Workday, the global HR and payroll processing company, has announced plans to cut 1,750 jobs worldwide, representing 8.5% of its global workforce. With its European headquarters located in Dublin, there are growing concerns about the potential impact on the Irish operation, which employs approximately 2,000 people.
While the company has not provided a regional breakdown of the job cuts, applying the 8.5% reduction to Ireland’s workforce could lead to an estimated 170 job losses. The news comes as the company undertakes a strategic shift to better align its resources with the evolving needs of its customers.
In a statement, Workday reassured its commitment to Dublin and emphasized that it would continue to invest in local innovation efforts. The company is set to announce a new location in Dublin city centre soon, which will house all employees in a single building, facilitating greater collaboration and creativity.
Workday’s CEO, Carl Eschenbach, communicated the company’s plans to employees in an internal email. He explained that the decision to reduce headcount was necessary to adapt to the changing demands of the business landscape. Despite the job cuts, Eschenbach emphasized that the company would continue to hire in key areas and invest in innovation, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) and platform development.
“We are making these changes to better align our resources with customers’ evolving needs,” Eschenbach wrote. He also outlined that affected employees would be contacted shortly, with efforts to meet as many as possible on the same day, subject to local consultation requirements.
For employees outside the US, including those in Ireland, Workday confirmed that severance packages would be based on local standards but aligned with those offered to US staff, where possible.
The news of potential job cuts at the Irish operation follows a broader trend of global companies reassessing their workforce needs in response to shifting economic conditions and business strategies. The situation has raised concerns about the impact on Dublin’s tech sector, which has seen significant layoffs across multiple companies in recent months.
