18th May 2022,
Does employer expectations match employee expectations?
Earlier this month, in advance of official policy for blended or remote working, we conducted a survey to determine if employer expectations match employee expectations.
The Irish Government has asked employers to develop longer-term arrangements for blended or remote working. As we all know COVID-19 has changed the way that we work and forced us to re-evaluate not only our mental and physical health but also our work-life balance.
In Our Survey…
We questioned over 1000 working professionals in Ireland and over 400 CEO’s, directors and business managers between April and May 2022.
We asked their opinions to the following areas of Irish business:
1. Economic Recovery
2. Staff Retention
3. Salary
4. Hybrid | Blended Work
5. Employee Benefits
Below you are the results to this survey, we have summised where employers and employees opinions match or conflict.
Section 1: Economic Recovery
Summary
Economic Recovery
Working professionals are overall generally as confident in the recovery of the Irish economy as business owners.
Section 2: Staff Retention
Summary
Staff Retention
While 87.5% of business owners are confident they can retain their staff in the current job market 71.4% of working professionals plan to leave their current employers by the end of 2022.
Section 3: Salary
Summary
Salary
75% of business owners believe they should increase the employee salaries to match the escalating inflation (currently 6.7%. Source: Irish Times, March 2022).
95.2% of working professionals agree that salaries should increase to match the rising cost of living. A majority of 38.1% of employed professionals feel salaries should increase by 5%-6% a slight increment from the 3%-4% that 50% of business owners believed to be a fair wage increase.
Section 4: Hybrid/Blended Work
Summary Question 4
Hybrid | Blended Work
100% of business owners are embracing the opportunity to introduce a WFH/Hybrid work policy. 90.5% of employees confirmed they would embrace this.
Summary Question 5
Hybrid | Blended Work
When it comes to a hybrid work policy 62.5% of business owners believe that staff should come into the office x4 days a week, while 31.6% of working professionals feel they should only have to come into the office x2 times a week if not work from home completely if their work can be completed remotely and there is no need to go into the office.
Summary Question 6
Hybrid | Blended Work
87.5% of business owners are not considering reducing their office expenses even considering the increased demand and upcoming legislation for hybrid working.
When we compare this to working professionals who feel that employers should offer assistance setting up a home office. 76.2% believe employers should provide work computers and 66.7% believed employers should pay for or contribute to their internet bills.
Section 5: Employee Benefits
Summary
Employee Benefits
37.5% of business owners are either considering enhancing employee training while keeping employee benefits as they are.
71.4% of working professionals believe that team building events/ecursions would be the most beneficial option for employees in a WFH or Hybrid workspace.
