The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, today visited Ballycoolin in north Dublin to launch the 11 new remote working hubs that have been introduced as part of Bank of Ireland’s new hybrid working model.
Three additional hubs are being developed by the Bank in Cork, Galway and Limerick and will open later this year. These will complement the 11 existing hubs in Balbriggan, Ballycoolin, Dundalk, Gorey, Mullingar, Naas, Newbridge, Newlands Cross, Northern Cross, Santry and Swords.
Depending on their role, most Bank of Ireland colleagues can now work from a combination of home and central office locations, as well as the network of 14 remote working hubs. The hubs provide an alternative to central office locations, enhancing choice and work-life balance by reducing commuting time and costs.
The new policy is proving popular, with a recent survey showing that 65% of colleagues feel the enhanced flexibility is providing more time to spend with family. 54% of Bank of Ireland colleagues have saved money due to the Bank’s hybrid working model, while 26% feel they have more flexibility as to where they can live. According to the survey, less time spent commuting was another main benefit of the Bank’s new hybrid working policy with 29% of staff reducing their daily commute time by over two hours when working from home or a hub.
During his visit to Ballycoolin, the Tánaiste was briefed on the rollout of the Bank’s hybrid working model by Group Chief Executive Francesca McDonagh and Chief People Officer Matt Elliott. He also spoke by video conference with staff in the other 10 hubs to hear first-hand about their experience of hybrid working.
Commenting on the launch, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, said: “The pandemic changed how we work and live, with hundreds of thousands of Irish people doing their regular jobs from home. There are huge benefits to remote and hybrid working, with less commuting, lower costs, stronger families and communities, and more time for family and leisure. We want this flexibility to continue, and the Government is legislating to give employees the right to request flexible and remote working. Many employers went to great lengths during the pandemic to give their employees as much flexibility around where they work as possible. Done well, remote and hybrid working is a win-win for companies and their employees and I’m delighted to see Bank of Ireland at the forefront of rethinking the traditional office model in this way.”
Bank of Ireland Group Chief Executive Francesca McDonagh said: “We have been changing what it is like to work at Bank of Ireland and these new hubs are one of the more visible signs of that transformation. Our new hybrid working model is a real break with the old way of doing things in terms of how and where we work. The opening of three new hubs in major regional centres means more opportunities to attract talent from locations around Ireland. For our colleagues, the hybrid model offers enhanced flexibility and choice, blending home and office working with less time and money spent on commuting and a better work-life balance.”
