The Return to Office in Ireland: Creating Workplaces People Want to Come Back To

Across Ireland, the return to the office is no longer framed as a debate about whether people should be there. Instead, it is increasingly viewed as an evolving national shift in how, where, and why work happens. Organisations are reassessing the role of the workplace against a backdrop of hybrid models, changing employee expectations, and long-term business sustainability. 

For Irish employers, this moment is less about reversing remote work and more about redefining the purpose of the office. The focus has moved from attendance to experience, from obligation to value. This article explores why the return to office is gaining momentum, how leading employers are influencing the conversation, and what it means for organisations shaping their own workplace strategies today. 

Why the Return to Office Is Gaining Momentum in Ireland 

Ireland’s workplace continues to evolve. While remote and hybrid work are well established, many organisations are finding that fully remote models do not support every role or stage of growth. Employers are increasingly linking office use to wider priorities such as productivity, culture, leadership visibility, skills development, and collaboration. The focus has shifted from whether offices are needed to how they add value.

With around 72.5% of jobs in Ireland considered "teleworkable", flexibility is no longer the differentiator. Instead, offices must justify the commute by supporting connection, learning, and collective momentum.

There is no single approach across sectors, but a clear pattern is emerging. Offices are being used more intentionally as spaces for collaboration, culture, and growth rather than everyday individual work.

How Major Employers Are Influencing the National Conversation 

Large employers such as Dell, JP Morgan, Amazon, AIB, and Microsoft are often cited in discussions about the return to office. Their policies tend to attract attention because of scale, not because they represent a universal blueprint.  

These organisations are best understood as shaping the national conversation rather than dictating behaviour. Their approaches differ widely in terms of structure, flexibility, and expectations, reflecting their industries, global footprints, and operational needs. In many cases, implementation is phased and adaptive rather than rigid. 

For Irish businesses observing these developments, the key takeaway is not to replicate what global enterprises are doing, but to recognise that the office is once again being positioned as a strategic asset. Large employers are signalling that physical workplaces still matter, while also acknowledging that how they are used must evolve. 

Return to Office Mandates vs Modern Workplace Expectations 

A traditional return-to-office mandate typically involves fixed rules: set days in the office each week, uniform policies across teams, and limited scope for variation. This approach prioritises consistency and ease of enforcement but can struggle to reflect how work actually happens across different roles. 

Modern workplace expectations, by contrast, tend to focus on flexibility, clarity, and purpose. Rather than asking people to be present on specific days by default, organisations may encourage teams to decide when in-person time adds the most value. For example, a team might come together for project kick-offs, planning sessions, or onboarding weeks, while allowing remote work for focused tasks. 

For employers, the challenge lies in balancing structure with autonomy. Too much rigidity can undermine trust and engagement; too little clarity can create confusion and inconsistency. Finding the middle ground is a practical leadership task, not an ideological one. 

What to Consider When Creating a Return to Office Policy 

When shaping a return to office policy, it helps to view flexibility, clarity, consistency, and space as parts of one system rather than separate decisions. 

Flexibility allows teams to adapt to changing workloads and personal circumstances. Clarity ensures that expectations are understood and applied fairly. Consistency helps maintain trust across the organisation, even when approaches differ between teams. Physical space underpins all of this, influencing how easily people can come together and how effective those moments are. 

Policy success is often shaped by whether the workplace itself can adapt to fluctuating attendance, different team sizes, and evolving working patterns. This is where flexible, serviced office environments can support employers by reducing long-term risk while providing spaces designed for collaboration and growth. 

What the Return to the Office Means for Irish Employers 

Beyond policy, the return to office has meaningful implications for culture, engagement, retention, and performance. The opportunity for employers lies in using the office as a lever to strengthen these areas rather than treating attendance as an end in itself. 

Research across Europe highlights the scale of choice organisations now have. An estimated 350,000 remote jobs in Ireland remain untapped, illustrating how many roles could be configured in different ways. This reinforces the idea that hybrid working is not a temporary compromise but a long-term strategic option. 

For employers, the question becomes how to combine remote, hybrid, and in-office work in a way that supports business goals while meeting employee needs. 

Collaboration, Culture and Connection: What’s Hard to Replicate Remotely 

Remote work offers clear benefits, including flexibility, focus, and access to broader talent pools. However, certain aspects of organisational life are harder to replicate at a distance. 

Onboarding new hires often benefits from in-person interaction, where informal learning and observation play a key role. Early-career employees can find it easier to build confidence and networks when they are physically present with colleagues.

Shared momentum, spontaneous problem-solving, and unplanned conversations are also more likely to occur when teams come together. 

This does not mean constant office presence is required. Instead, it points to the value of intentional moments, where time spent together has a clear purpose and payoff. 

The Office as a Tool for Engagement, Not Attendance 

When designed with intention, the office becomes a tool for engagement rather than a measure of attendance. Providers such as Iconic Offices illustrate how well-designed, flexible, serviced offices can support collaboration, team connection, and evolving business needs without locking organisations into rigid long-term commitments. 

Return to Office FAQs 

When will we return to the office? 

There is no single return to office date across Ireland. Most organisations are taking a phased and flexible approach based on business needs, leadership direction, and employee feedback. For many employers, the return to the office is an ongoing transition rather than a fixed point in time. 

Do employees want to return to the office? 

Employee sentiment varies. While flexibility remains important, many employees value in-person collaboration, connection, and a sense of belonging. Workplace research consistently shows that employees are more open to returning when the office offers clear benefits to their working day. 

Is the return to office moving towards 5 days a week? 

For most Irish employers, a five-day return to the office is not the standard approach. Hybrid working remains the dominant model, combining time in the office with remote work. While some organisations have increased in-office attendance, flexibility continues to be a key factor in attracting and retaining talent. 

Why should employees return to the office? 

The office supports collaboration, learning, and connection in ways that are difficult to fully replicate remotely. Being together in person can strengthen culture, support onboarding, and encourage spontaneous idea sharing. When designed with purpose, the office becomes a tool that supports people and performance. 

What do return to office stats tell us about workplace trends? 

Return to office statistics show that hybrid working is becoming the long-term norm rather than a temporary solution. Attendance patterns differ by industry and role, but the overall trend points towards more intentional office use focused on collaboration, engagement, and team interaction.