Fórsa trade union has published major new research suggesting that the debate around remote and hybrid working now extends far beyond the workplace itself, with implications for productivity, transport, infrastructure, regional development, local economies, family life and staff retention. The union has said that remote and flexible working arrangements must feature in upcoming negotiations on a new public service pay deal.
The research, which was presented to delegates at Fórsa’s biennial conference in Killarney this morning (Thursday), shows that remote and hybrid working is now a mainstream labour-market experience, with 38.4% currently working remotely at least one day per week and a further 19.2% having done so previously, while 61% of respondents said they would prefer hybrid or fully remote work over the next two years.
Managers taking part in the survey also reported positively on productivity, while respondents consistently reported that remote or hybrid working performed as well as, or better than, fully on-site working arrangements. For example, just 6% of respondents said meeting deadlines was problematic when working remotely, compared with 23% who identified this as a difficulty when working on-site.
This is reflected in the finding that 86% of managers supervising remote-working staff said employees seldom or never missed work-related deadlines, compared with 73% among fully on-site teams. Similar patterns emerged in relation to communication and collaboration.
The research also indicates employers risk creating retention challenges through rigid return-to-office policies. Four in ten workers said they would look for another job if access to remote work was reduced, while just 28% said they would accept the change.
Seven in ten Fórsa members who currently work remotely or in hybrid arrangements said they would consider moving role to retain or improve their current level of flexibility, suggesting that flexibility is increasingly viewed by workers as a core condition of employment rather than an optional benefit.
‘New normal’
The research challenges assumptions that managers find it difficult to manage hybrid teams, and that return-to-office mandates are necessary to improve efficiency. Across multiple measures, managers reported fewer problems among staff working remotely or in hybrid arrangements than among fully on-site teams.
The findings also suggest that where difficulties might arise in remote or hybrid settings, workers and managers do not necessarily view remote work itself as the root cause. Managers overseeing remote-working staff were less likely to report problems relating to deadlines, communication with external clients, or collaboration with colleagues.
Commenting on the findings, Fórsa campaigns director Kevin Donoghue said: “For many workers, hybrid working is no longer viewed as a perk or temporary pandemic arrangement. It has become part of the new normal of working life.
“But this research also shows that the future-of-work debate now extends far beyond office walls. Hybrid working affects commuting patterns, congestion, childcare, family life, local economies, climate policy, regional development and participation in communities.”
The research found that more than seven in ten respondents said congestion and crowding at peak times had worsened over the past twelve months, with the findings suggesting that remote and hybrid work could help ease pressure on roads and public transport networks at a time of considerable uncertainty around fuel supply and transport costs. Half (45%) of commuters who work remotely said they gained more than three hours each week by not travelling to or from the office.
“In that context, hybrid working arrangements clearly have a role in any serious policy discussion about infrastructure and climate measures,” Mr Donoghue said.
Local economies
The research also points to wider changes in how and where economic activity now takes place.
It found that 77% of remote and hybrid workers now spend more money in their local area because of remote work, with almost half saying it is money that was previously spent near workplaces.
Mr Donoghue added: “Working from home is changing where Ireland spends its money. There was a lot of handwringing by business and employer groups last year, particularly as the lobbying campaign to reduce VAT in hospitality was at its peak. Nobody seemed to consider that the market itself had decentralised.
“The daily coffee purchase, in some cases, had moved to Clonee, Longford, Ballinasloe or Ennistymon. This kind of economic redistribution could play an important role in supporting rural and suburban towns which, at one time, risked becoming dormitory communities for people working in larger towns and cities,” he said.
The report also found that the strongest support for remote and hybrid working related to stress reduction, time use and productivity. Among respondents with remote or hybrid experience, 74% said it reduced stress, while 68% said it improved productivity.
Challenges
The report also points to concerns about inequality in access to flexible work, with 64% agreeing that remote-work opportunities are unfairly concentrated among higher-paid or higher-skilled jobs.
Mr Donoghue added: “Remote work cannot become a class divide in the workplace. The challenge now is ensuring that flexibility, where possible, is implemented fairly, transparently and sustainably across the workforce.
“This research emphasises the ordinary, practical value of remote work. The benefit is not only fewer hours in the office. It is a calmer morning, the ability to do a school run, time to exercise, the chance to start dinner earlier, or the ability to recover from work without a long commute,” he said.