Remote working may lead to €827m gain a year

‘Knowledge’ workers would be willing to work up to eight extra hours per week if they could do so remotely, potentially providing the economy with an extra €827m per year, it has been claimed.

Furthermore, working “flexibly” for just two days a week would save knowledge workers in Ireland an average of €47 per week on commuting costs.

The figures are released in a survey carried out by UCD’s Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School on behalf of IT solutions company Data Solutions. It defines a “knowledge” worker as someone whose job involves handling or using information — such as accountants, engineers, architects, scientists, and academics.

The survey found that a higher uptake of flexible working among knowledge workers would add €2.5bn to the economy via increased employment and productivity. It would also encourage “economically inactive knowledge workers” — such as the unemployed, disabled, or students — who, according to the survey, would be encouraged to return to work if remote working conditions were available.

“Of those, 61% would be willing to work up to eight hours extra a week, remotely,” the report states.

Despite 92% of workers being aware of flexible working environments, only four in 10 use them, according to the report.