XING and Statista share the first results of the big employers study: "Compass New World of Working"

 - Almost one in three employers (30 percent) does not support the concession of family and job.
 - One in two companies in Germany does not offer collaboration beyond hierarchies
 - XING-CEO Vollmoeller: “Companies thatwant to be innovative must createa working environment where innovation canthrive”

Hamburg, April 20, 2015 - XING, the leading professional social-network in the German-speaking world, today announced the first results of the representative study "compass new working environment - the large XING employee study". Hamburg-based market research institute Statista interviewed 4,000 workers in March and April of this year. The spectrum of respondents includes all occupational categories, ranging from the cashier to the office clerk right up to the head of department. The aim was to find out how German workers assess their working life in times of profound change and what they expect from the future.

Many experts agree that the world of work is undergoing a radical process of change. But how do those directly affected, the workers in Germany, feel about this? One in three (34 percent) welcomed a change in profession. Another 37 percent were relaxed with expected change. Fewer than 12 percent said they were worried. At least 17 percent of respondents were expecting no change at all.

No "equality" when it comes to flexible working hours between workers and employers

When it comes to flexibility, desire and reality diverge greatly. Almost half of employees (45 percent) indicated that expected time flexibility from their employer exceeded the contractually agreed working hours. Conversely, this creates a very different picture. One in two workers (52 percent) indicated that he or she cannot plan daily working time freely. One in four (26 percent) said that the employer does not give enough freedom to react quickly and flexibly enough to private circumstances.

Statista asked employers: "how accommodating is your employer when it comes to managing private issues such as childcare or elderly care?" Almost one in three (30 percent) responded that the employer does not give any concessions. However, 40 percent indicated they have an employer who does provide concessions.

A similarly mixed picture presents itself when it comes to breaks. Only half of those who wanted to take a longer break, such as a sabbatical or unpaid leave, could take it. 14 percent said that the employer did not give them any time off. Half of employers said it was no problem to grant time off.

In more than half of all companies in Germany, teamwork does not happen beyond the hierarchy paths

The German labor market is influenced largely by a structure which is characterized by hierarchical thinking. Well over half of the respondents (66 percent) agreed that the official route must be strictly adhered to and, if necessary, exceptions could be made after an agreement is reached. 46 percent of employees wish that there would be more cooperation and teamwork beyond hierarchical paths and departmental boundaries. 50 percent say that the processes of cooperation should remain the way they are.

Internal democracy is also is in its infancy. More than a third of interviewees (36 percent) said that they do not have a say in any of the surveyed points. At least 9 percent confirmed that they have a say on the topic of salaries / wages.

XING CEO Vollmoeller: "Companies that want to be innovative must create a working environment where innovation can thrive."

Thomas Vollmoeller, CEO of XING AG: "We asked those who are directly affected by the tectonic changes in the world of work, the workers in Germany. The first results of the study show that in many companies, the ideals of the “New Work” have not yet been reached – these ideals include, work-life balance, democratic structures instead of rigid hierarchies and leadership for results instead of working time. I am convinced that for innovation in Germany, working conditions that make innovation possible in the future are urgently required. Aspects such as capital and know-how do not go far enough. Companies that want to be innovative must create a working environment where innovation can thrive. It must be plugged into the minds of employees. "

The full study results will be presented on April 28 in Berlin.

XING is the social network for business professionals. Cross-platform, XING has about 8.3 million users in its core market DACH. More than 8 million of those are members of the XING platform. On XING professionals from all sectors connect, look for and find jobs, colleagues, new assignments, cooperation partners, experts and generate business ideas. Members exchange ideas online in over 66,000 specialist groups and meet at networking events. XING AG operates the platform. The company was founded in Hamburg in 2003, has been listed since 2006 and is on the TecDAX since September 2011. In December 2010, XING acquired Munich-based amiando AG, Europe's leading provider of online event management and ticketing. The company has been operating since the end of 2013 under the name XING Events GmbH. By purchasing kununu, the market-leading platform for employer reviews in German-speaking countries, XING has further strengthened its position as market leader in social recruiting. Early 2015 has also resulted in the Intelligence Competence Center AG XING. This includes the website Jobbörse.com, with more than 2.5 million jobs, the largest job search engine in the German-speaking countries, the company's portfolio. For more information, see www.xing.com