Homeoffice als Ressource für pflegende Angehörige? Geschlechterunterschiede vor, während und nach der Pandemie

Table of contents

Bibliographic information

Cover of Volume: WSI-Mitteilungen Volume 79 (2026), Edition 1
Open Access Full access

WSI-Mitteilungen

Volume 79 (2026), Edition 1

Authors:
Publisher
Nomos, Baden-Baden
Copyright year
2026
ISSN-Online
2942-3554
ISSN-Print
0342-300X

Chapter information

Open Access Full access

Volume 79 (2026), Edition 1

Homeoffice als Ressource für pflegende Angehörige? Geschlechterunterschiede vor, während und nach der Pandemie

Authors:
ISSN-Print
0342-300X
ISSN-Online
2942-3554
Preview:

This study examines whether the expanding option of working from home (WFH) served as a resource for female and male caregivers over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. For caregivers, WFH offered potential benefits such as greater work autonomy, potentially enhancing well-being. However, blurred boundaries between paid work and family life could also increase strain. Focusing on gender inequalities, we investigate whether caregivers were particularly able to use WFH to reconcile paid work and care during and after the pandemic and whether WFH alleviated challenges related to life satisfaction, loneliness, and care strain. Data from the German Ageing Survey (DEAS) at three time points – mid-March 2020 (pre-pandemic, retrospectively surveyed), summer 2020 (pandemic), and winter 2023/24 (post-pandemic) – show no differences between caregivers and non-caregivers in the likelihood or the extent of working from home during or after the pandemic. However, female caregivers who worked from home reported higher life satisfaction and less loneliness during the pandemic, and experienced reduced care strain afterward, compared to those working on-site. These findings highlight the potential of WFH to support caregiver well-being.

Bibliography

  1. Abendroth, A.-K./Lott, Y./Hipp, L./Muller, D./Sauermann, A./Carstensen, T. (2022): Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Gender- and Parental-Status-Specific Differences in Working from Home? Panel Evidence from Germany, in: Gender, Work & Organization, 29 (6), S. 1991–2011 Open Google Scholar
  2. Ahlers, E./Mierich, S./Zucco, A. (2021): Homeoffice: Was wir aus der Zeit der Pandemie für die zukünftige Gestaltung von Homeoffice lernen können. Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftliches Institut der Hans-Böckler-Stiftung: WSI Report Nr. 65, Düsseldorf Open Google Scholar
  3. Arntz, M./Ben Yahmed, S./Berlingieri, F. (2020): Working from Home and COVID-19: The Chances and Risks for Gender Gaps, in: Intereconomics 55 ​(6), S. 381–386 Open Google Scholar
  4. Bernhardt, J./Recksiedler, C./Linberg, A. (2022): Work from Home and Parenting: Examining the Role of Work-Family Conflict and Gender During the COVID-19 Pandemic, in: Journal of Social Issues, S. 935–970 Open Google Scholar
  5. BMFSFJ (Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend) (2021): Dritter Gleichstellungsbericht: Digitalisierung geschlechtergerecht gestalten. Drucksache 19 / 30750, Berlin, https://www.gleichstellungsbericht.de/static/bab9f0c58d361f31b15ba9ee5582023e/dritter-gleichstellungsbericht-bundestagsdrucksache-data.pdf ​(letzter Zugriff: 12. 06. 2025) Open Google Scholar
  6. Boll, C./Müller, D./Osiander, C./Schüller, S. (2024): Working from Home and Parental Childcare Division: Evidence from Two Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic, in: Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society, DOI: 10.1093/sp/jxae031/7934658 Open Google Scholar
  7. Bujard, M./Laß, I./Diabaté, S./Sulak, H./Schneider, N. F. (2020): Eltern während der Corona-Krise. Zur Improvisation gezwungen. Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung (BIB): BIB.Bevölkerungs.Studien 1, Wiesbaden Open Google Scholar
  8. De Jong-Gierveld, J./van Tilburg, T. G. (2006): A 6-Item Scale for Overall, Emotional, and Social Loneliness: Confirmatory Tests on Survey Data, in: Research on Aging, 28 (5), S. 582–598 Open Google Scholar
  9. Desrochers, S./Sargent, L. D. (2004): Boundary / ​Border Theory and Work-Family Integration, in: Organization Management Journal 1 ​(1), S. 40–48 Open Google Scholar
  10. Diener, E./Emmons, R. A./Larsen, R. J./Griffin, S. (1985): The Satisfaction with Life Scale, in: Journal of personality assessment 49 ​(1), S. 71–75 Open Google Scholar
  11. Ding, R. Y./Williams, A. M. (2022): Places of Paid Work and Unpaid Work: Caregiving and Work-From-Home During COVID-19, in: Canadian Geographies 66 ​(1), S. 156–171 Open Google Scholar
  12. Ehrlich, U./Kelle, N. (2022): Corona-Krise = (Temporäre) Krise der Angehörigenpflege? Situation und gesundheitliches Wohlbefinden von unterstützenden und pflegenden Angehörigen im Verlauf der Pandemie. Deutsches Zentrum für Altersfragen: DZA-Fact Sheet, Berlin Open Google Scholar
  13. Ehrlich, U./Kelle, N./Klaus, D./Möhring, K. (2022): How Did the ­COVID-19 ​Pandemic Impact the Wellbeing of Family Care-Givers? A Longitudinal Study of Older Adults in Germany, in: Ageing and Society 44 ​(7), S. 1533–1550 Open Google Scholar
  14. Frodermann, C./Grunau, P./Haas, G.-C./Müller, D. (2021): Homeoffice in Zeiten von Corona. Nutzung, Hindernisse und Zukunftswünsche. Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB) der Bundesagentur für Arbeit: IAB-Kurzbericht Nr. 5, Nürnberg Open Google Scholar
  15. Fuchs-Schündeln, N./Stephan, G. (2020): Bei drei Vierteln der erwerbstätigen Eltern ist die Belastung durch Kinderbetreuung in der Covid-19-Pandemie gestiegen: IAB-Forum 18. August 2020, https://iab-forum.de/bei-drei-vierteln-der-erwerbstaetigen-eltern-ist-die-belastung-durch-kinderbetreuung-in-der-covid-19-pandemie-gestiegen (letzter Zugriff: 05. 06. 2025) Open Google Scholar
  16. von Gaudecker, H.-M./Holler, R./Janys, L./Siflinger, B./Zimpelmann, C. (2020): Labour Supply in the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Empirical Evidence on Hours, Home Office, and Expectations. Institute of Labor Economics (IZA): Discussion Paper Series (13 158), Bonn Open Google Scholar
  17. Goode, W. J. (1960): A Theory of Role Strain, in: American Sociological Review 25 ​(4), S. 483–496 Open Google Scholar
  18. Institut DGB-Index Gute Arbeit (2020): Report 2020: Mehr als Homeoffice – Mobile Arbeit in Deutschland. Ergebnisse des DGB-Index Gute Arbeit 2020, Berlin Open Google Scholar
  19. Kelle, N./Ehrlich, U. (2024): Family Care in Germany and its Gender-(Un)Specific Patterns: An Analysis Using Novel Data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Innovation Sample, in: International Journal of Care and Caring 9 ​(5), S. 1–17 Open Google Scholar
  20. Klaus, D./Ehrlich, U. (2021): Corona-Krise = Krise der Angehörigenpflege? Zur veränderten Situation und den Gesundheitsrisiken der informell Unterstützungs- und Pflegeleistenden in Zeiten der Pandemie. Deutsches Zentrum für Altersfragen: DZA Aktuell, Berlin Open Google Scholar
  21. Laß, I. (2021): Eltern zwischen Homeoffice und Homeschooling: Arbeit und Familie in Zeiten von Kita- und Schulschließungen, in: Statistisches Bundesamt / Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung / Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung (Hrsg.): Datenreport 2021. Ein Sozialbericht für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Reihe Zeitbilder, Bonn, S. 484–489 Open Google Scholar
  22. Laß, I./Rüger, H. (2024): Homeoffice und das Wohlbefinden von Eltern während der Coronapandemie, in: Statistisches Bundesamt, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung, Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung (Hrsg.): Sozialbericht 2024. Ein Datenreport für Deutschland, Berlin, S. 168–171 Open Google Scholar
  23. Laß, I./Wooden, M. (2022): Working from Home and Work-Family Conflict, in: Work, Employment and Society 37 ​(1), S. 176–195 Open Google Scholar
  24. Leitner, S. (2003): Varieties of Familialism: The Caring Function of the Family in Comparative Perspective, in: European Societies 5 ​(4), S. 353–375 Open Google Scholar
  25. Leslie, L. M./Manchester, C. F./Park, T.-Y./Mehng, S. I. A. (2012): Flexible Work Practices: A Source of Career Premiums or Penalties?, in: Academy of Management Journal 55 ​(6), S. 1407–1428 Open Google Scholar
  26. Li, J./Bünning, M./Kaiser, T./Hipp, L. (2022): Who Suffered Most? Parental Stress and Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany, in: Journal of Family Research 34 ​(1), S. 278–306 Open Google Scholar
  27. Lott, Y./Abendroth, A.-K. (2020): The Non-Use of Telework in an Ideal Worker Culture: Why Women Perceive More Cultural Barriers, in: Community, Work & Family 23 ​(5), S. 593–611 Open Google Scholar
  28. Lott, Y./Chung, H. (2016): Gender Discrepancies in the Outcomes of Schedule Control on Overtime Hours and Income in Germany, in: European Sociological Review 32 ​(6), S. 752–765 Open Google Scholar
  29. Mehta, P. (2021): Work from Home. Work Engagement amid COVID-19 Lockdown and Employee Happiness, in: Journal of Public Affairs 21 ​(4), S. 1–12 Open Google Scholar
  30. Minkus, L./Groepler, N./Drobnic, S. (2022): The Significance of Occupations, Family Responsibilities, and Gender for Working from Home: Lessons from COVID-19, in: PLoS One 17 ​(6), S. 1–17 Open Google Scholar
  31. Möhring, K./Naumann, E./Reifenscheid, M./Blom, A. G./Wenz, A./Rettig, T. et al. (2020): Die Mannheimer Corona-Studie: Schwerpunktbericht zur Erwerbstätigkeit in Deutschland. Universität Mannheim, Mannheim Open Google Scholar
  32. Munsch, C. L. (2016): Flexible Work, Flexible Penalties: The Effect of Gender, Childcare, and Type of Request on the Flexibility Bias, in: Social Forces 94 ​(4), S. 1567–1591 Open Google Scholar
  33. Otonkorpi-Lehtoranta, K./Salin, M./Hakovirta, M./Kaittila, A. (2022): Gendering Boundary Work: Experiences of Work-Family Practices among Finnish Working Parents during COVID-19 Lockdown, in: Gender, Work & Organization, 29 (6), S. 1952–1968 Open Google Scholar
  34. Pearlin, L. I. (1989): The Sociological Study of Stress, in: Journal of Health and Social Behavior 30 ​(3), S. 241–256 Open Google Scholar
  35. Rubin, O./Nikolaeva, A./Nello-Deakin, S./Te Brömmelstroet, M. (2020): What Can We Learn from the COVID-19 Pandemic About How People Experience Working from Home and Commuting? Centre for Urban Studies, University of Amsterdam Open Google Scholar
  36. Spence, M. (1973): Job Market Signaling, in: The Quarterly Journal of Economics 87 ​(3), S. 355–374 Open Google Scholar
  37. Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) (2022): 5,7 Millionen Pflegebedürftige zum Jahresende 2023. Pressemitteilung Nr. 478 v. 18. 12. 2024, https://www.destatis.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2024/12/PD24_478_224.html ​(Letzter Zugriff: 10. 02. 2025) Open Google Scholar
  38. Vogel, C./Klaus, D./Wettstein, M./Simonson, J./Tesch-Römer, C. (2021): German Ageing Survey (DEAS), in: Gu, D./Dupre, M. E. (Hrsg.): Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging, Cham, S. 2152–2160 Open Google Scholar

Citation

Download RIS Download BibTex

Downloads

Download chapter (PDF) Download complete (PDF)

Notice

This work is protected by copyright and may only be used in accordance with the provisions of the Terms of Use and License Agreement. Any use of the work beyond this is expressly prohibited and will be prosecuted.

Share via email

Media