As employees throughout the country are being encouraged to work from home in order to stem the spread of Covid-19.
However, 2022 should see the resumption of the staggered return to the office for the Irish workforce, and a survey from the newly rebranded Compliance Institute (formerly the Association of Compliance Officers of Ireland ) has found that even when employees are free to return, a hybrid model is most likely to be adopted by the majority of employers.
Most organisations (67 per cent ) say those employees working from home will still need to visit the office at least once a week, with 53 per cent of these saying they will have to be there two or three days a week.
The survey of more than 280 organisations, answered by Compliance Institute members with responsibility for compliance in large organisations throughout the country, also found that over a quarter (28 per cent ) of employees will need to be near enough to the office so that they can commute every week, while more than three in 10 organisations will allow their employees to work remotely from anywhere in the country.
"We have reached another roadblock in terms of workers returning to the office, but we are all hoping that the advice will change at some stage in the New Year.
"When this happens, there is likely to be something of a trial period for many organisations as they figure out the best way to accommodate their staff’s changed situations, needs, and preferences," Michael Kavanagh, CEO of the Compliance Institute, said of the findings.
Remote working – but from where?
The Compliance Institute survey also asked respondents whether their organisation planned to allow employees to work remotely at offsite locations. The survey revealed that more than three in 10 say employees can work anywhere in the country, with five per cent saying they could even work outside of Ireland. Twenty eight per cent say they are open to people working from home so long as they can commute to the office when needed. Thirty eight per cent say that where a person works from has yet to be decided or will be managed on a case-by-case basis.
"Remote working has the potential to become a contentious issue among workers and employers alike as efforts are made to marry the needs and desires of workers with the goals and best interests of the businesses. The pandemic has changed many people’s life/work situation as well as their goals and ambitions, and so patience and communication will be required by both employers and employees to figure out workable solutions and compromises in the months ahead.
"Questions will need to be asked such as whether it is tenable to keep renting office or commercial space when a large portion of your staff are working from home, from an alternative location, or abroad. Will employee retention become an issue if remote working is not allowed? There are many elements to weigh up," Mr Kavanagh continued.
The era of the virtual meeting
It has been said that one of the main bonuses of the return to the office is getting back to face-to-face interactions. However, the Compliance Institute survey found that most businesses will continue to utilize online, and video conferencing platforms popularised during the pandemic.
"The proliferation of meeting room software will continue to dominate Irish organisations – 72 per cent of employers say they will continue to utilitise these tools to varying degrees, often using them to replace the traditional face-to-face meeting.
Mr Kavanagh concluded: "This survey highlighted the fact that there are still many issues to be ironed out as regards the return to the office and there is a lot of uncertainty as yet on the best approaches to take. Sixteen per cent of companies are unsure as to how often they will require employees to visit the office, 24 per cent are undecided on the issue of allowing remote working from various locations, and 23 per cent have not yet made a decision on the best way to conduct their staff or client meetings.
"I think we all know at this stage that the traditional office Monday to Friday, nine-to-five set-up may well have seen its day, or at the very least it will have to share its dominance with the new phenomenon of the remote workplace," Mr Kavanagh commented.
