Over one third of businesses are planning to downsize city centre offices and shift to remote working according to findings from a study conducted by recruiters Robert Walters.
'The Future of Work in UK & Ireland' shows that 37 per cent of businesses said they are considering the move, with only 30 per cent of the workforce expected to remain in city centre offices at any one time.
The Covid-19 pandemic made a necessity out of working from home, but 85 per cent of employee expected flexible arrangements to remain in place after the virus is brought under control.
The price of renting office space in city versus rural settings is a major contributor in employers plans to shift away from Dublin, with many considering smaller satellite offices according to the research.
A 'hub and spoke' model is also a consideration of some employers, with workers being offered the choice of working in either a city centre 'hub' or in a more remote, smaller office in a strategic 'spoke' location.
Despite remote working becoming a necessary staple in Irish life over the past number of months, 60 per cent of employers still have reservations regarding productivity due to employees working from home.
Director at Robert Walters Ireland, Suzanne Feeney said: "It’s inevitable that Covid has forced companies to rethink their space and logistical needs, and the hub & spoke model is evolving from what it was even a year ago – now concentrating on pairing employee preference for remote work with flexible physical workplaces that allow them to connect with their colleagues.
“With more and more companies becoming comfortable with their employees working from home, it will become the norm for a HQ to only have around 30 per cent of employees working from there on a day-to-day basis.
"However our research highlights how important it is to maintain workplace culture in order to bring the best out of a workforce," Ms Feeney added.
