In the NUI Galway and WDC 2022 Remote Working in Ireland survey, 30pc of respondents said they will change jobs if their remote working preferences are not facilitated.
A new survey suggests that Irish people want hybrid and remote working practices to continue, despite the fact many are working longer hours remotely than while working on-site.
The 2022 Remote Working in Ireland survey by NUI Galway researchers and the Western Development Commission found that of the 92pc of respondents currently working remotely some or all of the time, 53pc would like to work remotely all of the time going forward. Meanwhile, 42pc want to continue working remotely several times a week and 4pc said several times a month.
They survey collected data from employees across a wide range of Irish industries, sectors and occupations at the end of last month. Out of more than 8,000 respondents, 52pc are currently working in a hybrid arrangement, while 40pc are fully remote and just 8pc are fully on-site.
Almost half (49pc) of respondents said that they work more hours while working remotely compared to working on-site. Just 6pc reported that they work fewer hours and 45pc indicated that they work the same hours.
It follows on from last year’s report, which was carried out when many workplaces were still facing Covid-19 public health restrictions. There was a much higher percentage of fully remote workers (75pc) last year, and 95pc of people said they would prefer to keep remote working after the pandemic.
This year’s report suggests that workplaces and workers are still in a transitory phase, with many figuring out what practices work best.
Half of the respondents indicated that their organisation has confirmed how they will work in the future. Meanwhile, 22pc said they are still in a trial phase and 29pc have not yet decided on future work patterns.
More than half (58pc) of respondents said they had never worked remotely before the pandemic.
Of the 50pc of respondents whose organisations have confirmed future working patterns, 61pc said that they will work in a hybrid model. Just under a third (30pc) indicated that they will work completely remotely and just 9pc will work fully on-site.
Researchers asked those who know what their employer’s plans are for the future whether they are satisfied their remote working requirements are being considered. The majority (61pc) said yes, while 19pc indicated that their preferences are not being facilitated and 20pc do not know yet whether their preferences will be facilitated.
In the survey, 30pc of respondents said they will change jobs – even if it means a pay cut – if their remote working preferences are not facilitated.
Saving time commuting, having more time for household chores, leisure and spending time with family were all factors in people’s preference for hybrid and remote working, even if they sometimes worked longer hours.
Almost all (95pc) of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that working remotely makes their life easier.
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