The research, commissioned by William Fry, one of Ireland’s leading corporate law firms, and conducted by Ipsos B&A with 404 Irish businesses, found that 34 per cent of large employers (50+ employees) already require a fixed number of office days, with the proportion operating with fixed attendance requirements expected to rise to 50 per cent by next year.

The findings also point to a clear divide in how larger and smaller businesses are approaching the workplace. Larger employers are currently more than twice as likely to operate on a hybrid working model, with 62 per cent doing so compared with fewer than 30 per cent of small businesses (49 employees or less).

Nuala Clayton, partner and head of employment, pensions & incentives at William Fry, said: “The findings suggest that hybrid working is not being reversed, it is now firmly embedded in the Irish workplace, but how it is structured is becoming more deliberate. Employers are looking more closely at what works for their organisation, their people and the type of work they do.

“For larger businesses in particular, that is leading to clearer expectations around office attendance, driven by concerns around productivity, collaboration, accountability and culture. At the same time, flexibility and employee wellbeing remain important considerations. The direction of travel is moving towards more structured hybrid models that try to balance these competing priorities for employers and employees.”

Across businesses offering hybrid working, three days in the office is currently the most common arrangement, reported by 33 per cent, followed closely by two days at 29 per cent. Just 9 per cent typically require four days and 5 per cent one day, while arrangements vary for around a quarter of employers.

The move towards greater structure comes as employers weigh the benefits of flexibility against concerns about how hybrid working affects organisations. Employee productivity is the leading influence on hybrid working policy, cited by 37 per cent of employers, followed by employee wellbeing at 33 per cent, business performance at 27 per cent and recruitment and retention at 22 per cent. Among larger companies, recruitment and retention rises sharply to 40 per cent, underlining the continuing importance of flexibility in attracting and keeping employees.

Larger employers also report greater challenges in making hybrid working effective. Accountability and performance tracking is cited by 42 per cent of large companies with hybrid models, while 40 per cent identify team collaboration as a challenge. Social and cultural considerations, onboarding and training, and innovation and creativity are each cited by 38 per cent.

Employee wellbeing presents a further challenge. While the majority of employers do not identify particular wellbeing issues associated with hybrid working, 42 per cent do. Isolation or loneliness is the most commonly identified concern, cited by 25 per cent, followed by disconnection from teams or the wider organisation at 24 per cent and burnout at 21 per cent. Employers also point to concerns around employee learning, development, engagement and motivation.

Despite employers tightening attendance requirements, the findings suggest that hybrid working itself is unlikely to disappear. Just 5 per cent of larger employers anticipate a full return to the office within the next 12 months, and 4 per cent over two years.