The Government is seeking to have staff in parts of the Civil Service return more frequently to the office.
The Department of Social Protection has told staff that from this month, personnel will have to spend a minimum of two days per week in the workplace. Staff in senior management grades at principal officer level and above will have to be in the office three days per week at least.
The country’s largest public service trade union, Fórsa, has said about 1,000 of its members in the Department of Social Protection would be affected by the proposed changes which it has vowed to fight. It said up to now staff in the department had to work a minimum of one day per week in the office.
The Irish Times conducted a call-out to hear from readers on their views about the issue, with some of the submissions included below.
Anonymous, Dublin
I work in the Civil Service. Since March 2020 we have been working remotely and from October 2022 we returned to office one day per week.
In our department it’s heavily statistics-based, so easy for management to monitor the volume of work being done. No specific targets [are] given but I know my personal productivity has increased year on year.
Time and energy saved on commute has made me a happier, less stressed person and given me a perfect work-life balance. I’d be very much against working more than one day a week in the office.
Susan, Dublin
I’ve worked in a couple of government departments while working from home has been in place and I don’t agree with Fórsa’s position to fight the increased in-office for DSP [Department of Social Protection] staff.
A balanced approach is better for overall department culture, team cohesion, staff learning and facilities planning. I agree that working from home needs to be protected and it’s not right for any organisation or company to just unnecessarily demand full attendance again for no proper reason but Fórsa are being too reactionary in this particular circumstance.
Two days in the office is hardly burdensome or unreasonable and [I] do believe it is in an organisation’s best interest. I would not support a return to four–plus days in the office.
Niamh, Kilkenny
I work as a facilitator, primarily in the public sector which has similar working from home practices. I believe that working from home is eroding what it means and feels like to be part of a team. New joiners in particular are missing out in getting to know colleagues.
Work for many is becoming more transactional and creativity and innovation is suffering. I think we need a serious conversation at national level on working from home and a better understanding of the downside as well as the [often] stated merits.
Anonymous, Dublin
I work in a government department in Dublin city. Our department has a blended working policy negotiated and agreed last year. This involves 10 days in the office over four weeks.
For me and my team, this means we are in the office every Tuesday, Wednesday and every second Thursday and working from home every Monday and Friday.
This policy works well and has been generally well received, particularly when compared to other departments. Productivity is high and people are generally happier. It makes life that bit easier, especially if you have kids in school.
Anonymous
My experience as a manager has highlighted some negative aspects of staff spending more time away from the office than in it.
While many claim they are still completing their tasks, over time, it becomes clear that their overall capacity diminishes. Productivity must remain the top priority, and it is crucial that individuals take ownership of their work and are held accountable for it.
One major issue is the lack of transparency. Many civil servants live close to the office but choose to work from home for reasons such as childcare, leading to concerns about blurred boundaries between personal and professional responsibilities.
I’ve noticed that the shift towards blended working has led to a breakdown in departmental affiliation, with staff becoming more disconnected from the organisation. Furthermore, the restructuring of offices seems to be diluting the distinction between grades, eroding clear roles and responsibilities. This lack of clarity has forced HR to hire additional staff to cover the same workload, resulting in inefficiency. The situation has also made it difficult for management to effectively monitor performance.
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