Workers waiting for details of Post-Covid working environment

Lack of clarity has made it difficult to plan personal lives, secure childcare and mortgage approval

Of those surveyed, 13% said the lack of clarity has implications on future childminding needs.

Almost two-fifths of employees have yet to receive clarity from their employer in relation to post Covid working practices, a new survey of Irish workers has found.

Despite the lifting of many Covid-related restrictions, large sections of the country's workforce continue to work from home with employers across the globe considering how the future working environment will look like and operate.

Recruitment website irishjobs.ie surveyed more than 3,000 employees in Ireland and found 38% of employees have received no update from their employer in relation to long-term working practices.

“As restrictions begin to ease, many employers now have a decision to make in relation to what they want their post-Covid workplace to look like," Orla Moran, General Manager of IrishJobs.ie said.

 "Fundamental to this question is whether they intend to continue to facilitate remote- or hybrid-working or is their intention to get everyone back to the office."

Amongst the employees awaiting clarity, 37% suggested that this was because their employers were still awaiting further guidance from public health authorities in relation to returning to the office protocols.

A further 25% attributed this information vacuum to poor internal communications; 20% said their employers were waiting to see what their industry peers would do and 15% said they were still consulting with employees on their preferred working model.

Of those surveyed, 45% said the lack of clarity has made it very difficult to plan ahead in their personal lives. A further 20% say that it has implications on their living situation, making it difficult to make decisions on where to live, rent or buy long-term. 

Other considerations cited by employees include the implications on child-minding needs (13%); undermining their ability to secure mortgage approval on a new home (5%); and implications for where they intend to enrol children in school (3%).