The popularity of remote work and the willingness of many employers to continue to offer it post-pandemic remains at or near peak levels in Ireland and in Europe’s largest economies, data from Indeed has found. 

An analysis of job postings in 13 European countries, including the six largest economies, shows Ireland is among the leaders when it comes to posts offering some form of remote or hybrid work.

As of the end of January of this year, a total of 15.4% of Irish jobs postings contained one or both terms, ranking the country ahead of Germany (14.9%), Switzerland (10.5%), and France (9.6%). 

Of the countries examined by the hiring platform, Poland featured the highest proportion of remote ads (21.6%), followed by Spain (18.7%), Austria (18.1%) and the UK (16.1%).

The share of remote working jobs in Ireland is down slightly from a peak of 18.4% recorded during the Covid pandemic in April 2021, but it is above the 14.7% average recorded since the start of 2021 and well above the average of 11.0% since the start of 2019. 

A breakdown of the Irish data reveals the top 20 job categories that account for the highest proportion of ads offering remote or hybrid work opportunities. A total of 40.2% of software development ads offer remote or hybrid working with IT operations & helpdesk (39.8%), mathematics (38.5%), media & communications (36.8%) and arts & entertainment (35%) making up the top five. Banking & finance, civil engineering, marketing, insurance and legal make up the top ten.

Counties with the most searches for remote work in Ireland in descending order, according to Indeed:

  1. Dublin
  2. Donegal
  3. Cavan
  4. Mayo
  5. Waterford
  6. Galway
  7. Cork
  8. Kildare
  9. Monaghan
  10. Clare

Jack Kennedy, senior economist at Indeed, said: "Remote work has become a norm across numerous organisations and sectors conducive to such arrangements.

"The increasing interest in remote and hybrid roles suggests a growing demand for flexibility among various demographics, including parents, students, and semi-retired individuals, seeking work-life balance.

"Regional patterns show counties like Donegal, Cavan, and Mayo rank among the top 10 counties for remote work searches, driven by factors such as access to public transport infrastructure and lengthy commutes to urban centres.

"According to a recent Indeed study comparing global trends, Ireland maintains a significant share of job postings offering remote or hybrid work options. 15.4% of job postings in Ireland advertise remote or hybrid work opportunities, outpacing countries like Germany, France, and the US.

"In a competitive labour market, employers stand to attract top talent by offering remote work opportunities where feasible, unlocking vast potential for both employers and employees and facilitating the maintenance of a healthy work-life balance for employees.

"Additionally, it offers access to a broader pool of potential and prospective employees who, prior to the pandemic, might not have been as inclined to apply for positions outside their geographical region."

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