Employers to expand hybrid working roles this year as new legislation will also strengthen employee rights

Research by HR consultancy firm CIPD shows that 40pc of employers will offer more workers remote working options this year.

The research found that businesses are planning to expand the flexible working model that allows employees to combine office working and working from home or a remote hub.

Employers’ plans to expand hybrid working were revealed as workers’ rights to request remote working will soon be ­strengthened.

New legislation is due to commence shortly that will give them a legal right to ask for a hybrid or remote working model.

This will happen after the Workplace Relations Commission draws up a new code of practice that will determine the rules that must be followed by employers and workers when requests to work remotely are made.

Of those offering hybrid working, 31pc expect staff to spend two days onsite, while 29pc demand three days in the office.

However, almost half of those offering hybrid working have not trained their managers to manage the flexible working model, according to the findings from CIPD’s HR Practices in Ireland report.

The survey also shows that just a quarter of organisations have more than 75pc of their ­employees working in the office all week.

Mary Connaughton, director of CIPD in Ireland, said the new laws will make a difference to workers as they will enshrine an employee’s right to hybrid or remote work in their contract.

She said the code of practice should outline the reasons an employer can refuse a request.

“It will be interesting to see how it allows flexibility, if an ­employer can go back to an employee and say they cannot give them five days working remotely but can give them three,” she said. “What rationale do they have to give? The legislation is there, so the Government only has to pass a short order to enact it.”

She said a lot of employers have to respond to workforce expectations by offering hybrid working as there are staff shortages in many areas. “Employees are seeking more opportunity to work flexibly and do hybrid work.”

She said some staff who are asked to come back to the office four or five days a week are ­applying for jobs with less pay or benefits in other organisations because they want flexibility.