Hybrid Work: Lambert Couple Juggles Two Kids, Full-Time Jobs, and Unpaid Leave
Shane and Audrey Lambert, parents of two, manage full-time hybrid jobs. Audrey works two days remotely for Dublin City Council, while Shane has an unpredictable schedule. They juggle childcare, commutes, and Shane's travel, with Audrey taking four weeks of unpaid leave. They advocate for greater remote work flexibility, citing a Fórsa poll where 74% found it less stressful.
Shane and Audrey Lambert, both full-time workers with two children aged 10 and 8, navigate the complexities of hybrid work. Audrey is a staff officer with Dublin City Council, working two days remotely (Monday and Thursday) and three days in the city centre office. She uses flexitime, starting early to finish by 3:30 PM to pick up her children from after-school care, which ends at 5 PM. Shane, a senior official with Fórsa, has an unpredictable, demand-driven schedule, often with late meetings.
Their routine involves Audrey commuting 45-60 minutes from Leixlip, Co Kildare, on office days, while Shane handles school drop-offs on her remote days. They prioritize aligning Shane's overnight travel with Audrey's remote work to ensure a parent is home. Audrey takes four weeks of unpaid leave each summer for childcare when schools are closed. She notes that half her office meetings are online anyway and advocates for more flexibility, suggesting a 50-50 remote/office split instead of the current maximum of two remote days per week at the council.
Shane highlights a mindset issue regarding remote work, observing that some employers insist on in-office presence without clear practical reasons. Audrey adds that some council colleagues are limited to one remote day weekly. A Fórsa-commissioned poll of 1,191 workers by Ireland Thinks found 74% reported less stress with remote work, and 48% felt caring responsibilities were more fairly distributed.