New data from LinkedIn shows that almost one in five (19%) recent job postings on the online professional network in Ireland offered the option of remote work.

This represents a more than doubling in the availability of flexible work roles in the past year, placing Ireland second highest for the availability of remote roles across eight markets monitored by LinkedIn.

The data is disclosed in the latest Labour Market Pulse produced by IDA Ireland in partnership with Microsoft and LinkedIn.

This research looked at activity between October and December 2021. The Labour Market Pulse combines LinkedIn’s insights on its two million Irish members with publicly available information from IDA Ireland and the CSO. 

The report also recorded a continued labour market recovery in Q4 2021. Hiring rates in the final two months of 2021 were on average 22% higher than the same period in 2019, despite the heightened level of restrictions that were in place last December.

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According to the Pulse document, the latest LinkedIn Hiring Rate has shown that this momentum has continued into 2022, with hiring rates in January on average 28% higher than in the same month in 2019.

The LinkedIn Hiring Rate compares the number of members changing jobs over a period of time.

IDA Ireland commented that there was a strong rebound evident across the labour market in 2021. Sectors more exposed to Covid-19 and its associated impacts are beginning to recover, while other less exposed sectors are building on the growth seen in the first year of the pandemic.

LinkedIn data shows that recovery in the demand for employees is particularly evident in the Consumer Goods and Retail sectors, which saw increases of 106% and 45% respectively in their share of jobs posted on LinkedIn by companies in Ireland between 2020 and 2021.

The share of job postings in the Software and IT Services industry group increased by 22% year-on-year, while there were increases of 9% in the Finance industry and 6% in Transport and Logistics.  While the Manufacturing sector’s share of total job postings declined, in volume terms it did experience a year-on-year increase.

IDA Ireland CEO Martin Shanahan stated: aid: “I welcome the data which shows an increase in remote working opportunities allowing employers to tap into the talent base across all regions of Ireland. 

“Balanced regional investment is a key pillar of IDA’s strategy so the increase in employment across all regions is important and our focus is to maintain and build on our very strong 2021 annual results.”

James O’Connor, vice president of Microsoft International Operations said the growth in the number of job postings that include the option to work remotely demonstrates the degree to which the Irish economy is continuing to digitally transform.

“It’s clear that an increasing number of Irish-based employers are providing greater flexibility to employees who are seeking to embrace this new era of hybrid working,” said O’Connor.

Sharon McCooey, head of LinkedIn Ireland, added: “Globally we are at a unique inflection point with people re-evaluating how, where and why they work - and Ireland is no different as we can see from the heightened activity across our two million strong membership.

“With recovery evident, and a growing number of opportunities across the length and breadth of the country, it is very much a jobseeker’s market. In order to continue to attract the best talent, employers need to continue to offer the same level of flexibility that people have become accustomed to over the past two years.”

The IDA Labour Market Pulse can be viewed here.