A recent study by Inform with 172 participants from the logistics sector confirms that companies are aware of this change and are already responding to it. Around 82% of those surveyed believe that their workplace is being influenced by the digital transformation. 86% also confirmed that their company is already implementing measures such as working from home, flexible working hours and flat hierarchies. Nevertheless, there are still deficits in implementation.

Management Main initiator of flexible working models

In 68% of cases, the modernization of working models is initiated by top management, but in almost a third of cases it is also initiated by employees themselves. Those surveyed see the implementation of modern working models as an opportunity to work more agilely and efficiently. The fact that this point has not yet been reached is shown by the great desire for more flexibility (81%) and meaningful work (61%).

Automation of routine activities desired

IT plays a central role in this area: around 93% of respondents believe that choosing the right software to support operational work is the be-all and end-all. Above all, employees benefit from the automation of routine activities. Peter Frerichs, Head of the Inventory & Supply Chain division at INFORM GmbH and spokesperson for the study, also views this positively: "In our projects, we often experience a real 'sigh of relief' among employees when the new inventory management software takes over a large part of the work independently, because it involves routine orders from suppliers, for example. Our customers appreciate the use of IT when they can deal with strategic issues or finally have more freedom to maintain supplier relationships."

Feasibility depends on the business unit

However, the participants in the survey do not believe that a more flexible working environment can be implemented in every area: "The survey confirmed that alternative concepts are easy to implement and accepted wherever knowledge work is carried out that is not location-dependent," says Dr. Jörg Herbers, Head of Workforce Management at Inform GmbH. "In areas such as production or warehousing, implementation is more difficult, as work is often carried out in shift models and personal presence is essential," he explains.

According to Frerichs, the relevance of the topic is set to increase even further in the future: "More and more areas will not be able to avoid digitalization and modernization of work concepts. Using the right IT and software systems here can be an important support for companies and increase competitiveness as well as employee satisfaction."