08/02/21 | Survey
43% of workers don't want to return to the office post-pandemic
43% of Irish people don't want to return to the office post-pandemic, according to new research carried out by Esri Ireland.
The company which specialises in the application of geographic information systems, surveyed more than 1,000 adults living in Ireland.
It found that 51% said they would like to be able to work from home at least part-time.
The survey also looked at the decision-making process, when it comes to deciding where to live.
More than three-quarters of respondents say the cost of renting or buying a property is a key consideration, making it the number one factor.
Other top considerations include proximity to work, chosen by 59%, and distance to shops, cited by 50% of respondents.
According to the research, one in ten respondents said they would like to move to a more rural setting post-pandemic.
However, of those living in rural locations, 39% believe that they have poor or very poor access to healthcare.
While 34% said access to Garda and emergency services is poor or very poor.
Paul Synnott, Managing Director of Esri Ireland, said that Covid-19 has made all of us more aware of where we live and the amenities available to us.
"With more people considering a move to a more permanent working-from-home set-up, this survey highlights areas where locals are not adequately served by essential services and amenities," he said.
"Using location intelligence, city and county planners can better determine areas requiring additional public and private sector investment, to ensure a growing and more dispersed remote workforce has access to adequate supports and amenities," he added.