A recent survey has revealed that the majority of people who work from home in Germany are happy to do so. Employees said that working from home helped them better combine their time with work and family, although many also complained about health problems.

Germans happy to work from home

Employees working from home in Germany are largely happy with their circumstances, although many have suffered mental and physical health problems. This is what can be concluded from a survey undertaken by research company Forsa for KKH, a health insurance provider in Germany. The survey found that 61 percent of the 1.002 respondents (all of whom had worked from home or away from their office) had largely positive experiences when working remotely.

Around 70 percent of respondents said that working from home helped them combine their work and family lives. Around 20 percent of respondents said that working from home had a positive effect on their well-being.

The problems with working remotely

Not everyone was happy with their home office experience though. Around 20 percent of respondents indicated that their experience working from home was mostly negative, 20 percent of people also reported health problems. Back pain and muscle tension were the main problems that were reported during the survey.

Mental stress was also found to be a common problem, something which can also cause tension and muscular pain, according to KKH economic psychologist Antje Judick. One demographic group particularly affected, according to Forsa, was single people, citing a lack of social interactions with the office closed.

Two-thirds of the respondents who complained about mental issues were women. Judick explains this is likely down to childcare facilities closing down over the course of the coronavirus pandemic. "Mostly it is always the women who take care of the children and the household in addition to their job," said Judick. "This was especially stressful during the lockdown periods when daycare centres and schools were closed," she added.