Fórsa, the country’s largest public sector trade union, will today present research on the benefits of remote working to the National Economic and Social Council (NESC).
NESC is the national advisory body to the Taoiseach and the Government.
In 2025, the Department of the Taoiseach asked NESC to undertake research on the development and impact of remote and blended working in Ireland.
As part of that process, Fórsa will present the findings of the largest study of remote and hybrid work to date, which was commissioned by the union and presented at its conference in May.
The research found that flexible working arrangements are delivering improved outcomes.
Reduced commuting time, greater productivity and lower work-related expenses were among the main benefits.
The study found that just 6% of managers reported deadline challenges in remote settings.
Managers also reported higher satisfaction with communication, collaboration and meetings among remote/hybrid teams.
Almost half of the respondents said flexible work reduced overall care costs, most notably on childcare, while many reported lower fuel and transport costs.
The research combined survey data from Amárach Research covering close to 20,000 public service workers, including more than 5,000 managers, alongside survey and focus group research by Ireland Thinks.
“Six years on from the shift to remote working, which was a huge overnight experiment, the evidence is consistent,” said Fórsa Campaigns Director Kevin Donoghue.
“People are getting more done and working in ways that are more sustainable for them,” Mr Donoghue said.
