2024-08-18 10:08:35
Many employees have become accustomed to working from home in recent years. The fact that companies are now demanding more presence again could become a problem, says LinkedIn manager Barbara Wittmann.
During the coronavirus pandemic, many companies sent their employees to work from home. This was a big change for many Germans. However, a large proportion of employees have found it enjoyable to do at least some of their work from home. But more and more companies are demanding more presence in their offices again.
There is a huge imbalance between the wishes of employees and the expectations of their bosses. This is also reflected in job advertisements and applications, reports LinkedIn manager Barbara Wittmann.
The job platform is intended to bring companies and employees together. But that is no longer the only function, as Wittmann explains in an interview with t-online. Political content is also playing an increasingly important role.
t-online: Ms. Wittmann, how often do you work from home?
Barbara Wittmann: Usually one or two days a week, depending on how much I travel.
Many employees have experienced the possibility of working from home during the coronavirus pandemic and would like to keep it. Companies, on the other hand, are currently rowing back. How big is the imbalance?
There is a particularly high demand for jobs that can be done 100 percent from home. More than 20 percent of all applications on LinkedIn are for these jobs. In contrast, there is a much lower supply: just six percent of job offers are for remote jobs. The situation is similar in other countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and the Netherlands.
And what about supply and demand for hybrid working, i.e. jobs that offer the possibility of working from home for a few days a week?
Here, too, there is more demand than supply, but the discrepancy is much smaller.
Many companies, including the DAX group SAP, want to limit the number of days their employees can work from home again. What are the reasons behind this for the respective managing directors and managers?
It’s difficult to generalize, but trust is a big issue for many people. And there are fears that productivity at home is lower than in the office. In addition, there are sometimes difficulties in managing decentralized teams.
You are a manager yourself. Can you understand the arguments?
Partly. Especially in industries that are undergoing transformation, it can make sense for teams to attend training sessions together in person. But I think the right mix is important.
There are constant complaints about a lack of skilled workers. To what extent can German companies afford such attitudes?
That’s it: Flexibility is crucial and companies should carefully consider the extent to which they want to restrict this for their employees. The possibility of working from home, flexitime and the like are very high on the list of reasons why applicants choose a company. This is also due to the fact that many – especially female employees – do care work in addition to their paid work and need flexibility, for example to pick up the children from kindergarten. Companies have to take this into account; this is the only way they can become an attractive brand. This applies not only to new employees, but also to existing employees who you want to retain.
After graduating from high school in Friedberg, Bavaria, Barbara Wittmann studied Slavic studies and economics in Munich and Austin, USA. Her career began in strategy consulting and then led her to the computer manufacturer Dell. Since 2016, she has held various positions for LinkedIn, and since 2019 as head of German-speaking countries.
There is also a mismatch in other areas: many young people want to live in the city, while companies in rural areas are looking for young talent. How can job seekers and vacancies be brought together?
Flexibility, such as the possibility of working from home, plays a major role here too. In addition, entrepreneurs must work on strengthening their brand or reputation. Young applicants are often unaware of the opportunities that medium-sized companies can offer them, such as stays abroad or management responsibilities. But larger companies should not be too sure either. The difficulties in recruiting staff that we are currently seeing in smaller companies could also affect large corporations in just a few years due to demographic developments.