(in German)

Working from home has a number of potential advantages and disadvantages. One possible disadvantage is that many employees working from home may find it more difficult to draw the line between work and leisure. This can have negative health consequences in the long term. This study examines whether higher availability expectations can explain this association and whether company working time recording can help to reduce these availability expectations when working from home. To answer this question, the data from the BAuA Working Time Survey 2015-2023 (five measurement points, N = 32,755 data points, nested in 21,455 individuals) were analyzed in multi-level structural equation models. The results show that more work from home days per week are associated with higher availability expectations, which in turn are negatively associated with general health (in each case in comparison with other people). However, the overall correlation between work from home days per week and health is positive. This means that the more work from home days per week, the better the general health. Additional analyses show that this is particularly the case for around two to three days per week. Company working time recording moderates the association between work from home days and availability expectations. For people without working time recording, more work from home days per week are associated with higher availability expectations than for other people, whereas for people with working time recording, they are associated with lower expectations.

Practical Relevance: This article contributes to recognizing the opportunities and risks associated with working from home for the health and availability expectations of employees. Using the specific example of working time recording as a preventive protection mechanism for employees, it shows what role the organizational design of work plays in this.

Please download the article "Availability expectations and working time recording: Effects on the health of employees working from home - A longitudinal analysis" (in German only).