In times of increasing digitalization and flexibilization of the world of work, the home office has taken on a central role. This thesis aims to identify and analyze the challenges and opportunities in the social sphere associated with this way of working. This master's thesis examines the perceived effects of working from home on the quality of counselling, the work-life balance of employees and the quality of cooperation in the social counselling context. An inclusive study examines two different groups in social counselling. Methodologically, the study is based on a mixture of theory and a quantitative online questionnaire in a two-group design. 84 people aged between under 20 and over 50 took part in the study. 24 carried out their counselling work from home and 64 did not. The results show that working from home brings both opportunities and challenges in counselling. While flexibility can increase satisfaction, technical challenges and the lack of personal interaction led to new obstacles. The questionnaire clearly shows that working from home leads to greater job satisfaction for many employees. Almost half (45.8%) of respondents with the option to work from home stated that they were ‘very satisfied’ with their current professional situation, while only 20% of those without the option to work from home were able to say the same. 60% of respondents without the option to work from home see inflexibility in the job as a major challenge in the office. Despite these positive aspects, the data also reveals challenges. Technical problems and relationship management were cited as significant hurdles and almost a third of respondents reported that communication in the home office is not encouraged at all. This requires clearer structures and guidelines on the part of companies. About team communication, solutions and measures for improvement were identified, such as regular virtual meetings and targeted team-building activities. The thesis concludes with practical recommendations for optimizing the home office in a consulting context to maximize the benefits and overcome the challenges identified. This master's thesis thus provides valuable insights for organizations and managers who want to support the implementation and further development of home office strategies in social work.
Date of Award | Sept 2024 |
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Original language | German (Austria) |
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Supervisor | Dagmar Strohmeier (Supervisor) |
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Home-Office im Beratungskontext: Chancen & Herausforderungen
Bytyqi, E. (Author). Sept 2024
Student thesis: Master's Thesis