Commuters who live in Louth and work in Dublin city spend on average a month a year commuting. That’s a lot of wasted time and energy and can result in real exhaustion. Since the COVID-19 lockdown, many people from Louth have had the chance to work from home. Avoiding the daily commute has been a welcome measure but remote working is not always as easy as it may sound.
Speaking this week, Head of Enterprise with Louth County Council, Thomas McEvoy explained “The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation wants to hear from commuters and business owners. They want to understand what structures need to be put in place to make remote working a really viable prospect into the future. The closing date for submissions is Friday, 7th August, so there’s no time to waste.
Remote working includes both working from home or working from another location that is not your office, for example: an enterprise, innovation or community hub, a co-working space, working while travelling or a mixture of these.
He continued “We know from research and anecdotal evidence, that employers and employees needed more guidance in order to increase the uptake of remote working. In particular information on equality, health and safety, employment rights, the right to disconnect, data protection and training.”
The Department website already features a guide for employees and employers on working remotely during COVID-19. But now they need input into how to develop practical, sustainable strategies for remote working. They want employees and employers to provide feedback on the current guidance and how it could be improved. They are asking what else employers and employees need to make remote working a success.
Thomas explains “The information received will be used to shape public policy on remote working. They will use the insights and feedback arising from submissions to further refine Remote Working Guidance for employers and employees.”
He concludes “This is an opportunity for employers and employees in Louth to help shape government policy in a way that will improve quality of life for local people and strengthen our local economy. Don’t miss out on a chance to have your say and shape the future. Make a written submission by email to RemoteWorkingGuidance@dbei.gov.ie or by post to the Remote Working Guidance Consultation, Dept. of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, 23 Kildare Street, Dublin 2 before Friday’s closing date.”
If you are making a written submission it is recommended that you review the Remote Work in Ireland report on www.dbei.ie website.
