Costs, tax and budget
Does ergonomic home office equipment pay off?
Yes. Non-ergonomic setups cost up to 25% of productivity – measured against an annual salary that is a multiple of the equipment cost. Home office ergonomics is one of the most economical investments in hybrid work.
Research by Fraunhofer IAO and Techniker Krankenkasse shows that employees working at non-ergonomic home workstations lose up to 25% of their productivity. At an annual salary of EUR 60,000 that equates to up to EUR 15,000 per person per year – a complete ergonomic setup costs a fraction of that over three years.
The need is equally well documented: 36% of hybrid workers report back, neck or headache complaints (Forsa, N = 1,500), sick days per employee in Germany rose from 11.2 (2021) to 19.4 (2023) according to the Federal Statistical Office, and in an onyo survey (N = 294, DACH) only 33% of hybrid workers had an ergonomic chair at home.
For your own business case: compare equipment cost per person per month with avoidable productivity and absence costs. One or two avoided sick days per year already cover a substantial share of the monthly equipment rate.
Key points
- Up to 25% productivity loss without ergonomic equipment (Fraunhofer IAO/TK)
- 36% of hybrid workers report back, neck or headaches (Forsa)
- Sick days per employee: 11.2 (2021) → 19.4 (2023, Destatis)
- Only 33% have an ergonomic chair at home (onyo survey, N = 294)
Sources
This page provides professional orientation, not legal or tax advice.