Two-thirds of people in Germany want mandatory home working offer to stay

As of July 1, Germany’s mandatory home working rule is no longer in effect, but the population is apparently not best pleased to see it go. According to a new survey, many people think it makes sense to continue some of these rules. 

German population in favour of home working flexibility

Almost two-thirds of people in Germany are in favour of more flexible rules for home working, a new survey by YouGov has found. Even after coronavirus, 65 percent of those surveyed believe that employees in certain industries should still have the right to work from home where possible. 

17 percent said they were against a continued home working regulation, while the rest were not sure. The YouGov survey found that approval for the so-called “home office” is lower in the eastern federal states than in the western ones. 

Mandatory home working legislation lapsed in July

In an effort to minimise the risk of infection in workplaces and on public transport, in January this year the German federal government imposed a new home working rule, which stipulated that employers were legally required to enable their employees to work from home so long as there were no “compelling operational reasons for not doing so.” 

With the pandemic now receding, however, the government has opted to not renew the temporary legislation and will instead allow it to lapse. As of July 1, the new corona occupational health and safety regulations apply, which require companies to regularly test their staff and have a hygiene plan in place.