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Bank of Ireland UK has said it will implement a hybrid working model for its workforce.

The lender will also establish "hubs" to allow staff to use desks and attend meetings.

The bank said flexible working was already in place before the first lockdown was introduced, but the pandemic had accelerated a longer term strategy.

Hubs will be established in Northern Ireland and England.

Bank of Ireland carried out two staff surveys last May and December to gauge how staff felt about changing work patterns.

It said more than three quarters expressed a preference to work from home between 25% and 75% of the working week.

The new model will see office space being used primarily for meetings, collaboration and to build connections.

Remote locations will be for individual projects or task-based work.

'Less of the old way of doing things'

The hubs will be established in Belfast, Bristol, London and Birmingham, with the potential for more hubs in Northern Ireland.

Chief people officer, Matt Elliott, said the bank had been rethinking the traditional office model before the pandemic.

"Things won't go back to how they were at the start of 2020," he said.

"We are going to see less of the old way of doing things, like travelling through rush hour to do something at the office that could easily have been done from home.

"Our network of remote working hubs will provide a real alternative to time and energy-sapping commutes.

"The central office still has an important but different role to play, with large office buildings being redesigned to facilitate meetings and collaboration.

"The introduction of a hybrid model also increases accessibility to employees or applicants for roles based around the country and outside urban centres and to those who have caring responsibilities in the home.

"Ultimately, it offers much more flexibility and choice, blending home and office working with less commuting time and cost and a greater work-life balance."

Bank of Ireland said it has provided equipment for staff to work from home and continues to invest in its digital infrastructure to facilitate remote working.