Allowing employees to work from anywhere is not without pitfalls for employers.

Just in time for the summer holidays, DWS Group announced it will allow employees to work from abroad for up to a month as long as certain rules are adhered to.

Currently, most employees in Germany are permitted to work abroad for up to 18 working days, with a maximum of 10 working days at a time.

Extended Leave

According to «Bloomberg» (behind paywall), the pilot project at DWS is an exercise in staying attractive as a working place especially to younger employees. 

Furthermore, the DWS union head said it was a good opportunity for those wanting to stay a little longer in a holiday place,

Drifting Apart

Currently the Deutsche Bank subsidiary DWS allows employees to work from home at least two days a week, setting it apart from other industry players including Black Rock, where employees are required to work at least four days a week in the office.

After a relaxation of work regulations during the Corona pandemic, US financial companies in particular are tightening the thumbscrews again. In Europe, on the other hand, home office work is still rather tolerated.

Banking Rarity 

Introducing so-called «workations» is often discussed, but so rarely implemented. A study looking the the subject for the Alpine region showed, six out of ten employed people can pciture themselves on one, while two thirds of employers are not averse to this form of work. Some even offer holiday homes where their employees can continue to work.

Calls for workations are also becoming louder in personnel departments within Switzerland's financial center.

Flexibility is Key

Labor law expert Isabelle Wildhaber of the University of St. Gallen, said employees would even rather forego a bonus in exchange for ebing able to work abroad flexibly.

Many employellers still need to clarify the extent to which they want to allow remote working from abroad in addition to from employees' home office, bearing in mind the various pitfalls which vary from country to country. The type of activity and duration of the stay also play a role.