Google will continue to invest in Dublin office space, despite pulling out of a deal for the Sorting Office building in the docklands, the Ireland head of the search giant has said.
In an interview with The Irish Times, Nick Leeder said the company would seek to balance office work with remote working, which has become a feature for Google employees because of Covid-19 restrictions.
“We still believe in buildings,” he said. “We’re going to continue to invest in space in Dublin, and we’re going to continue investing in buildings, but I think what we are looking to is the right blend of working from home and from the office in future. I think it will be more flexible.”
Google has a significant footprint in Ireland, with more than a million square feet of office space, and two new buildings being finished.
11,000 staff
When the Treasury Building and Boland’s Quay (both of them close to Google’s existing Barrow Street campus) are complete, the company will have space for 11,000 staff in Dublin, but with everybody working from home until the end of June next year, there seemed little need to take on the Sorting Office.
“We wouldn’t wish to have an epidemic of course, and it has caused a huge amount of suffering and pain, but through it we are also learning a lot about what the future will be, and how it can be better,” Mr Leeder said.
He believes the office will continue to have its place, particularly to help new employees find their feet in terms of company culture.
Earlier this month it emerged that Google had pulled out of plans to rent additional office space at the new Sorting Office complex for up to 2,000 people, reflecting uncertainty over the future of traditional working environments.
The company was close to taking 202,000 sq ft (18,766sq m) of space at the building close the quays to add to its stable of properties in the capital where it employs more than 8,000 people.
