The Future of Work in the Age of Digitalization and Remote Work - Opportunities and Challenges

New Working Time Models as a Result of the Coronavirus Crisis

Overnight, the Coronavirus crisis made traditional working models impossible. In their place, remote work quickly became widespread, with an entirely new level of flexibility. This shift is supported by digital tools that were rapidly integrated into the work organization.

It is expected that in many places, even after the pandemic, the old routines with fixed in-person hours, overtime and a clear separation of work and personal life will not return. That presents new challenges for companies – organizational cultures and management behavior need to become more agile and adaptive.

• What does the future of work look like for German companies?
• And what role does "corporate social responsibility" play when it comes to establishing a position as a responsible company and becoming attractive to employees in the highly competitive market for skilled labor?

General Information on the Presentation

The event was part of the series "The future of digitalization - catalyst or obstacle course for the German economy and society?".

With regard to digital transformation, the coronavirus crisis was an important litmus test, revealing immense potential and incredible dynamics. Within weeks, companies offered virtual work on a broad front, retailers and restaurants found ways to transfer some of their offerings to the Internet. At the same time, however, it also uncovered glaring gaps and inertia. Health policy was practically incapable of action because the hospital and government systems were not sufficiently digitalized and networked. Schools and universities revealed infrastructures from the past century.

• What will remain in the coming years?
• Were successes only temporary solutions, or will we feel the progress sustainably?
• Have we learned something about the success factors of data-based business models?
• Can we measure the extent to which our digital skills have improved?
• Are we now better off in international comparison?