Ireland No 2 in Europe for hybrid and remote

Ireland has one of the highest shares of hybrid and remote job postings in Europe, according to new data from LinkedIn.

Ireland has one of the highest shares of hybrid and remote job postings in Europe, according to new data from LinkedIn.

The country ranks second in Europe for hybrid and remote work opportunities but availability of these roles is shrinking.

“In an Irish labour market that is almost at full employment, flexibility will be key to attracting and retaining the very best talent”

Just over four years on from the start of lockdown, LinkedIn’s analysis shows how working habits have changed in Ireland, with the appetite from professionals for hybrid and remote work remaining high despite business leaders continuing to encourage workers to return to offices.

Almost half of all paid job postings in March on LinkedIn offered hybrid or remote working in Ireland. 38.4% offered hybrid working, compared to an average of 33.6% across Europe, with 8.3% offering remote working, compared to 5.7% in Europe.

Why is hybrid working declining in Ireland

LinkedIn’s data revealed a 7.7% year-on-year decline in the availability of hybrid roles in Ireland. 

This decline was even more pronounced when considering fully remote jobs, with LinkedIn’s data also revealing that these roles only account for 8.3% of job postings in March in Ireland – down 16.7% year-over-year. It stands in contrast to the peak availability of remote roles in April 2022, when availability of these positions stood at 17.5%. While there has been a steep decline, the level of availability of remote roles in Ireland today is one of the best in Europe. 

Ireland has one of the largest shares of remote job postings in Europe and these roles remain fiercely competitive: As of March 2024, there is 2.4x the share of applications to remote roles compared to the share of remote jobs postings available, with applications up 3.2% year-on-year.

Additional research with professionals in Ireland commissioned by LinkedIn highlighted a note of caution for employers, with almost one in five (17%) of workers stating that one of the top reasons they would consider leaving their position is due to the fact that they wanted a hybrid or remote role. 

The declining availability of flexible work options, as demonstrated by LinkedIn’s data, was also reflected by the survey with a fifth (20%) of professionals in Ireland stating that they believed flexible working options would get worse this year.

“The pandemic changed people’s relationship with work and what they want from their employer,” said LinkedIn Ireland country manager Sue Duke.

“Companies that offer flexible work are attracting more talent, with four in five recruiters in the EMEA region stating that workplaces that allow employees to choose the days they come into the office attract a bigger pool of applicants.

“There is a balancing act to be achieved for businesses that want to bring their people back together more often. In an Irish labour market that is almost at full employment, flexibility will be key to attracting and retaining the very best talent.”

Main image at top: LinkedIn Ireland country manager Sue Duke

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John Kennedy
Award-winning ThinkBusiness.ie editor John Kennedy is one of Ireland's most experienced business and technology journalists.

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