Vast majority want to work from home
WORKING from home during the pandemic appears to have been a hit with workers – as a massive 86% say they want to continue it.
Ireland’s largest ever employee opinion survey of 4,300 workers on the issue of remote working revealed a ‘huge appetite’ for working from home, with most respondents favouring a mix of home and the workplace.
Some 86% of respondents were interested in working remotely, while more than 80% of those who favour home working expressed a preference for a ‘hybrid arrangement’, the research conducted by Amarách for the union Fórsa last month found.
Home working isn’t just good for staff, it benefits employers too, as half those polled said it improved their productivity, while 45% of parents said it had made it easier to manage childcare after the pandemic closed schools and creches.
However, the level of enthusiasm fell sharply among under-30s as the figure for those who favour it dropped to 66%, suggesting younger workers face particular challenges in home working.
Fórsa spokesman Bernard Harbor said: ‘The experience of remote working during the Covid-19 emergency has demonstrated that many roles can be carried out remotely in ways that are productive, cost-effective and attractive to employers and their staff.
‘Workers value the flexibility that remote working can bring, while managers cite access to talent, improved productivity and cost savings as benefits.’
The best reason for working from home, according to 81% of respondents, was reduced exposure to Covid-19, followed by improved work-life balance (70%), reduced commuting time (67%) and increased work flexibility (55%). However, the four main concerns were disconnection from the workplace, work encroachment on home life, costs and the appropriateness of home workspaces, and health and safety issues.