New figures suggest workers have enjoyed the transition to remote working...
95% of workers are in favour of some form of remote working after Covid-19, according to a survey led by NUI Galway and the Western Development Commission.
The Second Annual National Remote Working Survey garnered responses from over 6,400 employees examining their experience of remote working one year after lockdown.
Out of the 95% of workers who would prefer to work remotely some or all of the time post-Covid-19, 53% said they would like to work remotely several times a week, 32% said they would like to work fully remotely and 10% said they would like to work remotely several times a month.
The number of people who would prefer to work fully remotely has increased by 20% since NUI Galway and the Western Development Commission's first survey immediately after lockdown in April 2020.
The number of workers who would like to continue working remotely fully or in some capacity also rose from 83% to 95% in the same time.
24% of respondents, meanwhile, said they would consider relocating based on their experience of remote working since Covid-19.
A further 9% revealed they had already moved, with the West, the South-west and the Border area being the top regions to which respondents had relocated.
14% said they may consider moving, while just over half (53%) said they would not consider relocating.
According to the survey, workers find that the top three advantages of working remotely are that it gives greater flexibility, that it makes life easier, and that it increases productivity.
However, 51% of respondents said that they work more hours when they work remotely compared to working onsite, while 45% say they work the same hours.
CEO of the Western Development Commission Tomás Ó Síocháin said: “The findings of the national survey indicate that there is a clear appetite to continue to work remotely. This will mean significant change for the way in which people work and the way that organisations support that work.
"A key challenge for leaders in organisations will be ensuring that people that choose to work remotely are treated equally in terms of development and promotional opportunities.”
