What are employers’ obligations regarding ergonomics in the home office?

Employers have a duty of care under health and safety legislation. They should inform staff about ergonomic principles and provide support through suitable equipment (e.g. external monitors, ergonomic chairs or a budget for such equipment).

How can you achieve a psychological separation between work and leisure time whilst working from home?

By setting fixed working hours and break times, establishing a deliberate end-of-day routine (e.g. shutting down your laptop) and, ideally, creating a physical separation so that your workspace is out of sight once you’ve finished work.

Why is the company office still essential, even with remote working?

Because, in the long run, virtual meetings cannot fully replace face-to-face, informal interaction, the development of trust and a sense of belonging to the corporate culture.

Working Methods | Homeoffice

The perfect addition to the company office

How ergonomics, clear boundaries and hybrid dynamics can make working from home healthier.

Working from home is a firmly established pillar of the modern working world: it offers a high degree of flexibility, undisturbed focus time and saves on daily commutes. However, makeshift arrangements at the kitchen table or on unsuitable furniture can, in the long run, lead to health problems and reduce productivity.

A sustainable home office concept therefore requires professional equipment and a clear distinction between work and private life. The home office does not replace the company office, but rather complements it functionally as a specialised retreat for concentrated individual work.

Ergonomics and health: Professional standards in the home

To ensure that working from home remains healthy in the long term, basic ergonomic standards must also be met at home. A height-adjustable desk, a customisable office chair and adequate lighting are essential for effectively preventing poor posture and chronic muscle tension. Companies share responsibility in this regard and are increasingly supporting their staff with ergonomic equipment and practical guidelines for the home working environment. It is only through the combination of high-quality hardware and health-conscious behaviour that the home office becomes a productive place of work.

Psychological boundaries and digital balance in everyday life

Alongside the physical layout, the psychological aspect is crucial to success when working from home. The boundaries between work and private life can quickly become blurred, which increases the risk of digital overload and constant availability. Successful remote workers therefore establish fixed daily routines, clear rituals for switching off and physical separation – ideally in a separate study or through visual spatial elements. Studies on the transformation of the world of work show that a good balance between days spent in the office and periods of focused remote working maximises job satisfaction and significantly reduces the risk of burnout.

Conclusion: The productive symbiosis of the home office and the workplace

Working from home is most effective not in isolation, but in harmonious interaction with the company’s central office. Whilst the home offers the ideal setting for quiet analysis, research and reflection, the company office remains the indispensable hub for co-creation, successful onboarding, strong team bonds and a vibrant corporate culture. Organisations that sustainably combine both working environments with well-thought-out ergonomic standards, modern media technology and a leadership culture characterised by trust secure a decisive competitive edge in the race for qualified specialists and create a future-proof corporate architecture.

Find out more: Media & Downloads

Make use of further information from our specialist sources and empirical surveys to optimise your planning processes in detail:

CBRE: The European sector study with insights into balancing remote working rates
CBRE European Office Occupier Sentiment Survey

JLL: Guidelines on how to harmonise flexible working models
Guidelines on how to harmonise flexible working arrangements

Gensler Research Institute: The global research report shows how the division between focus areas and collaboration areas boosts performance
Gensler Global Workplace Survey

FAQ – Homeoffice

Employers have a duty of care under health and safety legislation. They should inform staff about ergonomic principles and provide support through suitable equipment (e.g. external monitors, ergonomic chairs or a budget for such equipment).
By setting fixed working hours and break times, establishing a deliberate end-of-day routine (e.g. shutting down your laptop) and, ideally, creating a physical separation so that your workspace is out of sight once you’ve finished work.
Because, in the long run, virtual meetings cannot fully replace face-to-face, informal interaction, the development of trust and a sense of belonging to the corporate culture.