14th October 2019
The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation have published a survey on the topic of Remote Work in Ireland to inform their upcoming study on the topic. This 2-minute anonymous survey aims to capture the perspectives of employees across sectors, regardless of whether they work remotely or not.
The results of this survey will feed directly into the research, which is being delivered under Ambition 4.2 of Future Jobs Ireland which aims to ‘foster participation in the labour force through flexible working solutions.’ The research will seek to understand the prevalence and types of remote working arrangements within the Irish workforce, the attitudes towards such arrangements, the factors which influence employers and employees to partake in such arrangements.
To further inform this research, a Remote Work Key Stakeholder Consultation Forum was held in Cavan Digital Hub on 18th July. The Forum was hosted by Heather Humphreys, TD, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, together with Richard Bruton, TD, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, bringing together key stakeholders in the remote working community to engage in a national conversation on this topic.
Minister Humphreys said, “This is an important survey, which will feed into shaping policy on remote working, a key element of Future Jobs Ireland. I would encourage people to take two minutes to complete the survey to assist and inform my Department in its research.”
The end result of this project will be a cohesive research paper on the prevalence of and attitudes towards remote work in Ireland. The research will also consider relevant international policies related to remote working. This will help to inform the future policy implications for Ireland. This will be completed in Q4 2019 and will be published shortly thereafter.
Link to full survey here: forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=a9xb-kw5ckW80LmdshkLIw_M0Qv-JZRIilYFpr5_QIxUN1hBVEIzRzhDV1JIUElFTTBQNU9ETktOUS4u
Additional Information for Editors:
Research Remote Working
This research falls under Ambition 4.2 (i) : Foster Participation in the Labour Force through flexible working solutions. Deliverable 1 under this ambition is what the remote working consultation forum refers to. It calls for the Department to ‘undertake research on the prevalence and types of remote working arrangements within the Irish workforce, and the attitudes towards such working arrangements, as well as the factors which inhibit employers and employees to partake in such arrangements.’ This action is being led by DBEI under the guidance of an Interdepartmental Steering Committee.
The results arising from the Remote Working Consultation Forum will feed into a cohesive and meaningful research paper. This research will be completed by the end of Q4 and will be published once finalized.
Future Jobs Ireland
Future Jobs Ireland is a Government of Ireland initiative with deliverables assigned across a range of Government Departments and agencies. Future Jobs Ireland incorporates five pillars as set out below (along with some illustrative examples):
- Embracing innovation and technological change – This includes supports, policies and initiatives that promote and enable RD&I among enterprise; encourage digitalisation; and support the development and adoption of technology.
- Improving SME productivity – This includes supports, policies and initiatives that enhance productivity, especially among SMEs; promote indigenous entrepreneurship, especially in the regions; encourage clustering and stronger links between domestic and foreign owned firms; and assist businesses to move up the value chain.
- Enhancing skills and developing and attracting talent – This includes supports, policies and initiatives that enhance Ireland’s human capital offering, including in areas such as ICT and management skills; develop Irelands’ vocational and third level institutions; improve Lifelong Learning rates, and ETB initiatives that enable disadvantaged groups to return to the workforce.
- Increasing participation in the labour force – this includes supports, policies or initiatives focused on improving labour market participation, especially among young people, older workers, women and people with disabilities; improving the supply and cost of childcare; enabling more flexible working arrangements; and streamlining immigration procedures.
- Transitioning to a low carbon economy – this includes supports, policies or initiatives aimed at expanding renewable energy generation; retrofitting of buildings to improve energy efficiency; roll-out of electric vehicles; and enterprise / employment opportunities in the green/circular/bio economy.
Each Pillar sets high level targets for 2025. Overall, Future Jobs Ireland 2019 includes 26 meaningful and impactful ambitions supported by 127 deliverables for completion in 2019.
Central to Future Jobs Ireland is a re-orientation of policy from the numbers of gross jobs created in the economy, to the creation of more productive and sustainable jobs. It will focus on the challenges ahead in terms of ensuring we have skilled people working in quality jobs in sustainable sectors. Future Jobs Ireland will also ensure our enterprises and workers are well positioned to adapt to the technological and other transformational changes our economy and society will face in the years ahead.
Future Jobs Ireland Pillar 4
The Remote Working Research Paper is a deliverable under Pillar 4 of Future Jobs Ireland.
Pillar 4 is focused on increasing participation in the labour force. Future Jobs Ireland is engaging with the challenges we face in relation to participation in the labour force by developing and implementing a range of measures aimed at easing barriers to entry into the workforce. This includes deliverables relating to:
intelligent working arrangements (flexible and remote working);
- childcare provision;
- reducing disincentives for those who wish to work longer; and
- targeting certain cohorts through the Public Employment Service
The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI) plays a key role in implementing the Government’s policies of stimulating the productive capacity of the economy and creating an environment which supports job creation and maintenance. The Department has lead responsibility for Irish policy on global trade and inward investment and a remit to promote fair competition in the marketplace, protect consumers and safeguard workers.
For further information please contact Press Office, D/Business, Enterprise and Innovation, press.office@dbei.gov.ie or (01) 631 2200.
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