Home Office Obligations and Employee Preferences Across Europe

The share of workers regularly using home office continues to rise, with about one in five employees in Austria working from home on a permanent basis. Employers are legally required to provide suitable furniture, hardware and software for remote work, although there is no general mandate to set up a home office unless it is stipulated in employment contracts or collective agreements.

A study by the Wirtschafts‑ und Sozialwissenschaftliches Institut (WSI) in the Netherlands finds that roughly two‑thirds of respondents are satisfied with their current hybrid arrangements, while a quarter would like to work from home more frequently. Satisfaction is highest where company policies match employee expectations, and dissatisfaction is linked to rigid return‑to‑office rules and challenges balancing family and work. The desire for mobile work varies by occupation, being strongest among highly educated professionals and less common in trades such as construction, retail, logistics and healthcare. Employees reporting a gap between desired and actual home‑office options also note higher work strain and health issues.