Working from home makes people happier, new research suggests, but more than half of workers recently forced to do more work in the office believe their employer was justified with this move.
Two new studies found high levels of support for remote working and the benefits it brings, with young people the most enthusiastic.
In a nationally representative poll of 1,191 workers, conducted by Ireland Thinks, 74 per cent of respondents said working from home was less stressful than on-site working. Nearly half (48 per cent) felt caring responsibilities at home were more fairly distributed due to increased remote working.
Respondents were almost three times as likely to be “very satisfied” with their work/life balance if they worked exclusively at home compared to those fully on-site (54 per cent versus 19 per cent), with the research suggesting each extra day away from the office makes a person more content.
The best-paid workers (those earning more than €100,000 per year) had the most access to remote work, with 74 per cent saying they are at home at least one day a week, compared to 27 per cent among those earning between €20,000 and €40,000.
