Home Office Drops to 65% in 2024

Home Office Drops to 65% in 2024

 

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The use of home office has significantly decreased over the past two years, according to a Deloitte study. While 82% of office employees were regularly working from home in 2022, this number has dropped to 65% in 2024. One in ten business leaders is calling for an end to remote work altogether. At the same time, employees are expressing interest in alternative work models such as the four-day workweek and workation, though these are still not widely adopted.

The Deloitte Austria study, conducted in collaboration with the University of Vienna and the University of Graz, examined the spread of flexible work models. In 2022, 90% of the surveyed companies provided at least half of their employees with the option to work from home. By 2024, this figure had dropped to 73%. Business leaders appear particularly skeptical: while nearly a quarter of employees desire more home office opportunities, a quarter of executives believe the current extent of remote work is excessive. More than a third of these leaders are pushing for a significant reduction in remote work, despite no clear evidence of reduced productivity when working from home.

“A significant number of executives continue to fear that home office hours are being used for personal activities,” explains Bettina Kubicek, a professor of work and organizational psychology at the University of Graz. “Although such cases may exist, studies show that these concerns are largely unfounded.” Forty-four percent of executives view the impact of home office on productivity and performance positively, and 47% see no difference between home and office work. Meanwhile, 76% of employees report feeling more productive and efficient when working from home.

Alternative work models like workation or the four-day work week face resistance from companies. About 50% of employees are not allowed to work from abroad, and only 5% of companies are actively considering the four-day work week, despite 45% of job applicants showing increased interest in this model. Christian Korunka, a professor of work and organizational psychology at the University of Vienna, warns: “Companies cannot afford to ignore their employees’ needs for flexible work models. To remain competitive, innovative work models should take priority.”

 

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