Slowing growth and persistent skill shortages are prompting enterprises in Germany to adopt new workplace models centered on flexibility and autonomous AI systems, according to a new research report published by Information Services Group (ISG), a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm.

German workplaces are undergoing one of the most significant transformations in decades. Organizations are adopting hybrid models and integrating responsible AI as long-term strategies for productivity and growth.

The 2025 ISG Provider Lens Future of Work Services report for Germany finds that economic stagnation and demographic pressures have combined to create a structural labor shortage that is reshaping corporate policy and accelerating the adoption of AI-enabled work models. Enterprises are also expanding international recruitment and reskilling programs, treating global talent acquisition as a long-term strategic necessity to fill domestic skill gaps.

AI Authority Trend: ISG Says Asia Pacific Enterprises Accelerate AI Adoption in App Development

“German workplaces are undergoing one of the most significant transformations in decades,” said Martin Mitrega, director at ISG. “Organizations are adopting hybrid models and integrating responsible AI as long-term strategies for productivity and growth.”

Hybrid work has become a permanent pillar of the German labor market, the report says. The profound shifts in work organization triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic have now consolidated into a new, stable way of working in Germany. Hybrid arrangements have shifted from temporary measures to strategic fixtures of many workplaces, with knowledge-based industries leading this trend. Companies are redesigning offices as collaboration hubs and equipping managers to lead distributed teams.

AI adoption has reached an inflection point in Germany, influencing workplace practices, ISG says. A recent survey by the Germany-based ifo Institute found that more than 40 percent of German companies use AI in their business processes and more than 90 percent see generative AI (GenAI) as critical to future business models. AI implementation is shifting from limited use to a core business priority, with investment rising in multiple sectors. Implementations of AI without IT oversight have raised concerns about AI security and governance.

Agentic AI is the next frontier for German enterprises and is rapidly emerging, the report says. Autonomous AI agents can plan, reason and execute multistep tasks with minimal human oversight. Germany’s enterprise agentic AI market demonstrates how the technology is evolving from a tool to a collaborative team member. Major automotive operations such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW already deploy agentic systems for conversational navigation and supply chain optimization, moving from task automation to end-to-end process redesign. However, this growing ambition is matched by rising caution. Trust in fully autonomous systems has declined sharply amid greater awareness of risks related to data privacy, algorithmic bias and loss of control.

AI Authority Trend: ISG Report: Europe Embraces AI-Driven Workday Optimization

“AI is increasingly seen as a driver of job transformation rather than outright replacement,” said Roman Pelzel, principal analyst, ISG Provider Lens Research, and lead author of the report. “As awareness of privacy and control risks grows, enterprises are redefining roles and skills to foster human-agent collaboration rather than full automation.”

The report also explores other trends in Germany’s workplace services market, including changes being implemented to reach sustainability goals and a recent shift toward experience-driven, outcome-based contracting aligned with responsible AI governance.

The 2025 ISG Provider Lens Future of Work Services report for Germany evaluates the capabilities of 39 providers across six quadrants: Workplace Strategy and Enablement Services, Collaboration and Next-gen Experience Services, Managed End-user Technology Services, Continuous Productivity Services (including Next-gen Service Desk), Smart and Sustainable Workplace Services and AI-augmented Workforce Services.

The report names Capgemini, Deutsche Telekom, Infosys and Wipro as Leaders in all six quadrants. Accenture, Bechtle, Computacenter and HCLTech are named as Leaders in five quadrants each. Unisys is named as a Leader in four quadrants. Deloitte and TCS are named as Leaders in three quadrants each. NTT DATA and PwC are named as Leaders in two quadrants each, and Atos and Lenovo are named as Leaders in one quadrant each.

In addition, NTT DATA and Stefanini are named as Rising Stars — companies with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in two quadrants each. Bechtle, Getronics and netgo are recognized as Rising Stars in one quadrant each.

In the area of customer experience, Microland is named the global ISG CX Star Performer for 2025 among future of work service providers. Microland earned the highest customer satisfaction scores in ISG’s Voice of the Customer survey, part of the ISG Star of Excellence program, the premier quality recognition for the technology and business services industry.

AI Authority Trend: ISG Says Europe’s ADM Market Embraces GenAI for Smarter, Compliant Software Delivery

Source – businesswire

To share your insights, please write to us at info@intentamplify.com