Following on from my recent poll around office versus hybrid working, one theme kept coming up. It is not the office that people are resisting. It is the commute. So I wanted to look at this more closely.I ran a second poll asking a simple question. How long is your commute to the office, one way?
160 people voted.
36% commute 30 minutes or less
43% commute around 60 minutes
21% commute 90 minutes plus
What stands out is this. The majority of people are commuting close to an hour or more each way.
What this highlights clearly is the length of a typical commute.For many, getting to the office is taking around 60 minutes or more each way. What I have not measured yet is how often that journey is being made. and that matters because even a few days per week at that length of commute can have a real impact on time, energy and overall work life balance.
In my previous poll, 31% of people said they would go into the office five days a week for a local role.That is an important shift. When you look at that alongside these commute times, the picture becomes clearer. It is not about avoiding the office but avoiding long and demanding commutes.
This is something I see regularly when speaking to professionals across North County Dublin and the wider Fingal area.
Candidates factoring commute into every decision
Roles being declined due to travel time
Strong interest in opportunities closer to home
Commute is no longer a secondary consideration. It is central to how people assess a role.
If your role requires significant time in the office, the commute needs to be considered as part of your hiring strategy as it will directly impact:
Who applies
Who accepts
Who stays
For businesses based in North County Dublin and surrounding areas, this presents a clear opportunity. There is strong local talent available and many are more open to office based roles than we might assume, when the commute is manageable.
Commute is not just a logistical detail it is shaping how people make decisions about work.It is becoming one of the most important factors in hiring today.
About the author
Hi! I’m Vanessa. I am the founder of Talent Choice, your local commercial office recruitment partner.
My approach is personal, consultative and always grounded in what the market is actually doing. I speak to candidates and hiring managers every day, so my insights reflect real conversations, not just trends.
I work closely with SME businesses in North County Dublin and surrounding areas helping them hire the right talent across finance & accounting, HR, marketing and administration in a competitive space.
I can be contacted directly through my linkedin DM's or vanessa@talentchoice.ie
