Because of the risk of Infection by the Virus is a lot of work suddenly from home. This not only has advantages – especially for women.

the Home Office remains in Germany is often a privilege for a few photo: imago/VITTA GALLERY

BERLIN taz | Christoph Jeutter, the message has been read on Friday morning on the Intranet. "There will be advised to all employees worldwide to work from home," says the IT staff of Bosch in Stuttgart. "If we have to but to the office, should we discuss it with our group leader."

Not only Bosch, Vodafone, Twitter or Google employees send end due to the Coronavirus to the Home Office. Also, the German automotive supplier ElringKlinger can work from home. Complete novices are not always available for the company – a challenge for the IT quite.

"Those who make right now, the Home Office, have done it before already and are increasing," says Andreas Brändle, speaker of ElringKlinger. Essential to ensure the necessary infrastructure is at Least a Computer with encrypted access to the company. "We are working to expand in order to minimize the risk of infection." But none of the departments could completely work from home.

"By the Corona-crisis, many of our member companies, reinforced the Home Office," says Karoline Bauer, managing Director of the employers ' Association southwest metal. She is an absolute exception to this situation: "I doubt that this will result in sustainable changes." In practice, many companies, the short paths were missing – and to get all the quickly at a table for many heads of important.

According to the Federal statistical office, Germany is in terms of the Home Office in a European comparison the midfield. Only 11 percent of the employed work usually or sometimes from home. In the Netherlands there are already almost 40 percent. Away from the Corona Home Office is experiencing a boost due to the shortage of skilled workers. In interviews, time and flexibility to the language in addition to the salary now increased.

"Just for women with family is important, but also more and more men want to become more involved in the family," says the head of unit for gender research of the Hans-Böckler-Foundation, and Yvonne Lott. Their new study shows: By the Home Office, a family and a career are often more compatible. "It is a lot of in the aisle with the Work-Life Balance. But it takes a bit long,“ she remembers.

Indeed, the understanding of the employer for the Home Office in Germany, often remains but a privilege. Women draw the short straw. The causes are different, says Lott. There is, for example, a traditional gender image. "Employer to trust women and mothers in the Home Office of rare good performance as husbands and fathers. These prejudices lead to discrimination.“

the right to be mobile and flexible Working, there is not. Lott would be a promise of a statutory provision, such as the greens and the SPD to suggest it, that the "nose factor" is eliminated, so everyone the same Chance, and it is not more informal processes. The give workers security. The pressure to prove that they really work, could be taken by law.

Clear violation of legal regulations and the right to mobile Working builders of the southwest-metal: "You can't climb over with the watering can. Every company should do the fitting.“ It is the wishes of the employees would have to be involved with, but the company's needs must not be forgotten, as a farmer.

women and men use the Home Office for different reasons: women are more likely to make family and work better. Men to work longer and left work to catch up on, says Lott. "Because companies need to tackle: they should also address men, when it comes to compatibility, so that men Home Office to use as a reconciliation tool," stresses Lott. Especially for women, the home office often means a stronger double-exposure. Lott: "the Home Office must not reinforce existing gender inequalities."

"By Corona, it may well be that the culture changes, and some more Home Office want to make." The important is always to find the right level. So, too, Bosch employees Jeutter sees this. Normally, he work twice a week from home. It will now be 100 percent due to Corona, he finds that although "chilling, but in a Home Office, it's not so much of the colleagues."

For the sense of community he finds important. Sometimes problems could be quickly solved. "If we don't see ourselves now, for a time, the but, since we know each other well," says Jeutter.

Legally, the Corona-Virus does nothing to change the Home Office. The special situation is, however, reported Alexander Schirp, managing Director of enterprise associations Berlin-Brandenburg: "Now the wish is rather of the company. Usually by the employees.“ As the company ElringKlinger he also sees that the Home Office "is the best, where it is practiced. Knee-jerk-like infrastructure from the ground stomp is not so easy.“

Whether the corona crisis is contributing to more and more Home Office remains open. This also depends on what kind of experiences companies make, the now emergency reinforced, in terms of employees from home to work. "If this doesn't work, it may be that you have it," said Lott of the Böckler-Foundation. According to Corona, the debate on the Home Office should be continued: "Not Yes and no, but Yes, how and how much."