The high-frequency establishment survey “Establishments in the Covid-19-Crisis” (BeCovid) started in 2020 and continued until June 2022 to collect monthly data on how businesses in Germany adjusted to the challenges of the pandemic. This article describes the survey design and provides an overview over the topics covered. We further outline the survey’s research potentials, particularly when linked to administrative records.

This study reports on a mode design experiment in which a Web starting mode was introduced for the first time in the Institute for Employment Research Establishment Panel. A cross‐sectional sample of establishments was randomized to be interviewed via the traditional face‐to‐face procedure or a Web‐first sequential mixed‐mode design with face‐to‐face follow‐ups. Extensive administrative data were used to estimate and compare nonresponse bias at multiple phases of the sequential mixed‐mode design, and assess the relationship between mode design and establishment characteristics on the likelihood of response. We show that the final response rates and nonresponse bias were similar between both mode designs, but these results contrasted with the results at each phase of the sequential mode design. Larger establishments were significantly more likely to respond in the Web mode compared to the face‐to‐face mode. A moderate cost savings (of about 14% per respondent) was estimated for the Web‐first sequential mode design.