In our last issue, we asked you, our members, for your feelings on remote working. Many of you took the opportunity to share your thoughts. While responses were overwhelmingly in favour of maintaining blended working arrangements, there was considerable variety in the reasons members want to retain access to flexible work options.  

Sick of the commute 

The most often cited issue for members was that a full time return to the office would increase the amount of time they spend commuting to and from work.  

A member from the Services and Enterprises division crunched the numbers and found that his commute adds roughly an additional 500 hours (70 days) per year, at a cost of €5K. 

A member from the Civil Service division was concerned about the environmental impact of thousands of public service workers commuting into the office an extra day or two a week. He said, “The carbon footprint for needlessly dragging staff into offices should be calculated and laid at the doorstep of that department.” 

For some members working in Dublin, living in the city is simply not viable. One Civil Service member who is currently working remotely, shared that she “was finally able to afford to purchase my first home” though this means commuting from Laois to Dublin on office days.  

Another member tells of a cross-country commute from Donegal to Dublin three days a week. Explaining why she does it, this member said: “it would not be financially viable to stay in Dublin full time and, as a parent, not viable from a caring point of view either.” 

Caring 

Family and care responsibilities were the next most common issue for members. Remote working is allowing members to spend more time with their children. A Civil Service member commented: "Working from home changed my life” and meant she has “much more time with my children and for myself.” Another, father of two young children, said: “We can properly share the dropping and collecting of our kids.” 

A member from the Local Government and Local Services division said remote working gives them the option to stay in the job despite having “no consistent childcare” and describing local childcare options as “practically non-existent.” 

Care responsibilities kept one member out of the workforce for decades. After raising her children and caring for a sick parent she was finally able to return to work: “I could have re-started my career at least 10 years earlier had work from home existed pre-Covid.”  

Accommodating all workers  

The benefit of remote working for those living with a disability is also reflected by members’ experiences. One member who lives with a visual impairment said, “working from home allows people with disabilities to fully engage with the workplace.” 

Another member was concerned about people with what she described as ‘invisible’ disabilities: for workers with autism, like herself, working in a moderately busy office can be “unreasonably stressful.” This is because, for autistic people who are sensitive to sensory overload, even an average office can make it “impossible to concentrate.” 

Despite its overall popularity, remote working still had its detractors. One civil service member said: “Blended working was only for Covid, and I think going forward all staff should come into the office five days a week.”  

Some feel a better balance is needed. Another member expressed a preference to have one or two days a week in the office. She said: “working from home 90% of the time, as is our case, can be quite isolating, not good for your mental health and wellbeing and your confidence.” 

The picture painted in members’ responses is that maintaining access to remote working options is crucial. It is allowing them to work productively while, at the same time, saving money and giving them more time with family.  

Overall, it is clear that members highly value remote working, as echoed by one Civil Service member: “There is no going back.” 

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