Survey asks people if they would relocate or change job in order to work remotely
Previous surveys had pinpointed challenges to remote working during the pandemic which included loneliness and isolation, staying motivated and challenges with the physical workspace. File photo: Joe Giddens/PA
Two years on from the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, researchers at NUI Galway have launched their latest bid to capture people’s experiences of remote working and their preferences heading into the future.
The National Remote Working Survey for 2022 will be the third such annual survey undertaken since 2020 and the first since the lifting of restrictions which could have paved the way for a mass return to the office earlier this year.
Professor Alma McCarthy, who co-leads the project, said that the way we work “has changed dramatically” since the pandemic and it is “timely to capture the trends, preferences and career choice impacts two years on”.
The last iteration of the survey was conducted in April 2021 at a time when the country was still living under Covid-19 restrictions. At that time, the vast majority of people working remotely (95%) said they’d like to continue doing so post-pandemic. This tallied with previous surveys.
This included 32% of people who said they’d like to work remotely on a daily basis and 53% who expressed a preference to do so several times a week. For those who wanted to work from home, 52% said they’d like to do so three days a week.
People also expressed concern over returning to the office after Covid-19, citing issues such as re-adjusting to office life, maintaining social distancing and the commute. However, previous surveys had also pinpointed challenges to remote working during the pandemic which included loneliness and isolation, staying motivated and challenges with the physical workspace.
This latest survey is set to look at what employees want now from remote working as restrictions have ended and inform employers about staff preferences going forward.
It asks if someone has changed employer since 2020 and if remote working was a factor in that decision. Participants will also be asked if they’ve relocated or would consider doing so if they could work remotely.
Professor McCarthy said: “The 2020 and 2021 annual surveys were of huge interest to the public and we got over 12,000 responses from employees who were working remotely across the country.
“The findings have impacted policy including the national remote working strategy.” The Western Development Commission, which collaborates on the survey with NUI Galway, said that this latest survey would be essential in impacting policy in the years to come.
Its CEO Tomás Ó Síocháin said: “Breaking the link between work and location has been transformative and while challenges remain in ensuring equality of opportunity for all regardless of location, this survey is really important to inform the decision-making about balanced future development in our country, and helping the transition to a low carbon economy.”
He added that the update of remote working hubs had demonstrated the ongoing demand for facilities close to where people live where they can work somewhere that’s not the typical office space.
You can take part in the survey online at remoteworkingsurvey2022
