Deutsche Bahn is tightening the policy regarding remote work for its office-based employees. Under the revised rules, staff will be required to work in person for a minimum of three days every week. This directive originates from a letter sent by the corporate executive board to senior leaders, as reported by Tagesspiegel.
This new framework is intended to be implemented across the entire corporation by the close of 2027, marking a significant jump from the previous requirement, which only mandated that mobile employees be in the office at least one day a week.
The board, which is led by Chairwoman Evelyn Palla, justifies the increased requirement by citing the company’s ongoing comprehensive restructuring. DB is currently undergoing a major organizational overhaul, involving the creation of new structures, the reassembly of teams, and shifts in responsibilities. The board stressed in its letter that during this crucial period, regular face-to-face interaction, collaborative work, and direct dialogue are vital for developing solutions. Presences, they argued, strengthen cooperation and cohesion, serving as a “key building block for the corporation’s restart.”
Palla and her colleagues also pointed out that the bulk of DB’s workforce cannot work remotely because they are involved in rail operations-whether working on trains, buses, in workshops, at stations, or in control centers. Despite this operational reality, the board concluded that emphasizing “regular personal collaboration wherever mobile working is possible is an important sign of unity within the corporation.”
