Hybrid work global survey 2021: is Germany ready for hybrid work?

The Hybrid Work Global Survey 2021 by Riverbed indicates that business leaders all around the world believe in the benefits of hybrid work, but at the same time most organizations are not fully prepared to deliver a seamless hybrid work experience.

Is Germany prepared for a hybrid future of work

The Hybrid Work Global Survey is based on nearly 1,500 executives responding, including 750 business decision-makers from companies with more than $500 million in annual revenue around the globe of all kinds of industries. 205 of the study participants were from Germany. All participants were asked about their opinions on their current working situation, individual preference about hybrid work vs. office work, obstacles for hybrid work models and how to overcome them. 

In the last year, 30% of the business decision-makers believed that at least one-quarter of their employees will continue to work hybrid after the pandemic. The new survey of 2021 shows that more leaders see the hybrid system as the future model of work. Today, 83% of the participants want the hybrid work model to be continued after the pandemic. Additionally, 36% of the German leaders stated that more than half of employees will have the opportunity to work remotely. 

Finally, the survey shows that only one-quarter of German company leaders believe that they could offer their employees a hybrid work environment. 

6 obstacles, why hybrid work is not implemented everywhere yet

On the one hand, German managers worry about issues such as the proximity bias, where the voices of remotely working employees get ignored. On the other hand employees who work physically in the office, meaning being closer to decision-makers benefit from being there in person. Also, loss of team spirit and fear of further cyberattacks are cited as obstacles. 

The biggest fears of managers are:

1. Disparity between office and remote workers (83%)
2. Cybersecurity risks (38 %)
3. Technological disruptions (34%)
4. Collaboration and virtual relationship building (32 %)
5. Employee motivation and well-being (29 %)
6. Poor performance of the remote network (26 %)

How can obstacles to hybrid work be solved? 

The obstacles were mostly reasoned by the facts of the outdated or missing acceleration technology and an insufficient IT infrastructure. First, the end-to-end visibility must be improved to better detect cyber threats to remedy these and defend its own system. Nearly all company leaders want to make technology investments in the next 12 to 18 months to support hybrid work.

New technologies make employees happy

Network and application performance influence the success of the company and at the same time the happiness of the employees. German managers believe that new technologies increase productivity, save time, money and enable hybrid work models.

Outdated technologies affect employees negatively, the survey shows that managers notice increased stress or frustration in the team while using insufficient tools. 

Hybrid work models are no longer only a dream

94% of German managers believe that hybrid work models help in recruiting talents to increase competitiveness, which is an important part in the future of work. Further, the biggest challenge for managers of hybrid work is the leading and working process of a divided team and the lack of technology.

To create a sustainable and high-performing hybrid workplace organizations must address human- and technology-related barriers. With the base of new technologies and the right support tools, obstacles and fears of hybrid work can be solved. 

When German companies invest proactive into new features and tools, then more employees will have the chance to keep the hybrid work model and will enjoy their new flexibility.

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