The “Grow Remote – Future of Work Pulse” looks at what’s shaping the future of work across Ireland and beyond. We round up the latest stories, share insights, opinions and spotlight where remote and hybrid models are helping people, employers and communities thrive all while not shying away from the challenges of remote!

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1) Forbes article reports “Remote Work Isn’t The Problem, The Way We Work Is” 💡

A recent article in Forbes states that “As remote work cements itself into our culture, companies face a crucial decision: adapt or cling to outdated systems.” It also says that 👇

“Forcing employees into the office full-time is a false fix. It masks deeper organizational problems rather than solving them.”

An Owl Labs survey referenced in the article revealed that 66% of workers would start looking for a new job if remote work was taken away, and 39% would quit outright. Data from closer to home provided by the Western Development Company and their fourth annual National Remote Working Survey in Ireland revealed that 44% of workers would change job, even if it means taking a pay cut, if their remote working preferences are not facilitated.

But yet, even after five years post pandemic, some organisations still define remote work as a perk or problem rather than look at it as an opportunity to evolve how they work and thrive in a new competitive marketplace where remote and hybrid operating models are a big part of it.

So what happened? They dipped their toes in the remote work water and it was tough? Things didn’t work out?

It wasn’t right for the business? What were the actual and individual challenges these businesses faced?

Remote work can certainly expose operational issues, but it does not always create them. Poor communication, lack of clarity on expectations, and gaps in accountability can exist in any operating model. They just become more obvious without the office fairy dust to mask dysfunction with proximity, presence, and the illusion of productivity.

So what does work according to the article?

Three critical enablers of success in hybrid or remote work:

• • Clarity on expectations: No more vague goals or shifting priorities. Teams thrive when outcomes, priorities and performance measures are explicit.

• • Effective communication: Leaders must ditch corporate jargon and embrace direct, honest communication. Sync when necessary, async when smart.

• • The right tools: Stop chasing shiny new apps. Choose tech that reduces friction, simplifies collaboration and helps people do their best work.

Companies that empower rather than control their people are winning. According to a 2024 Conference Board survey, only 15% of HR leaders at companies with location choice reported retention challenges. That number jumps to 45% at companies mandating in-office attendance.

Grow Remote Opinion:

We fully agree that the remote work debate has to move on. It can no longer be about where people work and the focus should instead be on how work is done. Remote & hybrid when done right, delivers better outcomes for people, profit and the planet.

Relying on visibility or presence instead of culture, systems and outcomes is no longer enough to thrive as an organisation.

The best companies are not asking how to bring people back in. They are intentionally designing the future of work for people, profit and the planet and choosing operating models that work for them and their people.

📌 Sources: Forbes | Western Development Company

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2) Dublin Chambers Business Outlook Report defines 25%+ of businesses represented offer full flexibility and the significant majority are sticking to it for year ahead 🙌

A recent Dublin Chambers article headline led with “Businesses offering fully flexible working plummets to 27%” that paints a picture of dramatic decline. But is that the whole story? Perhaps it’s more that the dust has settled.

A deeper look at the Dublin Chamber Q2 2025 data tells a more balanced story. Yes, the percentage of companies offering full flexibility has dropped over the last year. But 27% of Dublin-based businesses still offer full flexibility across all days – and 75% of those companies plan no change to that policy over the next 12 months.

That’s one in four Dublin firms already delivering on the type of flexibility workers value most. If we take “firms offering full flexibility across all days” to mean that  employees are not required to be in the office on any set day of the week. They can choose:

• • Where they work (e.g., home, office, third spaces)

• • When they work (set their own hours within reason or based on role)

• • 83% say flexibility is being provided to boost employee wellbeing

• • 80% are using it as a talent retention tool

• • Only 24% are chasing productivity through flexibility (which is telling)

• • 46% are offering it to support caregivers

• • 15% provide flexibility to accommodate employees facing housing challenges

Challenges flagged?

• • Health & safety costs for home setups

• • Paying for unused office space

• • Difficulties in managing visibility, productivity and culture

Grow Remote Opinion:

Despite the year on year drop, today’s 27% is in fact a rather high % and something to celebrate. Particularly if 75% of companies dont intend on changing it in the year ahead! A recent data point from Best Place to work stated that “Only 13% of the average (non certified) Irish workforce works remotely”. The number of jobs advertised on LinkedIn that are fully remote as a % of total jobs available is at a high of 20%. A few logical assumptions on the latest CSO Census data would also validate that 27% is still a high number.

The real takeaway isn’t that full flexibility is disappearing. It’s that many companies are learning how to structure hybrid models with intention, not abandon them. And crucially, one-quarter of Dublin employers are already showing us what good can look like. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, just look at who’s already driving it forward and their performance in their markets. 

📌 Sources: Dublin Chamber | CSO | Great Place To Work

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3) Great Place to Work Ireland data shows flexibility is a hallmark of Ireland’s best workplaces and a driver of labour force productivity 🙌

The new Employee Experience in Ireland 2025 report from Great Place to Work offers compelling data: Ireland’s top-performing organisations are not just adopting flexible work models, they are thriving because of it.

Here’s what the numbers show:

These are not just policies, they are signals of high-trust, high-performance cultures. To earn Great Place to Work Certification™, organisations must demonstrate excellence in employee experience through employee feedback, and an assessment of company culture, leadership, and workplace policies. Those that go on to be named among Ireland’s Best Workplaces™ are recognised as employers of choice across all industries and sizes.

The report also notes that Ireland leads Europe in labour productivity, citing this success as no accident.

“The Irish workforce has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability when given the freedom to work in ways that suit them best. High-trust leaders are the key enablers, empowering employees to thrive by fostering an environment where autonomy is valued and supported.”

— Jim Flynn, Partner, Great Place to Work

Grow Remote Opinion:

These findings validate what we’ve seen in our work with leading remote-first employers across Ireland and Europe. Remote and hybrid work is not a novelty, they are proven models embedded in Ireland’s highest-performing organisations that focus on how work is done – not where.

16% of Ireland’s Best Workplaces are already operating fully remote. Ireland is a leader in Europe in productivity. As the report says, that’s no coincidence.

Remote or hybrid work won’t suit every business, and it shouldn’t. But if there’s potential to adopt either model, this data makes a clear case: it’s worth exploring how flexibility, trust, and intentional design can unlock not just future-readiness, but a real edge in your competitive marketplace.

📌 Source: Great Place to Work – Employee Experience in Ireland Report 2025

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About Grow Remote – Our mission is to solve the problems of remote work in order to unlock social, economic and environmental change for individuals, employers and local communities.

www.growremote.ie