Employers move towards structured remote working - report

A recent report commissioned by law firm William Fry and conducted by Ipsos B&A indicates that half of large employers in Ireland are expected to mandate a fixed number of office days for their workers by 2027. The research surveyed 404 Irish businesses with 50 or more staff members.

Currently, 34% of large employers already require employees to work a certain number of days in the office. This figure is projected to increase to 50% by next year. Larger employers are nearly twice as likely to adopt a hybrid working model compared to smaller businesses. Sixty-two percent of larger employers have a hybrid working model, whereas less than 30% of small businesses do.

Only 5% of larger employers expect to fully return to the office within the next 12 months, and 4% anticipate a return within two years. When it comes to hybrid working arrangements, three days in the office is the most common structure, with 33% of respondents implementing this approach.

Employers cite several challenges with hybrid working, including accountability and performance tracking, team collaboration, social and cultural considerations, onboarding and training, and concerns about innovation and creativity. Despite these challenges, hybrid working has become firmly established in the Irish workplace.

Nuala Clayton, Partner and Head of Employment, Pensions & Incentives at William Fry, notes that the direction of travel is towards more structured hybrid models that aim to balance the needs of employers and employees. Employers are now more deliberate in determining what works best for their organization, their workforce, and the nature of their work.