Paul Hopkins: Hi honey, I’m home ... but I am working

Just five per cent of Irish business leaders think that forcing workers to return to offices will strengthen their teams. The finding comes amid a continuing push by some companies to restrict working-from-home policies, five years after the Covid pandemic upended the working model of many businesses.

A white paper published last week by the Irish Management Institute (IMI) found a "deep ambivalence” among employers regarding enforced return-to-office policies. Almost 40 per cent think such policies may damage retention and work-life balance.

The move to get more workers back to the office comes at a time of near full-employment, when workers have more options to move to new employers, even as overall jobs growth slows.

Meanwhile, up to 95 per cent of all workers favour some form of working from home or a mix of home, workplace and hybrid of sorts, according to a study by NUI Galway. Obviously, if you are a nurse, a train driver or an astronaut you don't figure in the mix.

Research suggests that some 44 per cent of us continue to work remotely, part-time at least. Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig, CEO of Sigmar Recruitment, says that, although the new culture of remote working creates opportunities for both staff and employers, he warns it could also be a “double-edged sword” for workers who persist with it full time – the potential hiring pool will increase if employers are now able to take on remote staff based even abroad.

The ramifications of working from home, granted, can be good for quality of life, less stress with no commuting and better parenting time, better productivity – though some bosses would question this – and the flexibility of working hours.

I have, effectively, worked from home since 2012 and it has worked out just fine. I have weeks where I might condense a week's work into three or four days or, other weeks, spread the load out over the seven days. It depends on my whim or other commitments, for working from home allows making time for such other commitments.

A mere 300 years ago, before the Industrial Revolution, there was no such thing as grinding it out for five days in order to run to a Saturday football game or have a day of leisure on Sunday. From when Man first roamed the earth, working and living were one and the same. Every day our ancestors did their bits and pieces, toiled away. Every day they enjoyed the company of their tribe. The five-day work-week is a social and cultural artefact, not an evidence-based structure for maximising productivity or well-being.

Here's another thing. Thanks to technology, the eight-hour, '9-to-5' workday is a misnomer. We think it exists, but it doesn’t. We are constantly checking in and refreshing our inboxes. And this 'extra time' spent on work either goes unnoticed by employers or unregulated by employees.

Those who have the choice to work from home are reassessing what truly matters in life. Commuting parents, who once rarely saw their children awake, have got used to the casual intimacy of being around them most of the day. The money saved from not commuting, lunches et al, is adding up; and by now we are au fait with the environmental benefits of reducing traffic on our roads.

There are drawbacks, of course, what with children under your feet and partners sparring once too often. Easy access to the fridge has meant weight gain for some, while others have languished at their screens for hours, sitting in awkward positions with no breaks. Excessive screen-time can and sedentary behaviour is associated with a range of health issues, including eye problems, higher risks of cancers and cardiac issues.

Avoiding the daily commute may save time and money. However, commuting serves a valuable function often overlooked: it gives us time to readjust between work and non-work roles, especially important in demanding jobs. Also, when we lose this 'buffer zone' of commuting, too often the time saved is gobbled up by more work, and long hours can bring even more stress, poor sleep and the dreaded high-blood pressure.

Sadly, not every one has those close family relationships, so contact with fellow-workers can be an essential source of support for many. Research shows that those who indulge in office 'small talk' experience "more positive emotions" and end the workday in a better frame of mind.

The spontaneity of such small talk is hard to replicate in a virtual context.

That I do miss...