Pulse Survey - Our Lives Online - Remote Work November 2021

Remote workers who responded to the ‘Our Lives Online’ CSO Pulse Survey were asked a series of questions about their experiences of working that way. 

Do you feel you have more time on your hands, because of remote work, to do things you never got the chance to do before the pandemic?

Overall, almost three in four (74%) remote workers said they feel they have more time on their hands. See Table 3.1.

Both sexes showed a proportionately equal amount with extra time on their hands due to working remotely. See Table 3.1.

Those aged 18 to 34 years had the highest proportion (81%) of remote workers with extra time on their hands due to remote work. As age increased the proportion decreased with the oldest age grouping, aged 55 years and older, having just under two-in-three (66%) workers with extra time on their hands. See Table 3.1 and Figure 3.1.

 

The region with the highest proportion of remote workers who felt they had extra time on their hands as a result of working that way was Mid-East (Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow) at 82% and the region with the lowest proportion was Border (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo) at 67%. See Table 3.1.

The longer their commute time prior to the pandemic (when they worked in their place of work), the more likely a person has extra time on their hands, because of remote work, to do things they never got the chance to do before the pandemic. Two-in-three (66%) who commuted up to 30 minutes before the pandemic said they have more time on their hands now, this rises to 94% for people who travelled for more than 91 minutes. See Table 3.1 and Figure 3.2.

Activities of remote workers who felt they had more time on their hands due to remote work

Overall, the most popular activity undertaken by remote workers who felt they had extra time on their hands, as a result of working remotely, was Domestic or household tasks. Nearly seven in 10 (69%) chose this activity as one of the things they do now with more women (73%) than men (66%) using their extra time for these tasks. See Table 3.2.

Gardening, the choice of just under three in 10 (27%), grew more popular as age increased for both sexes with 56% of males aged 55 years and over choosing this activity. See Table 3.2 and Figure 3.3.

Meeting family and friends (53%), Baking (37%), Further education (23%) and Other (16%) were the activities that decreased in popularity as age increased. See Table 3.2 and Figure 3.3.

Would you consider a house move if you could work remotely?

Overall, nearly four in 10 (38%) of those in employment would consider a house move if they could work remotely. A further 7% said they have already moved because they could work remotely. The remainder (55%) said they would not consider a house move if they could work remotely. See Table 3.3.

As age increased so too did the likelihood that those in employment would not move house if they could work remotely. In the youngest age group, those aged 18 to 34 years, just over a third (36%) would not consider a house move. This increased to 75% for those aged 55 years and older. See Table 3.3 and Figure 3.4.

Almost six in 10 (57%) of those in employment who would consider a house move live in rented accommodation. This compared to just over three in 10 (31%) for those who live in owner-occupied accommodation. While over one in ten (13%) who have already moved (during the pandemic) because they could work remotely live in rented accommodation compared to just over one in 20 (6%) whose tenure is owner-occupied.  See Table 3.3.

Over half (55%) of those in employment who do not have any children living with them would consider a house move if they could work remotely with some having moved already. The survey results show that as the number of children living with workers increases, the proportion of them who would consider a house move decreases. See Table 3.3 and Figure 3.5.

Just 27% of those in employment who live in the West Region (Galway, Mayo and Roscommon) would consider a house move if they could work remotely with 46% of those in employment in the Dublin Region considering a house move if they could work remotely. See Table 3.3.

18% of those in employment in the South-West Region (Cork and Kerry) would consider a move within their own county, this is 56% of those that would consider moving if they could work remotely. In the Mid-East Region (Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow) 24% would consider a move to another county, 59% of all those who would consider moving if they could work remotely. See Table 3.3 and Figure 3.6.

In all regions of the country except Dublin and the South West (Cork and Kerry) one in ten in employment have already moved since the start of the pandemic because they could work remotely. See Table 3.3.

Respondents were asked when compared to days they attend their workplace, how their transport behaviour changed to days when working remotely. The three modes of transport they were asked to evaluate were car, bicycle and walking with response options of taking more trips, the same amount of trips or less trips with a not applicable option provided also. Overall, almost three quarters (74%) took less trips by car, three in 10 (30%) took more bicycle trips and almost half (47%) took more trips on foot. See Table 3.4. 

Over one in 10 (11%) respondent remote workers aged between 18 and 34 years take more trips by car on days they remote work compared to days they are in their normal work location. This figure falls as age increases with just 3% aged 55 years and older taking more trips by that mode. See Table 3.4.

Nine in 10 respondents (90%) from the South-East Region (Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford) make less trips by car when working remotely compared to days they are in the office. This compares to just under two-in-three (63%) from the Dublin Region. See Table 3.4.

The survey also found that for those remote workers whose main mode of transport prior to the pandemic was by car, almost nine in 10 (86%) took less trips by that mode on days they worked remotely compared to days they were in their usual work location. See Table 3.4 and Figure 3.7. 

Almost two-in-three (64%) of respondents who said their main way of getting to work before the pandemic was on a bike are making less cycling trips now on days they remote work compared to days they are in the office with just 15% saying they make more trips by bike. See Table 3.4.

Over one third (34%) of people aged 45 to 54 years said they took more trips by bike on days they remote work compared to days they were in their workplace whereas for those aged 18 to 34 years the figure dropped to 27%. See Table 3.4.

Almost seven in 10 (68%) remote workers from the Midland Region (Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath) who cycle make less trips on days they remote work compared to days they are in their regular workplace. This compares to just 10% for respondents from the South-East Region (Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford). See Table 3.4.

Over one quarter (27%) of remote workers who mainly walked to work before the pandemic say they take more trips on foot when they remote work compared to days they are in their workplace, with 40% saying they take less walking trips. See Table 3.4.

Over one in 10 (13%) respondents from the Border Region (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo) take less trips on foot when working remotely compared to days they work from their normal work location whereas almost six in 10 (57%) say they take more walking trips when remote working. See Table 3.4.

For those respondents who travelled for the longest amount of time to get to work prior to the pandemic (91 minutes and above) 88% of them are making less car trips, 64% are making more cycling trips and 61% of them are making more trips on foot. See Table 3.4.