Employees in high-trust environments experience more flexibility at work

In 2025, the workplace isn’t about where we work. It’s about getting the work done.

The latest Employee Experience in Ireland study from Great Place to Work confirms what we’ve been seeing at Grow Remote for years through our partnerships with leading remote companies: when trust leads, success follows.

High-trust organisations are reaping the rewards of empowered, autonomous employees. Instead of seeing flexibility as a perk, the most successful organisations see remote and hybrid operations as a strategic enabler of growth and wellbeing.

According to last month’s CIPD report, hybrid working remains the most impactful tool for recruiting and retaining employees for nine out of ten organisations surveyed and more than two-thirds of organisations see hybrid employment as a central tool for building an inclusive workplace. Over a quarter of companies (28%) perceived productivity to be higher for hybrid working, while the majority of organisations (53% for hybrid, 60% for fully remote) saw no variation in productivity based on location.

In a recent IBEC report (published April 2025), 68% of employees said that hybrid or flexible work is key to their wellbeing, while 35% said they’d be willing to leave a high-paying job for one that offered hybrid options.

More fresh data confirms what we know about remote work

This comprehensive study from Great Place to Work, published on 17th June 2025, was conducted across thousands of employees in Ireland and outlines a clear correlation between trust, flexibility, and high performance.

Among companies that are certified as Great Places to Work:

• 59% of employees work in a hybrid model
  
• This figure drops slightly but remains strong among Ireland’s Best Workplaces, where 49% of employees work hybrid

High Performance follows Trust, and the data proves it

The report emphasises that trust-based leadership enables employees to thrive. It’s not just about offering remote work – it’s about the leadership and management skills at play behind it.

“Trust-based leadership drives superior workforce engagement and business outcomes… The Irish workforce has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability when given the freedom to work in ways that suit them best.”
– Employee Experience in Ireland 2025, Pages 10–11

High-trust cultures are more likely to adopt hybrid and remote practices that work for both employer and employee. Instead of seeing flexibility as a perk, they see it as a catalyst for employees “to stay both productive and engaged” (page 11).

Irish workplaces are catching up—but not evenly

The Great Place to Work report also shines a light on disparities. While leading workplaces are advancing in hybrid work, the national average shows just 13% of the workforce operates fully remotely. This equates to roughly 275,000 Irish workers working fully-remote. Interestingly, this figure contrasts with the 2022 CSO data suggesting almost 750,000 worked from home at least once a week (32% of Irish workers).

According to an EU survey published earlier this year, 27% of teleworkable jobs in Ireland are still not being done remotely. Grow Remote has estimated this amounts to roughly 350,000 onsite jobs that could be done remotely and we have detailed the huge potential for social, economic and environmental in this blog.

This gap reflects broader issues: lack of leadership support, rigid legacy structures, or simply missed opportunities to leverage distributed work. But for those ready to embrace this change, the path is clear.

We can help you build a high-trust, flexible organisation

At Grow Remote, we partner with employers who want to go beyond policies and perks. We help you build trust-first cultures that unlock flexibility, performance, and retention.

Whether you’re just starting your journey or ready to optimise, our supports are designed for real-world impact:

🧠 Training: Leading Remote & Hybrid Teams  (fully-funded, limited availability)

💬 Workshops: Communication, Connection & Wellbeing

📈 Consultancy for SMEs  (fully-funded, limited availability)

If you’re an SME leader and you’d like to find out how to access funding for these supports, reach out to Eoin Byrne for a chat via [email protected].