It’s not for everyone.

But if working from home during the pandemic has made you re-think a return to the office, a new law could help you broach the idea with your boss.

Today, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar published Ireland’s first National Remote Work Strategy, a plan to encourage remote working as a permanent option during 2021.

“I believe that when the pandemic is over, many of us will return to the office, but things will never be the same again,” said Mr Varadkar.

“Video-conferencing will be more common and travelling for work much less so. While some people will work full-time from the office
or from home, most of us will be blended workers, working sometimes from the office and other times from home, a hub or on the go.”

“We’ve seen that there can be huge benefits, more flexibility, less commuting, more time for family and friends. It’s better for the transport emissions, and for quality of life, but it has to be done right,” Mr Varadkar added.

New remote working hubs and ‘switch-off rules’

If you’re worried that working from home will lengthen your workday and have you answering emails at the weekend, there are some changes on the way that could help alleviate those concerns.

The Government plans to map and invest in a network of remote working hubs located near local childcare facilities across Ireland, boost the rollout of high-speed broadband and develop a code of practice for the right to disconnect when you’re off the clock.

“We need to give guidance, and in many cases, we need to provide actual physical working space,” said Mr Varadkar.

It also requires a cultural shift in favour of facilitating it as an option. This plan shows how we will bring all those parts together. I think it will make a real difference to people’s working lives.”