LAST UPDATE | 16 Sep 2021

AFTER 18 MONTHS out of the office for non-essential workers, thousands of people around the country are set to return to workplaces next week.

Strict public health restrictions on work are lifting from next Monday, allowing workplaces to open for “specific business requirements” on the basis of phased and staggered  attendance.

When the computers are booted up and the dust is blown away, it will have been 557 days since workers were first told to stay at home wherever possible.

Healthcare workers, teachers, drivers, retail staff, emergency services, construction workers and many others have already been working outside of their homes for some or all of the pandemic.

But for those who have been working remotely, the coming weeks mark a massive change in Covid-19 restrictions on work – and we want to hear your stories.

Are you returning to your workplace for the first time, continuing to work from home, or a hybrid of the two? How do you feel about it? 

Or, maybe you’re an essential worker and are already working outside your home. Will anything change in your working arrangements on 20 September?

Reach out and let us know your story. You might be thinking about: 

• What will your working arrangements look like from 20 September?
• Are you being asked (or told) to return to the workplace? Are you able to continue working from home if you want to?
• Is your employer offering a ‘hybrid’ option where you can combine working in the office and remotely?
• Would you like to work in the office, at home, or a mix of the two?
• How safe do you feel returning to the workplace?
• What safety measures are your workplace implementing?
• Do you feel supported by your employer? Have they given you all the information you need?
• Has your situation at home changed since you were last in the office – have you moved house or had a baby, for example? Has that affected what working arrangements would suit you best?

To share your story, please email Lauren@thejournal.ie with the subject line ‘Work’.

We’ll share the stories in a future article. Please include your name and county in an email along with your story.

Please tell us if you wish to remain anonymous or use your first name only in the piece.