#hometowork? Not if it's flexible work you're after..

In the current war for talent and the government actively encouraging emigrants to move back to Ireland, we consistently get emails like this from frustrated professionals who cannot understand why companies are not embracing flexible work in Ireland. Here is the story of a family who probably will not return to Ireland due to the lack of flexibility being offered by employers in Ireland. An email we received today:

‘Hi Karen, I’m currently working for a leading Financial Services company who are great for working mums (I have two small boys), I’ve been with them over 8yrs now working in their payments division over seeing their CRM databases (Salesforce).

I’m currently doing reduced hours (4days a week) and they permit me to WFH as well when I want, so 2 days a week. However my husband has been offered a good job in Ireland and we want to move home. My company can’t transfer me as we have no office set up in Ireland, so I’m now tasked with trying to get a similar job back in Dublin. My job is very niche so there are very few options available, and very little companies in Ireland are willing to offer reduced hours or regular WFH straight up. I don’t understand why there is such a lack of flexibility available, in the UK it’s a given to be offered this but the Irish mentality is different, so this may mean we won’t return at all.

Anyways delighted to see you started this new business and hope you do really well, as companies need to be less short sighted when it comes to flexible working. Where I work right now, as long as you deliver than we don’t care where you are and at what time. We offer flexibility to mums as believe it will be a job for life for them and it brings down our high turn over that we usually get with men who move on quicker to better paid jobs. As a recruiter myself (I have a team of 7 BAs) here, I’ll always be open to working mums as I know once I give them some flexibility, they go above and beyond for me and the role.

My company isn’t the most competitive when it comes to salaries within the FS industry but it wins and retains staff with the flexibility, something Irish companies should open their eyes to.’

Stories like these have prompted us to develop the FLEXIT badge – this is a flexible quality mark which we award to companies that are offering real flexibility in the workplace and not just lip service to the notion. Companies can then advertise with the FLEXIT badge and let prospective employees know that they are truly open to flexibility in the workplace. By doing this, they can attract a much greater pool of talent and obtain and retain the best people. It makes sense to us!

A recent EU directive was voted upon which will become the law in Ireland whereby parents with children up to the age of 8 will have the right to request flexible work in the workplace. In our opinion, we will eventually come in line with the UK where all employees who have been working in an organisation for more than 26 weeks have the right to request flexible work. The future of work = flexible work

Ireland will continue to deter Irish living abroad to move back if they don't get with the flexible revolution!

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