Company agreements for hybrid work: must-have or nice-to-have?

New-work models are becoming increasingly popular and are guiding us towards a future-proof working environment. To ensure a smooth and easy implementation, a company agreement can be helpful. By setting uniform conditions, not only can different needs be taken into account, but also office space can be used optimally and a productive and respectful working environment can be ensured. Read this blog post to find out what you should consider when setting up a company agreement.

List of content:

1. The relevance of the company agreement
2. Do desk sharing and hybrid work require company agreements?
3. The company agreement - nice to have, but not a must-have?
4. Everything at a glance

The relevance of the company agreement

A well-drafted company agreement can help to ensure a smooth and mutually beneficial working relationship.
Especially in the context of new-work models, the question of such an agreement arises in many companies: While traditional structures are being broken up and new ways of working are being established, both employees and employers hope that the agreement will provide them with security and the ability to plan. 
The question of design often lies with the works council, which lays down rules and responsibilities for the working models within the framework of a company agreement.

Do desk sharing and hybrid work require company agreements? 

In the course of modernising the world of work, shared desk models in particular are becoming increasingly popular. Here, too, a company agreement can be quite useful and set out the conditions for the shared use of workplaces or office space by employees. This can include, for example, guidelines for scheduling, the use of equipment and materials, and the maintenance of a clean and safe working environment. 
In addition, the agreement can also define employees' roles and responsibilities in terms of tidiness and consideration for the needs of others. These uniform guidelines and expectations increase the chances of success of desk sharing, enable optimal use of space and maintain a feel-good atmosphere. 

To ensure completeness, the company agreement should address the following points:

1. Application for a company agreement (especially in public institutions).
2. Addressees: To whom does the works agreement apply? The works agreement should clearly state which employees are affected by the agreement.
3. Regulations regarding working hours: For example, setting core working hours, a percentage to be spent in the office, etc.
4. Technical equipment: Especially in combination with home office models, the technical equipment should be discussed in advance, minimum requirements should be set, if necessary increased and a stable internet connection should be guaranteed.
5. Consideration of data protection: The company agreement should stipulate how confidential information is to be handled. This includes not only internal company data but also the personal data of employees.
6. Duration of the agreement: For example, unlimited, for a certain period of time or a pilot phase.
7. Up-to-date: It is important to constantly review and adapt the agreement to ensure that it meets the changing needs of the company and its employees.
   
   

The company agreement - nice to have, but not a must-have?

In principle, there is no legal obligation to offer a company agreement for hybrid working models or desk sharing. Instead, it is a voluntary, binding agreement between the works council and the employers, which should lead to the avoidance of disputes and the creation of uniform rules. If there is no works council, the agreement can also be published by employers in the form of a voluntary company policy. 
Accordingly, it is highly advisable to negotiate a company agreement or a guideline. In addition to the uniform set of rules, the agreement also reduces personnel costs, as no individual agreements have to be made.

Everything at a glance 

A company agreement is not mandatory, but can support the introduction of hybrid work or desk sharing. Thanks to the uniform framework, the same conditions and regulations are created for the employees and thus the planning effort and individual agreements are reduced. 
The works agreement should include various aspects such as working hours, technical equipment, possible time limits and clean desk policies. If there is no works council, a corporate guideline can still be used to create uniform framework conditions that provide structure for both employees and employers. 


Do you want to optimise your office space and reduce costs? Then you should consider desk sharing! Together with a well-drafted company agreement and our intuitive software, your office space can be used optimally and a productive and respectful working environment can be maintained. Book your free live demo today or start your free trial month!