By early 2020, approximately 3,500 employees at Bank of Ireland Group were working with some degree of flexibility. However, the development and implementation of a longer-term hybrid working model was accelerated as a result of COVID-19. This model has also been developed in partnership with colleagues, with the Bank conducting two surveys in May and December 2020 to understand employee preference and trends. More than three quarters (77%) of colleagues expressed a preference to work from home between 25% and 75% of their working week.
Commenting at the launch today, Matt Elliott, Chief People Officer said: “Rethinking the traditional office model has been a key part of our vision for the future of work at Bank of Ireland. Through that work, we’ve been changing what it is like to work at the Bank for a number of years.
“COVID-19 has accelerated that change. Things won’t go back to how they were at the start of 2020. We are going to see less of the old way of doing things, like travelling through rush hour to do something at the office that could easily have been done from home.
“Our network of remote working hubs will provide a real alternative to time and energy sapping commutes. The central office still has an important but different role to play – with large office buildings being redesigned to facilitate meetings and collaboration.
“The introduction of a hybrid model also increases accessibility to employees or applicants for roles based around the country and outside urban centres and to those who have caring responsibilities in the home. Ultimately, it offers much more flexibility and choice, blending home and office working with less commuting time and cost and a greater work-life balance. ”
The new model will see office space being 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. Bank of Ireland engaged with employees on the selection of new hub locations through a Ways of Working employee survey in June 2020, and locations were selected based on suitability of the property and the best geographical match to where employees stated they would like to work.
The Bank has put in place a wide range of supports for colleagues working from home, which include providing equipment to meet safety and ergonomic requirements and ongoing investment in digital solutions to enable greater team collaboration.
Working from home options are open to employees throughout Bank of Ireland Group meaning increased access to applicants for certain roles from outside traditional operational centres.
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