Right to Request Remote Working Bill Represents a Bold Endorsement for Future Hybrid Work

The Government’s Right to Request Remote Working Bill represents a bold endorsement of a new era for long-term flexible working in Ireland.

That’s according to Zoom Government Relations Director for Ireland, Charlotte Holloway, reacting to legislation announced this week by Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD which sets out a legal framework for requesting, approving, or refusing a request to work remotely.

Commenting, Ms Holloway said: “As businesses and offices across Ireland welcome the gradual return of employees, we are encouraged to see the Government continue to endorse the positive learnings from remote and hybrid working over the course of the pandemic.

“While Covid restrictions were in place we saw how employees were quickly able to adapt their work practises and routines through remote working.

“This has resulted in a realisation that having more options around tailored ways of working creates better alignment with personal and family life – and the benefits of continued remote working are clear for all to see.”

Ms Holloway added: “This new Bill is an important step toward supporting engagement between employers and employees on how to make flexible and remote working arrangements a success for both parties.

“Through open dialogue, employers can then identify where they may need the support of solutions delivery partners like Zoom to help them champion new ways of working and enable their employees to do their best work from anywhere.

“The day has come where work should no longer be defined as a location, but a space determined by processes and technology tailored to employee needs, and with the Government continuing to champion progressive policies on the future of work, Ireland now has a real opportunity to emerge from the pandemic as a true world leader when it comes to hybrid work. This legislation is a crucial step towards making that vision a reality.”

New Government data reveals a strong appetite among Irish people to maintain the choice of a hybrid model of work.

This was clearly demonstrated in the results of the latest ‘pulse survey’ on remote work published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) last week, which revealed:

– Nearly 90% of people who remote work would like to continue to have the choice to do so after the removal of pandemic restrictions.

– Of those who currently remote work, 81% aged 18 to 34 years felt they had more time on their hands.