Hybrid Working in Ireland: How Companies Can Embrace the Future of Work

Hybrid working is popular with employees because it enables a better work/life balance and allows them to manage their own schedules more effectively, but did you know that it also has huge benefits for businesses? Offering – and embracing – hybrid working models can transform the way your organisation operates and give you an edge over your competition, and we’ll take a look at how this could work for you.  

If your business is currently considering hybrid working, read on to find out how it can encourage positive change, and if you’ve never thought about it, we’ll help you to discover the potential it could open up for you. A key element in running a successful business is to seek out opportunities to grow, and hybrid working could be the perfect next step for your organisation.  

What is Hybrid Working? 

Of course, thanks to the Covid19 pandemic, businesses across the world were forced to find ways to enable their employees to work from home and this was a challenge that suited some businesses – and some employees – more than others. However, the legacy of this stressful situation has been a huge increase in hybrid working models, in which employees combine working from home with days in the office to create a schedule that is flexible and easily adapted to changing needs.  

In Ireland, a quarter of workers now predominantly work from home or take a hybrid approach and feel that this has multiple benefits for their mental health and lifestyle. The benefits to employers may be less obvious, but they include reduced overheads, lower carbon footprints and improved employee satisfaction, which is an asset that is invaluable to any business.  

How to Implement Hybrid Working Effectively 

Making hybrid working a success for your organisation is a goal that could take your business to the forefront of your industry and attract top talent from all over the world. Here at CareerWise, we can help you to do this effectively so don’t feel that you have to manage the process alone. Read on for our top tips and give us a call to find the best solutions for your unique business.  

• Communicate first. Communication must be at the core of any changes you make to your working environment, and a plan to introduce hybrid working patterns should include a comprehensive consultation phase with your employees. Both sides may have questions and ideas that can ensure a smooth transition to a new working model and a successful future in which both parties go from strength to strength. For instance, setting out expectations on both sides very clearly can help to avoid confusion or misunderstandings, and set you all up for success as you make the changes you need. 

• Establish ground rules. It is important that both employers and employees understand the benefits and potential issues that may arise with a hybrid working model, and it is essential to establish a basic schedule that works for everyone. For instance, you may find that having two set days in the office per week helps with team cohesion and enables a more flexible approach to the rest of the week. Looking at the best options for all members of the team and finding a compromise that works for everyone is the most straightforward way to create a successful model as you move forwards. 

• Recognise the benefits. Hybrid working models can bring a host of benefits to the businesses who are brave enough to embrace them, and this is partly because they are so popular with employees that they will make your organisation immediately more desirable to the talent you want to attract. Employees who feel valued and trusted to manage their own schedules will be much more likely to report high levels of job satisfaction and to maintain higher levels of productivity, and the practical savings you will make on overheads and office space, which can be effectively rotated, can represent a huge benefit to your business. 

• Take a flexible approach. As with any change you implement in the workplace, there will be teething issues and adjustments that will take time to settle as you introduce hybrid working options. Sometimes, the best way to make large scale changes like this is to be willing to adapt and make further adjustments as you go to find the best solutions for everyone. 

• Embrace technology. As we saw during the pandemic, good use of technology makes all the difference to successful remote or hybrid working and the tools that were developed at this time now lead the way for working models such as this. Significant advances in the development of AI tools and the communication platforms that continue to improve have made remote working not only possible but, in many cases, more efficient than traditional working models. An unexpected bonus of the technological advances made during the pandemic was the ability to reduce carbon footprint by being able to attend meetings and work collaboratively without having to be in the same physical location. Of course, this also represents significant savings in time and cost, so it is not surprising that it continues to be a very popular choice. 

• Consider sustainability. As we have seen, some of the technologies introduced during the pandemic have been positive for sustainable working, and it is also worth considering the environmental impact of reducing commutes and travel requirements within the working day. The costs of heating and lighting business premises can also be optimised with a good hybrid working model, and it can be useful for a business to consider the substantial reduction in carbon footprint that may be possible with a strategic approach to hybrid working. 

Consult with CareerWise to Optimise your Hiring Strategy 

Moving towards a hybrid model can open up new opportunities for your business as you become more desirable to talented professionals and embrace this flexible approach. Many business owners worry that a hybrid approach will compromise the team cohesion and productivity of their employees, but this is not reflected in the statistics around hybrid working and taking a proactive approach to this change can make all the difference.  

Talk to us at CareerWise and make the most of our expertise in this area, and we’ll help you to adapt your workforce strategy to optimise your business outcomes. Building realistic expectations around communication, technology and productivity can set you up for an extremely successful and rewarding future as an employer who embraces hybrid and flexible working models.  

Are You Looking For Quality New Hires In Ireland?

Here at Careerwise, we have many years of experience in finding the right people for your organisation and we work with talented professionals across many industries. CareerWise is Ireland’s leading specialist recruitment firm, based in  Cork, Shannon, Galway, Mayo and Dublin. Contact us online now or call us on +353 (0) 21 206 1900 to arrange a consultation. 

Gillian Murphy

(Marketing Manager) CIPD – Shannon Office

At CareerWise Recruitment, Gillian has dedicated herself to mastering the intricacies of digital media. With a keen creative insight, she crafts and oversees a dynamic content marketing strategy that captivates and engages. Her strategic marketing and project management skills enable her to grasp overarching goals and pinpoint the steps necessary for timely, cost-effective project fruition.

Gillian’s background is rooted in a vast multinational telecoms firm, contributing over nine years in Finance/HR and Project Administration roles. Additionally, she brings a wealth of knowledge from five years in editorial and desktop publishing.

Her academic credentials include a study in Personnel Management at the University of Limerick, complemented by a diploma in Business Studies.

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