eWork and New Forms of Work Organisation in Germany – Contribution to Collaboration@Work 2006 Status Report

In Germany, multi-locational eWork continues to spread against a background of a growing need for more flexible forms of labour deployment. However, the potential of eWork to contribute to better work/life balance and to increasing workforce participation (by women and older people) is not fully exploited yet. One reason is that many aspects of German society, as well as the country’s regulatory system, still reflect a time when the (male) sole owner household and lifetime employment were the norm – and everything else an aberration. A large number of policy initiatives – not all of which are well integrated into mainstream policy-making – aim to improve this situation. In addition, many companies and union initiatives explore innovative new ways of working which are sustainable – socially as well as economically.