Workday abandons new-build Dublin office project
Continues to expand EMEA HQ in existing buildings instead
SaaS biz application vendor Workday has pulled out of a new-build development in Dublin as it rethinks plans to expand EMEA HQ.
In April 2022, the $7.3 billion annual revenue company opened up on a project to create 1,000 jobs over the following two years by constructing swanky European headquarters at Grangegorman, Dublin, a move supported by the Irish government.
It shared the news at an event attended by then Taoiseach (head of government) Micheál Martin, Martin Shanahan, CEO of Ireland's foreign investment agency IDA, and Chano Fernandez, then Workday co-CEO. At the time, the company said Workday employed around 1,700 people in Dublin.
But that blueprint has changed. A Workday spokesperson told us the company currently employs 2,000 people in the Irish capital, which suggests it undershot earlier growth target.
"The depth of talent in Ireland makes it a great place for Workday to grow and invest. Today we have more than 2,000 workmates in Dublin and continue to make progress towards our aggressive hiring goals in product development, engineering, AI, and more," the spokesperson said.
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"As we rapidly grow in Dublin, we have decided to expand our EMEA headquarters in existing office space rather than pursue a new development."
The spokesperson said Workday hoped to confirm the new location in Dublin by the end of 2024, while it continued to occupy its current Dublin offices in Kings Building and Dockline.
The Register understands that the HR and finance software company, founded in 2005, expects to expand its headcount in Dublin by 15 percent annually, working in partnership with academic institutions such as the Technological University of Dublin.
Following the peak of the pandemic, Workday CEO Aneel Bhusri voiced his support for back-to-office policies, saying "maybe five days is too much family time."
In March 2021, the company announced a $172.5 million investment in property on the eastern side of San Francisco Bay, including a new HQ and five more Bay Area buildings. ®