whether your employment contract contains an effective clause - within 24 hours.nullIf your employment contract does not contain a corresponding paragraph, your employer should conclude a supplementary agreement with you. Ideally, this should include provisions on the amount of time spent working from home, availability and the transfer of documentation obligations.nullImportant: All agreements on home office work are subject to GTC in accordance with §§ 305 ff. BGB (GERMAN CIVIL CODE). When formulating a supplementary agreement, your employer must ensure that the contract is transparent and appropriate. Our guide on "Working from home" explains what this can look like.null

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