HybridWORK
Future model of hybrid working - an interdisciplinary participatory assessment and action framework for employees, companies and politics
Background
Currently, the trend towards more flexible work location models is intensifying. Discussions on the advantages and disadvantages of mobile working models are moving to the forefront of social and scientific discourse due to the Corona pandemic. The current experience raises more than ever the question of the extent to which hybrid working should be promoted for the benefit of employees, companies, and society.
Project objective
In this project HybridWORK, a participatory evaluation and action framework for decision-making with the participation of employees and companies in the context of hybrid forms and locations of work will be developed. The framework will enable a more holistic assessment of technological and social innovations in the context of hybrid work, taking into account uncertainties and rebound effects in single or multiple (combined) cause-effect relationships by means of participatory processes. Furthermore, the related toolkit is intended to elaborate important potentials and barriers of hybrid forms of work and to make these results available for political decision-making processes. The methodological approach consists of a mixed methods approach with participatory elements. The mix of methods includes literature review research, secondary analysis of existing data, qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (questionnaire) surveys, model development and simulations, participation processes, and scenario workshops. If successful, the project includes the opportunity to transfer the developed assessment methodology to a transfer model for approaching similarly complex problems that are both socially and politically relevant.
Structure of the Project
In a total of six work packages, an inter- and transdisciplinary assessment of hybrid work options will be developed from the perspective of sociology, spatial and transport planning, geography of health, occupational medicine, and economics. Within this project, the ISB will examine and analyze the transport and spatial impacts of hybrid work options.
The basis of the research approach is formed by scenarios for hybrid working developed together with stakeholders from practice. Based on these scenarios, literature research, primary data collection and primary as well as secondary data analyses are used to gain new insights into the interrelationships between the place of work on the one hand and the aspects of spatial planning and transport, health geography, occupational medicine and labour market economics on the other hand. In the primary data collection, both expert interviews and surveys are used to capture both qualitative and quantitative aspects. In model building, economic models of optimal decision making are used to achieve the objectives; models that can explicitly address uncertainties. Finally, the results of the sub-disciplines are evaluated together with practice partners to form a participatory evaluation and action framework. Finally, the solutions are evaluated with the help of citizen dialogues and future workshops, and future potentials and barriers are derived.
Project Consortium
Chair of Applied Economics
Institute of Sociology of Technology and Organization
Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine
Teaching and Research Area Healthy Living Spaces
In addition, various experts support the project within the framework of interviews or future workshops.
Funding authority
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
Project Duration
07.2022 - 06.2024
Contact