‘Culture Reset’ still Required to Harness Hybrid Power

18th May 2023

Posted In: FYI

Many workplaces still need a culture reset, according to CIPD Ireland, to realise the potential that hybrid working has to offer. The professional body for HR and Learning and Development launched its fifth annual ‘HR Practices in Ireland’ study at its annual conference yesterday at the RDS.

The research, conducted with the Kemmy Business School at University of Limerick, shows a mixed picture when it comes to how businesses are adapting to the new landscape:

•More than twice as many employers are allowing the majority of their employees to work in a hybrid capacity, compared to last year’s figures – however nearly half (47%) said the majority of employees were working fully on-site

•Of those allowing hybrid working, a third require employees to work on-site two days per week and a third require them to work on-site three days per week.

•A small proportion (12%) said the majority of employees were working fully remote and that this was more likely to decrease than increase in the future

•Over a quarter have not yet created a policy on remote and hybrid working

•69% of organisations are using remote and hybrid working to attract and retain talent, however less than a quarter of these have amended contracts to mention this

•61% of workplaces now have policies that require people to work within the state

Mary Connaughton, Director of CIPD Ireland said: “Unfortunately some workplaces are lagging behind both a worker demand for long term change and the legal requirements that are being introduced. This could be down to a delayed realisation that hybrid and flexible working really are here to stay.

“Where conditions are still unsettled, we’re urging employers to step back and conduct a culture reset to put a greater focus on the employee experience, which will help to boost their retention strategy and benefit worker well-being”.

Minister for State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Deputy Neale Richmond TD officially opened the conference. He said: “The HR Practices in Ireland report offers valuable insights into how organisations are addressing current challenges in their sectors. The workplace of today is so vastly different to that of even a few years ago and so I would encourage employers to put provisions in place to promote worker well-being. We are fortunate to have effective full employment here in Ireland, and these policies are even more important for recruitment and retention in a tight labour market.”

The HR Practices in Ireland report also shows one in five organisations is interested in introducing a four-day working week. Mary said: “It has been growing in popularity among our members and there has been a lot of discussion about it in the media but for many employers, certainly the case has yet to be proven”.

The theme of this year’s annual conference was ‘Creating a Culture for Sustainable Performance’ and addressed the central people issues challenging the business and HR community, in Ireland and globally.  Speakers include David McRedmond, CEO, An Post, Imelda Hurley, CEO of Coillte, Ken Bowles, CFO of Smurfit Kappa and Gina Quin, President of the National College of Ireland.