New research has found that 29% of employees in Ireland worked from home at least sometimes in 2024.
According to the study from EU Agency Eurofound, Ireland is ahead of the EU average of 20% and has experienced a 20 percentage point increase in remote working between 2015 and 2024.
Luxembourg leads the way on 41%, followed closely by the Netherlands and Sweden.
At the other end of the scale, just 4% of workers in Romania engaged in remote working in 2024, while the figure was just 6% in Italy.
The research draws on the findings of the European Working Conditions Survey 2024.
It shows that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a dramatic and permanent impact on remote working and on the broader organisation of work in Europe.
“While flexible arrangements have generally improved working time quality and workâlife balance, substantial risks persist,” the report found.
“Employees working remotely remain disproportionately exposed to irregular schedules, high workloads, and extended availability.
“High-skilled workers frequently face longer hours despite greater autonomy, whereas low-skilled workers face more fragmented working time with limited control.
“Crucially, frequent contact outside working hours stands out as one of the strongest drivers of workplace stress and mental strain,” according to Eurofound.
The report recommends that to safeguard worker well-being while maintaining the benefits of remote work, targeted policy responses are needed across the EU.
Eurofound is an EU agency based in Dublin that provides information and advice on working conditions, industrial relations, and labour market changes.
