Remote work rules 2025: working hours, equipment, reimbursement

Legal and social change: remote work as standard

The world of work has been undergoing a profound upheaval for several years - remote work has established itself as a permanent element that goes far beyond temporary crisis solutions. Current studies and empirical data show that hybrid and location-independent working will be common practice in many IT companies by 2025. Not only international technology groups, but also medium-sized companies and start-ups are focussing on flexible working models. With this development, the requirements for the legal, technical and organisational design of remote work have continuously increased, making clear guidelines necessary.

From a company's perspective, remote work contributes significantly to work-life balance, employee retention and the promotion of productivity. Standardised, transparent framework conditions are crucial - particularly with regard to working time regulations, technical equipment and cost reimbursement. Legal foundations and tried-and-tested standards have a direct impact on employees' expectations. As a result, employers need to regularly review, adapt and openly communicate remote working regulations.

Working time regulations in the home office: flexible but binding

Flexible working hours are one of the biggest advantages of remote work, but at the same time require well-defined structures. In order to avoid overtime, constant availability and conflicts in everyday life, hybrid models with binding core working hours - for example between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., during which team exchanges and meetings take place - will become increasingly common by 2025.

For IT specialists, this opens up the opportunity to customise their working day. Some employees use the early start to the day to keep later hours free for personal interests, while others deliberately start later and get more involved in evening deployments. However, this degree of flexibility is only possible if there is a shared commitment and legal requirements - such as break regulations and rest periods - are adhered to.

Practical recommendations for everyday working life:

• Use time recording tools such as Clockify or Jira to document working hours transparently.
• Agree on fixed availability times within the team, for example Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• Reliable communication of block times or absences in the calendar.

The following wording can serve as an example of a remote work policy:

"All employees in remote mode are obliged to document the start and end of work and break times daily in the time recording system. The core working hours are from 10:00 to 15:00. Meetings outside of these times will only be scheduled by prior arrangement."

Technical equipment: What needs to be provided?

A permanently usable workstation in the home office requires reliable technical equipment. Laptops, monitors, docking stations and headsets are now standard equipment in many companies for remote work. Employees often receive a customised equipment package, while IT support for questions and technical problems is largely provided digitally.

The question of how to cover the costs of home office equipment often remains unanswered: who covers the costs of ergonomic chairs, height-adjustable desks or other accessories? One thing is certain: The Workplace Ordinance obliges employers to ensure health and safety - even in the home office. In many organisations, employees therefore receive an annual budget for additional equipment or subsidies for ergonomic furnishings.

A typical model involves companies providing the basic equipment consisting of a laptop, monitor and mouse. For additional requirements - such as an ergonomic swivel chair or special lighting - employees can apply for subsidies of up to 500 euros per year after prior consultation. Procurement and processing are usually carried out via a central online catalogue, with the purchasing team responsible for administration. Technical support is offered via remote access, while a pick-up-and-replace service ensures quick solutions in the event of hardware failure.

• Checklist for designing an effective remote workplace
  • Company laptop with up-to-date security and collaboration software
  • Monitor from 24 inches and an ergonomic office chair
  • Headset, external webcam and a docking station if required
  • Stable internet connection with VPN
  • Access to a helpdesk chat or hotline, at least during regular business hours

Reimbursement: What employers (2025) have to pay - and what not

There are many variations on the reimbursement of expenses relating to remote work - a recurring topic that plays a role both in contract negotiations and in the ongoing employment relationship. IT specialists should inform themselves in advance, as the practice with regard to electricity, internet, heating, office equipment and work equipment varies from company to company. Since 2024, however, minimum standards have been legally binding in Germany, which continue to apply.

Key components at a glance:

• Technical equipment and furniture: Equipment such as laptops and monitors are provided by the company. Depending on the contract, ergonomic office furniture is usually subsidised, for example via an annual home office allowance (between 300 and 600 euros).
• Internet costs: A monthly allowance of between 20 and 40 euros for an internet connection is now common, especially for employees without a fixed company location.
• Electricity and ancillary costs: Employees can claim a flat-rate home office tax allowance for these expenses (6 euros per day, maximum 1,260 euros per year).
• Communication and software tools: Costs for licences (for example Slack, Zoom, Jira, VPN) are borne in full by the employer.

A specific tip: Clarify in the employment contract or a special remote work agreement which flat rates are paid, how the billing of office equipment works and whether additional purchases, such as a second monitor, must be authorised separately. Applicants in the IT sector demonstrate a professional and informed approach to the topic of remote work by asking specific questions about these points.

Best practices: Organising remote work efficiently

Successful remote working requires clear standards and expectations to be established within the team. The following practices have proven to be particularly effective in many companies:

• Regular team check-ins: short daily or weekly video stand-ups support collaboration and prevent loneliness.
• Establish communication rules: Suitable channels should be defined for different issues, for example Slack for quick coordination, emails for structured information or video conferences for discussions.
• Goal-orientation instead of presence control: Achieving results takes centre stage, while pure attendance times become less important.
• Transparent processes for absences: Tools such as shared calendars make it easy to communicate holidays, sick days or block times.
• Structured onboarding and targeted training in a remote setting: New colleagues benefit from digital welcome packs and systematic training to help them get up to speed quickly.

Practical example: digitalisation in SMEs

A medium-sized IT consulting company is systematically switching to a remote-first concept in 2025. All employees receive standardised IT equipment and a monthly internet allowance. All important information on working hours, technology and cost reimbursement is bundled on the intranet, supplemented by FAQs and video tutorials. Management staff are regularly trained in remote leadership. This intelligent implementation ensures lower staff turnover and enables the team to realise projects efficiently, regardless of location.

Application tips: How to score points with remote expertise

When applying for remote jobs, it is advisable to clearly emphasise relevant experience and skills in the area of distributed working. Specific examples in your CV are a good way of doing this, such as:

• "Remote development and deployment of distributed software projects, cross-departmental (up to 7 time zones)"
• "Creation of and compliance with remote working guidelines, introduction of time recording and digital workflows"
• "Remote onboarding of project teams using digital learning platforms"

The cover letter offers the opportunity to address personal initiative, hybrid collaboration and practical knowledge in the use of remote tools. A suitable formulation could be something like this:

"I am very familiar with working in a remote setting - from organising my home office workstation to using a wide range of collaboration and communication tools and planning my own working hours. I have the necessary self-discipline and transparency to support virtual teams efficiently."

Additional certificates, for example in the areas of data protection, online moderation, agility or IT security in the home office, emphasise the willingness to actively help shape the requirements of modern remote work.

Conclusion: remote work is here to stay

in 2025, remote work will be an established working model for many IT professionals. Clear standards for working hours, technical equipment and cost reimbursement are now an integral part of modern employment relationships. Anyone working in the IT sector should be familiar with current regulations and communicate their own expectations in a structured manner. Companies that rely on transparent and well-structured solutions promote motivation and efficiency - so everyone involved benefits in the long term from the possibilities of flexible working arrangements.