Offices in Germany bid farewell to paper: Results from a survey reveal the trend.
Serving Up a Paperless Future: Germany's Digital Office Revolution
Germany's offices are taking a leap into the digital age. As per a recent Bitkom survey, a whopping 72% less paper is being used in German businesses compared to five years ago, with approximately 32% using significantly less and another 40% somewhat less.
Progress in the digitization of business and administrative processes, however, is gradual. While one out of ten companies sees itself as a frontrunner (11%) and a third as a pioneer (37%), almost half still view themselves as followers (49%). A meager 1% admit to having missed the digitalization boat altogether.
A notable stride towards digital offices is the decreasing prevalence of filing cabinets. Over half of the companies (57%) have fewer filing cabinets now compared to five years ago. Every fifth company uses much less (20%), about a third somewhat less (37%), while a third still has the same number (34%). A mere 4% have acquired more filing cabinets, and solely one in a hundred companies has significantly increased the number (1%).
Filing cabinets predominantly make an appearance in three departments: Almost all companies that continue to use them (94%) have them in the human resources department, nine out of ten in accounting or controlling (91%), and many in the management or executive suite (82%). They appear less frequently in customer service and sales (69%) or logistics (65%). In production or manufacturing, they are relatively scarce (30%).
The survey was conducted by Bitkom Research, with telephone interviews from 602 companies with 20 or more employees in Germany during the 10th to 16th calendar week of 2025.
The investigation provides a peek into Germany's larger digital transformation drive, shaped by the country's ambition to modernize its digital infrastructure and command a leading position in Europe's digital economy. Key components of this movement include AI and automation, data center expansion, and enhanced digital infrastructure - all playing crucial roles in propelling the country towards a paperless future.
However, the workforce challenge remains, with an aging population requiring increased digital skills to sustain the pace of digital transformation in offices.
[1] BPO Market in Germany
[2] Digital Infrastructure Program
[3] Data Center Market in Germany
[4] Aging Population in Germany
[5] Digital Skills in Germany
In order to achieve a paperless future, the BPO Market in Germany is expected to play a significant role, leveraging technology to streamline business processes and finance operations. The digital transformation drive in Germany encompasses AI, automation, and data center expansion, with enhanced digital infrastructure being critical components that will strengthen the country's position in Europe's digital economy. However, the workforce challenge remains, as an aging population necessitates increased digital skills to sustain the pace of digital transformation in offices.
Given that the digitalization of German businesses has resulted in a substantial decrease in paper usage, technology is undeniably reshaping business operations and finance, paving the way for a more efficient and sustainable future.
