Bank of Ireland has established 11 remote working hubs for staff with three more on the way.
The hubs are located in Balbriggan, Ballycoolin, Dundalk, Gorey, Mullingar, Naas, Newbridge, Newlands Cross, Northern Cross, Santry and Swords. Three additional hubs are being developed by the bank in Cork, Galway and Limerick and will open later this year.
Depending on their role, most Bank of Ireland staff can now work from a combination of home and central office locations, as well as the network of 14 remote working hubs.
The bank said that office space will be used primarily for meetings, collaboration, and building connections, while remote locations will be more suitable for work that can be progressed individually or that is more task based.
The bank says that its hybrid working model was developed in consultation with staff, with the bank conducting two surveys in May and December 2020. Three out of four employees expressed a preference to work from home between 25% and 75% of their working week.
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Bank of Ireland chief executive Francesca McDonagh commented: “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.”
Enterprise ministers Leo Varadkar visited the Ballycoolin hub where he spoke by video conference with staff in the other 10 hubs to hear first-hand about their experience of hybrid working.
The minster stated: “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.”
Photo: Leao Varadkar and Francesca McDonagh
