32 million liters less fuel every day
In view of the current oil crisis, it would make a significant difference if millions of employees did not go to the office one more day. This meant that a corresponding number of commuting kilometers were eliminated – and a significant proportion of daily fuel consumption.
The authors calculate that just one additional day working from home would save 32 million liters of fuel – or 19 percent of daily fuel consumption in Germany.
Home office skepticism is waning
The good news: At management level, skepticism towards home offices and mobile working tends to continue to decline. According to the study, in 2026 only 22 percent of managers are in favor of a stronger attendance requirement – compared to 25 percent in 2025 and 33 percent in 2024. In addition, only just under a quarter (23 percent) fear communication problems due to mobile working – in 2025 the figure was 24, in 2024 it was 43 percent.
And even if some managers still look critically at processes and productivity: According to the study, it is becoming increasingly easier to establish effective communication and work structures even under conditions of spatial flexibility.
Measurable disadvantages due to compulsory attendance
At the same time, the data from the study make it clear that strict attendance requirements have measurable disadvantages: Employees in companies with increased attendance requirements consistently reported significantly higher levels of emotional exhaustion over the entire observation period (from 2024 to 2026) than employees in organizations with flexible working models.
At the same time, however, no systematic advantages of strict attendance regulations could be identified with regard to subjective productivity. On the contrary, employees with more work flexibility tended to rate their own performance higher. Or to put it another way: More presence does not lead to better performance, but primarily to more exhaustion.
