Multi-local living employees in Stuttgart and Milan. An analysis of their employer support for the spatial-temporal organisation of their living arrangements

Abstract

With work-related living in several places – also known as
multi-local living – on the rise due to flexible working and
living environments, employers are increasingly challenged
to support multi-local living arrangements in order to recruit
and retain qualified employees nationwide. This paper
presents the first results of an analysis conducted in the cities
of Stuttgart in Germany and Milan in Italy. With the help of
semi-structured problem-oriented interviews with multi-local
employees in knowledge-based sectors, their requirements
and the benefits they currently receive from their employers in
support of their living arrangements are examined. The results
show, among other things, that in both cities certain types of
companies are more open to these living arrangements. However,
few employers were found to have official policies for
dealing with multi-locality. Furthermore, it is shown that different
types of multi-local employees require different support.
The paper also discusses interactions between workrelated
multi-locality and spatial development.