Remote work: While Germany is still searching for the Wi-Fi password, the world is already working digitally.

7:30 a.m., a corporate building somewhere in Germany. Sarah K., a Harvard-educated developer, enters the HR manager's office. "I'm sorry," she says, "but I'm moving to Barcelona. My partner got a job there." The HR manager turns pale. "But you're our best programmer! Can't you commute?" Sarah smiles wearily. "I could easily work remotely. Just like I have been—remember my quarantine period? Best quarterly results ever." The HR manager shakes his head: "Remote work? Impossible. That doesn't align with our company philosophy." Two weeks later, Sarah is sitting on a beach in Barcelona—developing software for an American company.

Do you know what's most fascinating about the German job market? While international companies have long been coordinating global teams across time zones, we're still debating whether Excel spreadsheets work outside the office.

Is working from home even possible?

Welcome to Germany, where remote work sounds as exotic as surfing lessons in Bavaria. While the rest of the world has long since grasped that productivity doesn't depend on the number of occupied desks, German companies are still debating the burning question: "But how do we know that employees are actually working from home?" – As if constantly fetching coffee and strategically walking to the office printer counted as high performance. Perhaps management is afraid they won't be able to find their employees if they're not physically present.

The skilled worker shortage lie

As a PhD in business psychology and a change agent, I observe daily that the skills shortage in Germany is often as homegrown as Mom's potato salad. While international companies expand their talent pools across continents, German SMEs insist that potential employees may live no more than 23.7 kilometers from the company location – for the sake of "team culture," of course.

The German remote work equation usually looks like this:

- 100% Thinking

- 50% "We've never done it that way before"

- 75% "But what about data protection!"

- 200% fear of losing control

- And a quanta of "working from home only when it's icy"

A presentation on the topic of remote work answers questions

The result? While top talent in other countries works from their dream beaches, German professionals sit stuck in traffic – because physical presence is supposedly the best proof of performance. About as logical as an ice cream parlor at the North Pole.

The modern job market knows no boundaries – except in Germany, where your postal code is more important than your qualifications. Yet remote work could solve the much-lamented skills shortage faster than you can spell "digitalization." Imagine: Suddenly you could hire and manage the best minds – regardless of whether they're located in Munich, Milan, or Mumbai!

But no, German companies prefer to spend months searching for the perfect local candidate who is willing to spend two hours a day commuting in rush hour traffic – for the privilege of sitting in an overpriced open-plan office. That's about as modern as a fax machine on the International Space Station.

A leader learns to think differently

The international competition is laughing up their sleeves:

While we are still discussing mandatory attendance, other global teams are building

While we complain about VPN problems, others are revolutionizing their work processes.

While we harbor concerns, others reap the benefits of innovation.

And while we're searching for the perfect video conferencing tool, others have long since established virtual water coolers.

It gets especially hilarious when German companies operate in a "hybrid" way: Mondays in the office for meetings that could just as easily have been emails. Wednesdays for team spirit, characterized mainly by communal complaining about the commute. And Fridays, of course, so the C-suite can see who's truly "committed." Seriously?

The funny thing is? The same managers who consider remote work impossible spend their own time in international Zoom calls – but that's different, isn't it?

The bitter truth

Germany faces a simple choice: either we open ourselves up to the realities of the modern working world, or we become a museum piece of work – complete with time clock and fax machine, admired by tourists from all over the world: "Look, honey, that's how people used to work!"

About the author

Dr. Stephan Meyer is the director of an institute for corporate modernization and has achieved the impossible: He gets German companies to look beyond their geographical horizons – even if the works council initially hyperventilates.

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