Working From Home Megathread

is the whole working from home tax relief done away with now?

i.e can I claim anything for 2023? Like other years I put in for heating, electricity and internet and got a certain % of this back

Out of interest, does anyone know people who are working fully remotely?

I know a few, but I know of loads of people who have bought houses down the country (e.g. in Cork, Kerry, etc.) and commute to Dublin once a week for some day(s) in the office.

I read yesterday that the office market in Dublin is really weak, there's the highest amount of vacancies since 2013. And remember the economy was in an extremely weak position then and a very strong position now.

Sure, hybrid working seems to be where things are going for most people, but it's still a huge hit for property in cities. It's not being felt too severely on the residential side as yet because there was such a shortage going into Covid, but long term decline there too is probably inevitable.

Full remote since 2019. Have changed job (and company) twice in that time.

Farcical that grown adults have resorted to this behaviour.

I don't blame them though, the stupidity eminates from mandating office attendance where it is not necessary. The vast majority of people in any walk of life want to do a good job - just let grown adults decide for themselves if office attendance is warranted, within reason.

There's only so long the tide of flexible work can be held back.

People and companies are just getting on with it. Every now and then a story pops up but it’s pretty much established now. We’re 2 years on from any “health” requirements. It’s just normal practice now. Some individual patterns may change, of course, but some element of WFH will remain for most desk based jobs

There's an element of pushback from some employers, sure, but there's also pushback from employees against that. I've seen it myself when interviewing. "What's your blended working policy?" "Two days in the office, three WFH." "I literally can't afford to rent a place in Dublin, I'd be commuting from (midlands/the west/Cork). I mean, sure, the odd time, I don't mind going in, but if I'm doing the work from home, why do I need to go to the office every week" was a conversation I've had, or words to that effect, more than once. I still have the vacancies...

My partner is a contractor, 18 months in the current contract, headhunted for it in fact. They announced everyone has to go in 2 days a week from a couple of weeks ago. This is after a couple of years of "WFH unless you want to come in or there's some big meeting on." But they also want to extend the contract, they've some big project going on until June. Guess who's looking elsewhere, though?

Conspiracy theory nonsense.

I have seen an example of that in Galway. They knew it would force the issue for some folks that moved far away from office.

Traffic in Galway will get even worse if people are forced to return to the office.

I have been 100% WFH since Covid. I will most certainly leave my employer if they mandate more than 1 day a week.

Good luck with proving that if you have a contract that says your regular place of work is the office.

Typical HR carryon but it'll backfire on them. The calibre of employees who leave as a result is bound to be higher than those staying.

That's not what was said.

Staff who enjoy WFH and want to keep doing so, and who happen to be more employable (i.e., those with in-demand skillsets, better track record and experience, etc.) are less likely to stick around with an employer that arbitrarily decides to remove or severely cut down on the WFH option. Those who can't easily find a job elsewhere, conversely, are the ones who don't end up leaving because WFH was removed.

Agreed a lot of flexible, team players who are committed to the work (all good traits in an employee) consider the needs of the business and not just themselves as that supports the best business outcomes, and are fine with blended 3/2 days as a result.

People with a sense of entitlement focussed on their own success over the businesses success may the ones demanding full WFH.

It's totally case by case and you can't generalise

I am fairly convinced that WFH is a lot more efficient/productive than office working.