Amid recent reports highlighting a perceived decline in remote job listings across Ireland, Erica Hearne, Talent Solution Specialist at Grow Remote, shares how we may be looking in the wrong places in our search for remote employment.
While a recent Irish Jobs Report points to a reduction in remote-only job listings, there is conflicting data with LinkedIn showing an increase in remote roles from 6% of all listings in September 2024 up to nearly 13% of all listings in November..
LinkedIn’s latest figures reveal a notable increase in remote jobs in November 2024, with nearly 13% of the 38,480 jobs listed as remote. In June 2024, the figure for jobs listed as remote on LinkedIn stood at 14% and dropped to 6% in September 2024 (an actual drop of 2,500 jobs).
“The divergence between traditional job board figures and LinkedIn’s remote listings demonstrates a critical insight; many remote-friendly employers do not source talent in the traditional places”
The misinterpretation of this data from the Irish Jobs Report underscores a problem with how remote employers choose to advertise open positions. We can see that many open remote roles are hidden from traditional jobs boards (like IrishJobs.ie) and are therefore discounted. This has led to a skewed perspective on the supply of remote jobs.
Remote employers often avoid traditional platforms in favour of targeted approaches. This means remote jobs have been typically difficult to access compared with office-based positions. This is one of the main reasons why Grow Remote exists.
Our Career Resources and newly released Career Resources Newsletter has already been accessed by over 25,000 individuals – its purpose is to connect job seekers directly with remote employers’ career pages and navigate them to specialised remote job boards.
Understanding the remote job landscape
The divergence between traditional job board figures and LinkedIn’s remote listings demonstrates a critical insight; many remote-friendly employers do not source talent in the traditional places.
Talent acquisition teams in remote first companies leverage their own employer brands, career pages and other platforms that align more closely better with a global, flexible workforce.
This reflects a broader shift in the recruitment landscape, where specific remote job boards such as EU Remote Jobs and Jobgether – as well as specifically curated career resources – can be more effective in reaching talent that is ready and searching for flexible work.
The problem here is that it’s a closed-door model right now. You only understand the ecosystem and know about the jobs if you are working for a remote first company. Training to gain the relevant skills, experience and awareness is available but can also be hard to find.
Many people who are working in offices, who would like to eliminate their commute are locked out of this knowledge because they don’t know where to look. In fact, they don’t know that there are thousands of remote jobs available in Ireland at any time so they have no inclination to search. It’s this Catch 22 that Grow Remote is trying to disrupt.
Navigating media narratives on remote work
Recent headlines have focused on the decline in remote-only roles as a return-to-office trend. However, Grow Remote sees a strong demand for remote opportunities, with numerous Irish companies and global firms continuing to grow their remote teams. Grow Remote’s works to make these opportunities visible to Irish talent, connect job seekers with employers who support remote roles, and support communities adapting to the needs of a remote workforce.
Rather than spotlighting declines, we aim to amplify the companies actively offering remote roles and the employees who thrive in these environments. There are dynamic, flexible roles across industries waiting to be filled – they simply aren’t listed in all the same places as traditional roles.
Amid shifting perceptions of remote work, there are several prominent employers that continue to lead by example, offering flexible roles that support a balanced, productive remote working experience. Here is just a snapshot of 5 who are hiring in Ireland today.
- Keelvar: Specialising in AI-driven automation for procurement, Keelvar empowers businesses to source smarter, faster, and more sustainably. Their software is used by companies worldwide to streamline procurement processes, demonstrating the global reach and innovation possible with remote teams.
- Revolut: Revolutionising financial services through its mobile app, Revolut offers currency exchange, debit cards, and cryptocurrency trading, disrupting the traditional banking sector. The company’s remote-friendly policies reflect its agile, forward-thinking approach to finance.
- Globalisation Partners: As a global employment platform, Globalization Partners simplifies international hiring with its Employer of Record services, handling payroll, taxes, and compliance for businesses worldwide. Their remote-first approach enables businesses to expand effortlessly across borders.
- Workvivo: An Irish success story in employee engagement, Workvivo’s platform connects remote and in-office teams, fostering communication and enhancing workplace culture. Their remote-friendly roles underscore the company’s commitment to flexible work environments that keep people connected.
- HubSpot: A leading customer relationship management (CRM) platform, HubSpot supports remote work across teams to help companies grow better. With a robust suite of tools for marketing, sales, and customer success, HubSpot remains committed to flexible, remote-friendly policies that enable their global workforce to thrive.
These companies exemplify the continued growth and innovation within Ireland’s remote work landscape, offering employees diverse opportunities to contribute from anywhere. There are more than 200 companies listed in our publicly available Career Resources and our free Career Resources Newsletter spotlights 5 of them each month.
Addressing the supply issue: The demand for remote jobs in Ireland
Let’s address the elephant in the room: yes, there’s a supply issue. Demand for remote jobs in Ireland significantly outstrips supply. Earlier this year, LinkedIn reported that remote job seekers vastly outnumber available remote positions, reflecting a strong demand that the current supply can’t yet meet.
For companies on the fence about transitioning to remote or hybrid models, we understand that it comes with challenges. Transitioning to remote work requires navigating new management styles, addressing communication needs, and fostering productivity across virtual teams. We have worked closely with companies of all types and we know first-hand that these complexities can be solved with the right support and strategies.
To support this transition, Grow Remote offers comprehensive training packages for Irish employers – from off-the-shelf courses to bespoke programmes tailored to organisational needs. Our programmes help companies move confidently toward hybrid or remote models, directly increasing the supply of remote jobs in Ireland. Through our training, we empower companies to embrace remote employment in a way that’s sustainable and beneficial to both their teams and their business goals.
- Grow Remote is a social enterprise, with a mission to solve the problems of remote work in order to unlock social, economic and environmental change for individuals, employers and local communities.
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