Working from home or not is a topic that divides opinions in many German companies. More and more businesses are asking their employees to return to the office. The reasons vary, from fostering team spirit and cohesion to boosting productivity and addressing economic challenges. Employees also have mixed feelings about this. Some enjoy regular interactions with their favorite colleagues, while others need to reorganize their lives as they had structured their family and leisure activities around working from home. Regardless of how the debate evolves, working from home remains a sensitive issue, and companies should involve their employees in the discussion.
The online retailer Otto has significantly changed its work-from-home policy. Starting in January 2025, employees must spend at least 50% of their working time in the office. Previously, teams could decide whether to work remotely or on-site. A company spokesperson explained this change by emphasizing the importance of social bonds and emotional attachment to the company. This announcement has been criticized by many employees who had adapted their family lives to working from home. Only those with 100% remote contracts are exempt from the new rule. It is unclear if Otto will revert to the old policy after a planned trial period. Otto joins a growing list of companies, including SAP and Deutsche Bank, that are restricting their work-from-home policies.
Apple has received attention for placing the power button on the underside of the new Mac Mini. According to Apple’s hardware and marketing executives, this decision was due to the more compact design of the new model, which required placing the button in the most suitable location. Additionally, they mentioned that Mac users rarely use the power button, with one executive noting that he couldn’t remember the last time he turned his Mac on.
In Europe, there is ongoing concern about the market dominance of big tech companies from the US, such as Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Google. In response, two competitors, Ecosia from Germany and Qwant from France, have formed the European Search Perspective. Their goal is to create a privacy-friendly search index to strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty. This index will be shared with other search engine providers, and development is set to begin in early 2025.
Despite the rise of AI-assisted coding, learning programming skills remains crucial. Google’s Head of Research, Yossi Matias, emphasized in an interview that while AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Llama can generate functional code, understanding the basics of programming is essential. Matias compared the situation to mathematics, where despite computers handling most calculations, experts with deep knowledge are still needed. He expressed concern that many beginners rely too heavily on AI support, missing out on important foundational experiences.
Google Maps has introduced a new feature that turns the journey into the destination. While the service is designed to get users to their destinations quickly, it now also suggests interesting stops and attractions along the route. Previously, this feature was available for gas stations and restaurants, and it now extends to sightseeing. Additionally, with the holiday season approaching, the service will help with shopping by listing nearby stores that carry the desired products.
These summaries were created using our internal AI tool. If you enjoy staying updated, consider subscribing to our newsletter, which provides a weekly roundup of important news.