Almost two in five workers still awaiting clarity over post-Covid work practices: IrishJobs.ie
45% said lack of clarity was impacting on their ability to plan in their personal lives (where to rent or buy, enrol children in school etc)
Print29 June 2021
A new survey carried out by e-recruitment platform, IrishJobs.ie reveals that almost two fifths of employees have yet to receive clarity from their employer in relation to post-Covid working practices.
According to the survey, which was carried out among 3,077 employees in Ireland, 38% of employees have received no update from their employer in relation to long-term working practices.
Information vacuum
Amongst those still 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.
Impact on employees
Amongst the cohort of employees that are still awaiting guidance from their employers, 45% suggested this 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 included implications on children’s child-minding needs (13%); undermining their ability to secure mortgage approval on a new home (5%) and implications for where to enroll children in school (3%).
Only 36% of respondents claim the lack of clarity in relation to long-term working arrangements has no impact on their personal lives.
Employee consultation
The data reveals that nearly half of employers (46%) have consulted with their staff on their preferred post-Covid working practices and more specifically, on their preferences in relation to remote working, hybrid working and returning to the office on a full-time basis. However, a further 42% of employees suggest they have received no formal consultation in relation to long-term working strategies.
Meanwhile, the remaining 12% were unsure what level of consultation had occurred.
“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,” said Orla Moran, general manager of IrishJobs.ie.
“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,” she added.
“Within this decision, there are a multitude of strategic considerations to weigh up, including a corporate’s core business needs, the progression and development of employees, and their ability to recruit and retain the best talent. Equally, many Irish-based professionals are re-evaluating what they want from their own careers, including where and how they want to work.
“For employers looking to attract and retain talent in the months ahead, clear, consistent and pro-active internal communication should be at the centre of their Covid-response strategies and wider corporate culture.
Impact on staff retention
“In recent weeks, numerous prominent Irish corporates have publicly committed to a long-term remote or hybrid working model,” Moran continued. “However, according to our data, nearly 40% of Irish employees are still awaiting clarity in relation to their employer’s post-Covid intentions.
“This lack of clarity is concerning and poses significant challenges for many professionals, and in many cases, undermines their ability to make long-term plans in relation to where they hope to live, rent or buy. By extension, this can have implications for those seeking mortgage approval and families looking to enrol their children in school ahead of the new academic year. In contrast, employers who take a pro-active approach to engaging with their staff will be rewarded with happier, more productive and committed employees.”
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