Remote working is on the rise
AN Irish start-up head-quartered in Gorey is aiming to create 1,000 jobs in the southeast region by encouraging employers to hire remote workers.
Abodoo, the online portal for remote and flexible careers, made the announcement last week following an event for regional business-leaders in Gorey last Tuesday night.
Minister Denis Naughten was the guest speaker at the event which took place in the Hatch Lab, Knockmullen. However he didn’t attend the event and instead gave his address by live video link demonstrating how technology can assist remote working and how location is often irrelevant.
Enniscorthy resident Vanessa Tierney, who is co-founder of Abodoo, said: ‘We hosted this event to provide employers with a clear understanding of the opportunities presented by remote and flexible working.
‘Many companies in Ireland have been forced to ‘go remote’ in recent days, due to the impact of Ophelia. Whilst this was a practical response to an emergency situation, it highlights that many companies already have the technical ability to offer flexible working which prompts more discussion outside of times of crisis or travel disruption.
‘In recent years, technological advancements have allowed people to establish quality careers while working from home. Thanks to high-speed broadband, cloud computing, screen-sharing, video-calling and instant messaging, it’s easy for employees to work effectively from home while keeping in touch with the rest of their team.
Other speakers included: Brendan Mc Donald, IDA Regional Manager, South-East Region and Sue Marshall, CEO of Abodoo and employer of remote and flexible teams in Europe.
Topics covered by speakers at the event included: The business case for flexible or remote working and the impact for business leaders; What companies are providing remote and flexible working opportunities in Ireland – and how?; How to transition to a flexible or remote strategy for your business – with examples of successful case studies.
Abodoo which was launched in Ireland last month has attracted support from open eir and the IDA. The company also plans to launch in the UK in the coming months and to expand globally next year.
Ms Tierney said: ‘We have set the ambitious goal of getting one thousand people employed across the south-east region through the Abodoo platform.
‘We anticipate this will be a combination of skilled people who are currently unemployed but want to return to work, and people in employment who no longer want the exhausting commute to Dublin.
‘We will achieve this goal by encouraging up to 100 companies to hire an average of 10 skilled remote workers each. These will be people living in the south-east region, who can either work from home or from a co-working hub like the Hatch Lab in Gorey, where we are based ourselves.
‘We are working with our partners, open eir and the IDA, to identify suitable employers and demonstrate to them the benefits of hiring remote workers.’
Ms. Tierney said an increase in remote working would lead to significant cost-savings for government, employers and workers themselves.
‘One of the biggest savings is in relation to transport, and this has knock-on benefits for the environment,’ she said. ‘Remote workers save, on average, between €2,000 and €7,000 and hundreds of hours of travel time per year – just by removing their daily commute. One thousand new remote workers in the south-east would equate to a saving of 235 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
‘The business case for remote working is also strong: companies will save an average of €11,000 per remote employee, and 91 per cent of companies that facilitate remote working experience increased productivity. Companies that promote remote working also report an increase in staff retention of over 50 per cent; and a reduction in absenteeism of 63 per cent.’
Ms. Tierney said Abodoo is seeking expressions of interest now from employers interested in hiring skilled remote workers in the south-east region. Employers and those seeking flexible careers can register at www.abodoo.com.