Major companies like Amazon, Dell, and IBM are pushing for their remote workers to return to the office in recent months, sparking concerns over the future of remote work. While some businesses continue to embrace flexible working arrangements, others are increasing the number of in-office days required for employees.
Elaine Snowden, a designer for Irish company StoryToys, is among those who have thrived working from home. Snowden, who designs educational apps for children, has not returned to the office since the pandemic began. She finds it easier to focus in her home office without distractions, saying, “You just get to work and you don’t have people dropping by your desk.”
Snowden believes her productivity has remained high, if not increased, since working remotely. She credits her company’s trust in their employees’ ability to deliver results without constant supervision. StoryToys’ CEO, Emmet O’Neill, supports this model, stating, “If I was to bring everyone back in, I wouldn’t be set up for it.” He also suggests that some companies pushing for office returns are motivated by real estate leases they can no longer justify.
Research from the business group Ibec indicates that while most companies are not requiring employees to return full-time, there has been an increase in the number of businesses mandating some on-site attendance. Maeve McElwee, Executive Director of Employer Relations at Ibec, noted that 26% of employers are now asking staff to come into the office on specific days. Companies are motivated by reasons including the need for in-person training, mentoring, and the social aspects of work.
Despite the rising pressure for employees to return to the office, surveys show that many workers are willing to quit rather than lose remote working options. Vicky Day, a remote worker from Waterford, decided to leave her job when her employer increased in-office days. “I would not be able to maintain the level of attendance in the office that they wanted,” she explained, citing a lack of public transportation options as a major factor in her decision.
Since March, employees in Ireland have had the right to request remote or flexible working, with the option to escalate disputes to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). Campaign group Grow Remote has called for further government action to protect remote work and create more remote job opportunities, especially in rural areas. Tracy Keogh, co-founder of Grow Remote, urged the next government to create an agency focused on promoting remote work in Ireland’s regional communities.
Looking ahead to 2025, the hybrid work model appears to be here to stay. According to hiring platform IrishJobs, the proportion of hybrid work vacancies in Ireland has remained steady over the past six quarters. Sam Dooley, Country Director of The Stepstone Group for Ireland, predicts hybrid work will continue to be a key feature of the labor market, while fully remote opportunities may see a decline.