Dublin Chamber Q2 Business Outlook Report

Here are a few insights from the report:

Talent 

Attracting and retaining talent remains challenging due to the lack of affordable housing in Dublin. Despite a slight improvement since Q1 2024, 59% of firms still cite housing as a significant barrier. 

WFH 

The hybrid work model remains the predominant workplace arrangement for Dublin firms, with most employees required to spend two or three days in the office per week. 

However, firms offering full flexibility across all days have dropped from 37% in Q2 2024 to 27%, while the percentage of those implementing core office days is 36%, up from previous quarters. 

Trade 

Turning to trade, over four-in-five (81%) businesses expect to be affected by escalating international trade disputes. Among them, almost half (47%) expect moderate impacts, while 13% expect to be severely impacted. 

Regarding changes in U.S. tariff policy, almost half of Dublin businesses (45%) report no direct exposure. However, 29% are experiencing indirect effects through clients and supply chains. Looking ahead, 37% anticipate continued indirect vulnerability to further changes. 

Diversity 

In addition to the above, 60% of companies have either maintained or increased their Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) budgets over the past year, while 31% report having no dedicated budget. Leadership commitment to EDI appears strong, with almost nine in every ten firms (89%) affirming that their leadership supports EDI, and nearly half (49%) doing so strongly. While EDI remains a strategic priority for 58% of businesses, nearly one-in-three (29%) note either de-prioritisation or a lack of prioritisation. However, some view EDI as ingrained in company culture rather than a standalone policy. 

The full report is available to read here.