According to a report from YouGov and technology firm Ricoh Ireland Limited, 80% of Irish professionals have faked their workloads and stayed in the office beyond their contracted hours in order to impress their boss.

The report, ‘Overhauling a culture of presenteeism at work’, also found that 52% of those surveyed said that being able to work away from the office would help them manage childcare arrangements more easily. A further 45% believe working away from the office would help them meet clients more easily.

In the report, Presenteeism refers to those who turn up for work while unwell.

However, despite advances in communication technology, some 30% of Irish professionals believe that out of sight is out of mind and working away from the office on a regular basis will harm their career progression. Another 56% of respondents believe that the Irish Government is not performing well in enabling flexible working in Irish organisations. 

Furthermore, 63% think that the Government should educate employers on the benefits of flexible working, while 35% believe the Irish Government should provide grants or funding for the provision of flexible working technology.

"These outdated work practices are holding many professionals back and could also be hindering business growth,” General manager of Ricoh Ireland, Gary Hopwood said, “Employees should not have to fear being punished for not being physically at their desk for 40 hours a week."

"The digital age is more fluid than the rigid, outdated practice of presenteeism,” Hopwood said.

“Employers need to embrace flexible working practices for employees in a transparent, collaborative way with proper guidance from the Irish government,” Hopwood said. “We need to put platforms in place which support flexible working so that both the employer and the employee can progress and thrive."