Blanket return to office driven by ‘broligarchs’ in US makes no sense

Ireland went into lockdown in March 2020, and it changed the employment landscape. Five years on, Karen O’Reilly offers a post-pandemic perspective

Elon Musk speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference. The cancellation of equity, diversity, and inclusion policies and a blanket return to office driven by the ‘broligarchs’ in the US is very worrying, particularly for Irish people working in multinationals. Picture: AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana

Before the pandemic, it was a struggle to explain flexible work and how it could allow companies to access untapped talent. Despite the competitive advantage that it could afford organisations, they pushed back, either through ignorance or misinformation, and were afraid to embrace flexible work.

The pandemic did us a favour in that respect, and companies are now more open to flexible work. Most office-based organisations were abruptly forced into a remote work landscape five years ago and learned that flexible work, despite the pre-pandemic reluctance, could be a game changer.

However, even with its widespread adoption, confusion remains over what flexible work means. Terms such as remote work, hybrid work, compressed work weeks, job-sharing, and flexible hours are used interchangeably, creating confusion for both employers and employees.

Standardised definitions would provide greater transparency in job postings and employment contracts, ensuring both parties understand how much flexibility is on offer. We see many roles being advertised as remote, when, in fact, the employer requires the person to be in the office for two or three days per week.

This is not going to work if the job is in Dublin and someone lives in Allihies, for example.

There have been many conflicting reports about whether remote work is on the rise or on the decline, mainly because of the ambiguity around the terminology. The truth is that 100% remote jobs are scarce, even though there is an enormous appetite for them from employees. Employers are not so keen to relinquish, as they see it, control.

On the other hand, hybrid is a popular option for both employee and employer, and seems to be here to stay.

Who is using flexible work arrangements?

Employees have had a taste of flexible work and are reluctant to give it up, but the cancellation of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) policies and a blanket return to office driven by the ‘broligarchs’ in the US is worrying, particularly for Irish people working in multinationals.

At Employflex, we have seen a huge upsurge in candidates registering with us and seeking flexible work, as they predict they will be called back into the office full-time soon. We spoke to one candidate this week, an employee of a large tech company who has been working from home for the last 17 years. His team is in the US and his boss is in Paris. Now they want him back on site in Cork.

It doesn’t make sense. Flexible work has become a necessity for a diverse range of workers, from parents and caregivers to the physically or intellectually disabled or to professionals seeking better work-life balance.

Pull the rug out from flexible work offerings, and your diverse workforce will seek employment elsewhere.

Indigenous SMEs in Ireland can gain competitive advantage in the war for talent by offering flexible work, and marketing themselves as genuinely family- or flex-friendly.

It’s a great opportunity for companies to snap up the best talent, especially in industries that lend themselves to flexible work, such as finance, tech, or design. Any company serious about their EDI policies needs to be serious about offering authentic flexible work.

The future of work: What lies ahead?

The future of flexible work in Ireland depends on lots of factors, including Government policies and, more importantly, the cultures of organisations. Unfortunately, the new laws around the right to request flexible and remote work have no real teeth, and favour the employer.

While the new laws provide a structured avenue for employees to request flexible and remote working arrangements and promote dialogue between employers and employees, all cases brought before the Work Relations Commission have been won by the employer.

Younger people in the workplace welcome hybrid work arrangements and like going into the office for part of the week.

They recognise the importance of in-person interactions for career growth and sociability. There isn’t much craic for someone in their 20s to be working from their bedroom in a rented house on their own, day in, day out.

Much of what is learned is from a process of osmosis in an office environment, which simply does not happen when you work 100% remotely. In contrast, older employees, especially mothers, favour work-from-home arrangements, where they can organise their work life around family, ditch the commute, and lean into the holy grail of a better work-life balance.

They have done their training in the office, know their jobs well, and are not looking to go for pints on a Thursday night after work. They are also what companies seek in terms of experience, mature skillset, and work ethic, and are most likely to remain loyal to their employer and not head off to Australia next week.

The availability of flexible work has changed the Irish workplace, to the benefit of employers and employees.

Without clear guidelines and a commitment to EDI policies, these changes will be eradicated. As organisations reassess their post-pandemic strategies, it is crucial to ensure that flexible work remains an option for those who need it most.

The conversation around work in Ireland must now shift toward long-term sustainability, clarity, and, above all, fairness in flexible work policies.

• Karen O’Reilly is the founder of Employmum and flexible recruitment agency Employflex.