The survey conducted by Athlone IT firm Sidero quizzed companies on the cost of living and access to talent in regional locations.
Dublin may not be the location front of mind for companies in the future, according to a new survey of tech decision-makers around where to base their business.
The survey, conducted by Athlone-based IT and cloud firm Sidero, found that 77pc of Irish tech leaders think that more tech firms will opt to locate outside Dublin after the pandemic.
The survey quizzed 119 IT decision-makers around the country for their takes on regional development, access to skills and cost of living.
Covid-19 thrust the world into a mass remote working experiment. Now as the pandemic gradually eases, companies are re-evaluating how they use their offices and the need to have all staff centralised in one location.
The high cost of living for staff and office leases for companies in Dublin has also been a catalyst for this thinking.
Almost half of respondents in the survey said that lower set-up and running costs would influence their decision to locate their business outside of Dublin. At the same time, 27pc said there would be less competition for talent in the regions.
Many respondents also cited easier commutes, better work-life balance and lower cost of living as reasons for making the move.
Furthermore, one in five respondents said the majority of their employees will continue to work from home, at least partially, while 42pc said they would trial a four-day working week.
“As a midlands-based company, we have experienced first-hand the benefits of regional investment, and it’s heartening to see that so many of our peers also recognise the advantages,” Sidero chief executive Carmel Owens said.
“The dramatic changes in work practices over the past year have shown that our industry no longer needs to be Dublin-centric, which in turn, can lead to a better work-life balance and lower costs for businesses.”
The Government recently unveiled a plan to encourage more people and businesses to move from urban areas to revive rural Ireland.
Owens added that the recent establishment of a number of technological universities around the country will be a boon to regional development as well.
“We are reassured that regional investment will be seen as a viable option for more Irish businesses going forward, which is a win-win as it gives regional locations a chance to flourish, while relieving some of the pressure on services and infrastructure in larger cities.”
