Telework

In particular, telework has become more frequent and more important during the SARS pandemic.

What is telework?

Telework is a type of work where employees do not perform their work duties right at the office, but from a remote location - for example at home. Appropriate technical devices like computer, internet and telephone are needed to connect the tele workstation with the office work station.

Telework can be performed either from the employee’s own place of residence or from the place of residence of a related person (home office) or from another location (mobile working). Telework can either be performed regularly on fixed days of the week or on single, individually agreed days, if need is.

Telework at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management wants to offer its staff members flexible and modern working conditions. As early as in 2005, an express legal basis for flexible work locations was created under the civil service law: Article 36a of the Civil Service Rights Act 1979 (“Beamten-Dienstrechtsgesetz 1979”) and Article 5c of the Contractual Employees Act 1948 (“Vertragsbedienstetengesetz 1948”) standardise regulations on telework. In 2021, the regulations on telework were adapted by means of an amendment to the Civil Service Rights Act.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management offers its staff members the possibility to perform telework on a regular basis. The system offered is alternating telework, which allows employees to work regularly in their offices at the facility and regularly - for up to 40 percent of their weekly working hours - at home or at another non-facility work place. In this way, they can enjoy the flexibility of telework and, at the same time, are well integrated in their directorate.

Apart from this regular telework system, staff members also have the opportunity to agree upon telework for a few days, if need is, or for a limited period of time. This can be useful for example to fulfil certain official duties or offer additional flexibility in individual cases.

The prerequisite for this is that staff members wishing to use telework have proven their ability to work independently and can continue their usual tasks, that their performance is verifiable and that they take preventive measures with regard to data security and confidentiality.

Advantages of telework

Telework can bring benefits to employees, employers, the environment and society.

• The flexibility and the reduced travelling times improve the compatibility of job and family.
• Staff members gain flexibility and ideally can achieve a better quality of life through the optimisation of their work-life balance.
• Ideally, telework therefore also improves motivation and quality in work.
• The Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management benefits because telework enhances its attractiveness as employer.
• Certain teleworkers benefit of a more undisturbed working environment and can better concentrate. This may increase productivity.
• Staff members save time they otherwise need for the way to the office.
• The reduction of the ways to the office also reduces the climate-damaging carbon dioxide emissions.

However, telework can also bring about disadvantages and challenges: In addition to legal challenges, an important aspect is, for example, that the boundaries between work and private life may become blurred, that work may intensify and constant availability may affect physical and mental health. Furthermore, there is danger of social isolation and reduced communication within the organisational unit. Active measures are to prevent these developments.