Companies are bringing employees back to the office. However, these measures often look more like a desperate attempt by management to regain control. What is needed instead are concepts and concrete measures based on studies that are communicated and agreed with employees in advance. In the second episode of the New Work Times podcast series, Prof. Dr. Johanna Bath welcomes the expert Prof. Dr. Florian Kunze from the University of Konstanz, who is known for his Konstanz home office study.
The end of working from home: back to the office, but how?
Together, Prof. Dr. Johanna Bath and Prof. Dr. Florian Kunze shed light on the current challenges of mandatory return to the office and analyze the effect of such measures on employee productivity and satisfaction. Florian Kunze explains that there is hardly any scientific evidence for increased productivity through presence quotas, but rather signs of increased exhaustion and fluctuation. The discussion looks at how managers and teams deal with these requirements and the long-term consequences of restricting employee autonomy. They also address the need for social relationships in the office and the challenge of designing hybrid working models in a meaningful way. The episode offers valuable insights into the balancing act between organizational requirements and individual needs.
Germany now also has studies to offer on the topic of hybrid work, as research and publications are also being carried out and published here. Florian Kunze has conducted the Konstanz Home Office Study for the tenth time. As in other studies, the results show that hybrid work leads to a high level of satisfaction and loyalty and has no impact on the company's performance.
New Work Times to your ears. Wherever there are podcasts!
The New Work Times Podcast is now available wherever podcasts are available. Click here to go directly to the second episode of the first season with Florian Kunze. And if you'd rather have something to read, you can of course download the e-magazine New Work Times which is published six times a year and is packed with the latest news from the world of work, hot research findings and, of course, Prof. Johanna Bath's personal experiences.