A few weeks ago, I blogged about my experience at the halfway point of an internship program in Dublin, Ireland. In this post, I’d like to share any final reflections and conclusions I’ve made about the nuances of doing business in Ireland as opposed to the United States. Looking back on my trip to Ireland, it’s clear that there are many similarities between Irish and American business cultures, but there are also some fundamental differences. The US possesses a diverse and large economy, offering higher job mobility and a higher startup ecosystem. On the other hand, Ireland has a smaller, yet still dynamic, economy. Compared to its EU counterparts, Ireland has a more favorable business climate and thus hosts European HQs for many major multinational companies including Google, Apple, and Pfizer. I asked a few of my coworkers who have worked in both the US and Ireland, and they said on average the compensation is slightly lower in Ireland. That being said, it still remains high in industries such as tech and finance, and Ireland also has many benefits to employees that the US doesn’t offer. For instance, PTO is federally mandated and on average around 20 days a year compared to an average of 10-15 in the US. Ireland also has a public healthcare system and a favorable parental leave policy. There are certainly pros and cons to work culture in both countries, so it really depends on your own personal goals and what you hope to gain out of a work experience.
Work/life balance is also something worth noting, because I found it to be quite different than in the United States. Within my first few weeks, I noticed that, in general, the workplace culture seems a bit more relaxed. It is pretty uncommon to see people working more than 40 hours a week, and they’re also more flexible when it comes to leave and schedules. Even some of my fellow interns that have worked similar roles for US companies say that it’s much easier to pop out of work at times or even request a few days off every now and then. This relaxed approach to work creates a more spirited workforce, and I can definitely see that at my own office in the way they chat with one another and maintain friendships on and off the clock. That being said, we do certainly bury our heads down when it comes time to meet deadlines.
