The struggle to attract employees for on-site positions over remote or hybrid roles persists for over half the companies, according to a survey by Ibec survey of senior HR managers. However, this difficulty is perceived as less severe compared to past years. Ibec’s 2024 Workplace Trends and Insights report indicates that companies are more concerned with the impending launch of auto-enrolment pensions next year, listed as a critical priority by 56% of the respondents.
Other common concerns include mandatory sick leave pay, enhanced revenue disclosure mandates, and the proposed implementation of the living wage. The comparison of on-site versus remote and hybrid work policies continues to be a crucial issue for firms seeking to hire or retain employees.
While there is a trend towards demanding full-time onsite work, many companies are still committed to facilitating remote or hybrid work, deeming it a critical aspect of their talent recruitment and retention strategies.
Of the surveyed firms, 31% of which predominantly belong to the services sector, required employees to be in the office for at least three days a week, while 26% have fully resumed on-site operations, and 14% have fully transitioned to remote work.
About 24% of employers said their specific requirements vary depending on either the job function or the direct supervisor of the employee. Merely 10% of participating companies reported full compliance with their current attendance policies, while an additional 33% achieved a minimum of 70% compliance.
Around a quarter (26%) of the employers are contemplating increasing the time requirement for their workforce to be on-site, while 21% stated otherwise. Over half chose not to disclose their preference.
The narrative reports a significant decrease in the difficulty of remote or hybrid working models for companies; it went from being a problem for 63% of organisations in 2023 to 47% in 2024. This shift, the report suggests, might be due to companies creating systems that align with their business framework or other challenges overpowering the remote work issue, like increased regulatory demands.
Firms have embraced an array of working structures that include fully remote, on-site, flexible and hybrid models. Ibec’s Executive Director Maeve McElwee pointed out the challenging times that businesses are encountering due to rapid changes in employment legalities. She mentioned several imminent national and EU business and employment rules including the Code of Practice on Remote and Flexible Working, formulated under the Act of Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions in 2023; the enhancement of statutory sick pay; the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD); and regulatory requirements under the Gender Pay Gap Information Act of 2021.
According to McElwee, the incoming auto-enrolment pension scheme in 2025 is anticipated to have the largest impact on businesses, with nearly 60% of Ibec members expecting it to greatly affect their operations.