Ground rules for hybrid work and availability
People who work in the office, at home and on the move can be reached through many channels – and often also when they would not need to be. Shared ground rules in the team create clarity: when you are available, which channel is for what, how meetings run and when people work undisturbed. This costs a workshop and a bit of discipline, but no budget.
What belongs in the ground rules?
Four questions are enough to start. Availability: when are we there, what is a real emergency? Channels: what goes in the chat, what in an email, what response time is normal? Meetings: when are they necessary, how long may they be? Focus time: when do we work without interruption? Write the answers down on one page.
What framework already exists?
Working hours and the eleven-hour rest period after the end of work (§ 5 ArbZG, German law) apply regardless of the place of work. If there is an agreement on mobile work, the team rules build on it. If there is a works council, involve it.
Where does it usually fail?
With the managers. Anyone who sends messages in the evening sets the pace, even if they expect no reply. Delayed sending or a clear “not urgent” helps. Review the rules in the team after three months and adjust whatever is not being followed.
How do you put the measure in place?
- 1Workshop per team (about two hours) on availability, channels, meetings and focus time
- 2Write the rules down on one page and store them where everyone can see them
- 3Managers stick to them themselves, especially with messages in the evening
- 4Review and adjust in the team after three months
Plan, invite, measure participation: EasyWHP, which offers WHPCompass free of charge, sets this measure up as a project, invites the workforce and shows how many people take part. How a measure runs in EasyWHP →
What do you need for it?
- Effort
- under 30 min
- Cost
- Free
- Duration
- Workshop, review after 3 months
- Setup
- 120 min
- ✓ Clear expectations instead of constant availability
- ✓ Fewer interruptions thanks to suitable channels
- ✓ Fixed times for focused work
- ✓ The team sets the rules itself
Tax and health insurance: what is possible
Employer health benefits can be tax-free under § 3 no. 34 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) up to €600 per employee per year — if they are provided in addition to the salary already owed and are either certified (§ 20 SGB V) or implemented within the company's health promotion process. Gym memberships and corporate fitness are not covered. For ZPP-certified courses (e.g. from Upfit), German statutory health insurers can reimburse all or part of the course fee to their insured members — then only the amount exceeding that reimbursement is tax-free. Projects within the company can be funded under § 20b SGB V, with no entitlement. Only your tax adviser can confirm the tax exemption.
Health insurance and tax: how to proceed →How it works in EasyWHP
This Best Practice in EasyWHP: adopt it, adapt it, measure the effect
Once adopted, the measure is ready in EasyWHP — with instructions, an invitation and surveys before and after. You adapt what fits your company and see at the end what it achieved.
Screenshots with demo data, no real people.
Adopt it for your company
Register for free — and the measure is ready to go in your cockpit: invitation, feedback survey and appointment are already set up. First cycle, first numbers for the boss.
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Contributes to
Action field
Modern Work & Digitalization →A fitting occasion
Related Best Practices
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