Employers in Ireland have effectively adjusted to meet the demands of new working environments due to the Covid-19 pandemic with 37 per cent believing there has only been a small negative impact on job productivity, a new study by Willis Towers Watson looking at the impacts on businesses with regard to employee productivity and working arrangements.
The snapshot research, conducted in April, shows that Irish employers were quick to set up remote working while managing to maintain productivity. Furthermore, 96 per cent of companies have put in place measures to keep employees updated through communication like emails, and 85 per cent now use platforms like Slack, Teams and WhatsApp.
As companies in Ireland ask their workforce to adapt to new ways of working, 84 per cent of employers say their staff working from home have the tech, tools and resources needed to work well for an extended period of time. However, 77 per cent agree that there is no fixed end date scheduled for flexible working due to the uncertainties of Covid-19.
For some companies, it is a good time for employees to upskill and 54 per cent may take up new training. As companies work hard to balance business sustainability with employee experience, actions are being taken to maintain employee well-being during the crisis, with 60 per cent of Irish employers shift flexibility in support of those juggling childcare considerations, while 56 per cent have already increased access to counselling.
SICK PAY & ANNUAL LEAVE
The survey also looks at trends concerning sick pay and annual leave entitlements in the current crisis. Many employees who do fall ill will continue to be supported by their company’s regular sick pay policy, with over half of employers – 54 per cent – surveyed currently not considering any changes to the normal sick pay procedures.
Two in five employers will also pay employees their full wage if they are asked to self-isolate at home with only three per cent asking employees to use their annual leave for such an eventuality. As we enter the summer months, many companies will also face the issue of annual leave accruing as a result of the disruption caused by Covid-19.
The research shows significant uncertainty among Irish businesses with 47 per cent unsure how to compensate employees for unused annual leave. Some are opting to carry the leave forward with only 14 per cent planning to ask employees to forfeit unused days.
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CARTOON AIDAN DOWLING
Here’s this week’s gags…
Eloquence? A man’s ability to describe Miriam O’Callaghan without using his hands.
Irishman Aidan McQuade swept to victory on the BBC’s Mastermind. He answered questions on his specialist subject, Otis Redding, while sitting on the dock of the bay.
When the Aga Khan’s horse won the Irish Derby at the Curragh, a local breeder went to the winner’s enclosure to congratulate His Highness and told him: “We’ve had one of your kitchen ranges for 30 years and it’s never given us a moment’s trouble.”
Traditional musician Seán Keane lives out in the sticks somewhere in Co Galway. As the man himself says, “when you get to rural Ireland, take a sharp left”.
Archaelogists in Egypt discovered a mummy smothered in chocolate and nuts. They believe it to be Ferrero Rocher.
If you’re being chased by a pack of taxidermists, don’t play dead.
Lockdown hair is God’s way of telling us that nothing in life is ever easy.
How do hedgehogs in south Wales make love? Caerphilly.
When it comes to playing the lead role in the Tiger King TV mini-series, who’s the safest bet? Nicholas Cage, bar none.
Ann is a big fan of costume dramas. Imagine her disappointment when she clicked on Zoom with a View.
Will all pubs look like Wetherspoons when they reopen?
There are so many jokes about composers. To be Franz, the Lizst is endless.
Until next week, stay safe, stay well – MC
