Recent data indicates that remote or hybrid work arrangements remain firmly established within the German workforce According to the latest economic survey released Tuesday by the Ifo Institute, 244 percent of all employed individuals in Germany worked at least partially from home in August 2025
Researcher Jean-Victor Alipour notes that the proportion of home-based workers has remained relatively stable at approximately one-quarter since 2022, with no discernible trend toward a widespread return to traditional office settings He emphasizes that instances of companies mandating a return to the office appear to be isolated cases
The service sector currently exhibits the highest percentage of employees incorporating remote work into their schedules, with 351 percent working at least partially from home The manufacturing sector reports 157 percent, while the retail sector shows a lower rate of 119 percent-broken down further to 17 percent in wholesale and 46 percent in retail The construction industry demonstrates the lowest adoption of remote work at 44 percent
Despite media attention on companies attempting to bring employees back to the office, Alipour highlights that younger and rapidly expanding businesses are increasingly embracing remote work as an integral part of their operational culture “Home office is and remains established” he states, suggesting it is likely to continue as a significant feature of the future workplace