Covid-19: Home working 'helped women get back into work'

Women, in particular, indicated a stronger preference for hybrid working, the study showed

The rise in working from home during Covid-19 appears to have helped a number of women get back into work, an Ulster University (UU) study suggests.

The report is based on official data, a survey and interviews carried out by UU's Economic Policy Centre (EPC).

Official data shows the number of people who were economically inactive due to looking after home or family fell sharply during the pandemic.

Economically inactive refers to those not in work and not looking for work.

The EPC said people who are economically inactive for this reason tend to be women.

The numbers have been coming down in recent times but accelerated during the pandemic, falling by 20,000 in two years.

The centre's director, Gareth Hetherington, said: "One of the few good news stories from the pandemic, is the re-engaging of those with caring responsibilities, who are a predominantly female cohort, back into the labour market.

"It appears that an increased acceptance of home working by employers is allowing them to manage both their workplace and family responsibilities," he added.

'Preference for hybrid working'

The EPC study also found that about two-thirds of workers wanted flexible working arrangements in the long term.

It surveyed 1,600 people across Northern Ireland during 2021 on their experience of working during the pandemic.

Respondents overwhelmingly backed a return to the office, but only if it was combined with home working.

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The most popular option was spending between one and three days a week in the office.

Women, in particular, indicated a stronger preference for hybrid working.

Mr Hetherington said: "Whilst we as a society want so much of our lives to return to normal, it appears that working from home is one habit from the pandemic that many of us want to keep, at least in part.

"This has many implications for both staff and employers which we are still only beginning to come to terms with."