Alex Kotsos

The Widening Gap Between Jobseekers and Employers Expectations Across Ireland in 2025 🇮🇪 At Osborne, we have gathered insights into the latest hiring trends in Ireland, drawing from direct engagement with both jobseekers and employers across multiple sectors. One key trend was: Hybrid Work Demand and Salary Disparity Shape Jobseeker Decisions 🤔 Jobseeker expectations are at an all-time high, particularly regarding hybrid and remote work arrangements. A growing number of professionals are now refusing to engage with roles that do not offer flexibility. Alongside this, jobseekers are entering hiring processes with higher salary expectations, often not matched by employer budgets, leading to greater negotiation challenges and a higher risk of jobseeker drop-off during prolonged recruitment cycles. Read more on these trends on our website at https://lnkd.in/ey_4RYrs #Osborne #RecruitmentExcellence #ChangingLives

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The Widening Gap Between Jobseekers and Employers Expectations Across Ireland in 2025 🇮🇪 At Osborne, we have gathered insights into the latest hiring trends in Ireland, drawing from direct engagement with both jobseekers and employers across multiple sectors. A key trend we noticed was Public Sector Interest and Commuting Concerns Drive Career Moves 💼 A surge of interest in public sector roles is being observed, primarily due to perceptions of job security. In addition, commute times are now a significant driver for job changes, with many jobseekers prioritising roles that offer shorter travel time or fully remote options. Read more on these trends on our website at https://lnkd.in/ey_4RYrs #Osborne #RecruitmentExcellence #ChangingLives

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📢 HR 2025 in Ireland: Insights That Drive Strategy The latest CIPD Ireland report offers timely insight into where we are as a profession and where we need to go. As HR, we are adding real value. We’re driving inclusion, building talent, supporting leaders, and shaping employee experience. But the report shows that business needs are evolving fast and we need to evolve with them. Key highlights: - 91% of organisations are facing skills shortages, especially in leadership, IT, and frontline roles - AI is on the rise, but only 11% have a clear plan or leadership capability to guide it - Business is focused on cost control, productivity, and tech adoption - HR continues to prioritise talent, leadership, and employee experience - Hybrid work is supporting attraction and retention but challenging culture and collaboration - Mental health, workload, and poor management support are still key reasons people leave So what does this mean for us in the People Strategy Agenda? We're making good progress with flexible working, better HR tools, and more support for managers. But we're still not fully in step with what the business needs most. This means we should keep moving forward and to keep make People Strategy a true part of the business strategy, not just a support function, but a driver of change by: - Connect talent & L&D to business outcomes - Build digital and AI readiness across HR and leadership - Equip managers to lead well in hybrid environments - Design work with wellbeing and sustainability in mind - Turn inclusion policies into daily practice - Use HR data to show real impact on cost, performance, and retention 📘 You can find the full CIPD report here: https://lnkd.in/eYhhEG_b #PeopleStrategy #CIPDIreland #FutureOfWork #LeadershipDevelopment

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Our latest research reveals the three biggest priorities shaping HR strategy right now: 🟠 Attracting & retaining talent (70%) 🟠 Employee engagement & culture (52%) 🟠 Tight budgets & rising costs (45%) We’ve gathered first-hand insights from HR professionals across Ireland to create a clear picture of what’s ahead, including key areas of investment, training and development priorities and trends and predictions. 📘 Download Ireland’s HR Landscape 2026 at the link in the comments to better understand what your peers are focusing their time, energy and budgets.

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👉HR Practices in Ireland 2025: The 'Priority Gap' and the War for Talent The new CIPD HR Practices in Ireland 2025 Report is essential reading, revealing a powerful surge in HR's influence alongside a significant misalignment in strategic priorities between the function and the business. Here are the critical takeaways for leaders and People Professionals: 1. HR's Strategic Influence is Growing Four out of five respondents reported an increase in HR’s impact in the last 12 months. HR teams are already driving value by: ⟶Championing diversity (95%). ⟶Contributing to strategic direction (91%). ⟶Providing evidence-based insights for decision-making (90%). 2. The Critical 'Priority Gap' For the next two years, the focus is split: Organisations are primarily concerned with Cost management, Digitalisation and technology, and Performance/Productivity. HR Functions are focused on Talent management (attracting, retaining, developing skills), Leadership development, and Employee experience. This low level of alignment highlights a risk: HR is concentrating on core talent activities while the business needs it to focus more closely on pressing issues like costs, technology, and productivity. 3. The New Drivers of Employee Turnover Despite an uncertain economic environment, the skills shortage remains acute (91% of businesses). Talent is harder to retain (68%). Beyond career opportunities, the top factors driving turnover are: ⟶Commute (43%). ⟶Work-life balance conflict (38%). ⟶Cost of living (38%). ⟶Workload/burnout is also a significant factor in both turnover (29%) and mental health issues (58%). The most impactful recruitment and retention tool is offering flexible working practices (81%). 4. Low Readiness for the AI Future Digitalisation is a top external driver of change, yet Ireland's workplaces show low readiness for the AI revolution: Only 11% have communicated a clear plan on AI use to employees. The same low number (11%) feel their leadership team is fully equipped to lead in a digitalised/AI world. The call to action for HR is clear: Step in now to provide the necessary leadership, guidance, and training to navigate the impact of AI on work and people. What is your organization doing to close the strategic priority gap in 2025? #CIPD #HRPractices #IrelandHR #FutureOfWork #TalentManagement #AIEthics #WorkplaceTrends

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⏰ Are your working hours and rest breaks fully compliant with Irish employment law? Our latest blog, A Guide to the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, breaks down everything employers and HR teams need to know — in plain English. The blog covers: ✅ Apply the 48-hour working week rule ✅ Manage rest breaks & weekly rest entitlements ✅ Calculate annual leave & public holiday pay correctly ✅ Understand night work regulations & record-keeping duties Compliance doesn’t have to be complex — we’ve simplified it for you. 📘 Read the full guide here 👉 https://hubs.ly/Q03PH8y50 #HRLocker #WorkingTimeAct #HRIreland #Compliance #EmploymentLaw #HRSoftware #IrishEmployers #TimeAndAttendance #WRC #HRManagement

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Pay Transparency update: The Department of Equality has said work is continuing on the legislation required to fully transpose the EU’s Pay Transparency Directive but acknowledged the required measures will not be completed by the June 7th deadline and so implementation will happen on “a phased basis”. Responding to a query from The Irish Times, the department said “employers will not be penalised for not having all elements of the directive completed in June 2026 and the department will be working with stakeholders to communicate this message” However employers still need to keep the momentum in preparing for pay transparency as most organisations have still a lot to do in relation to this complex and wide reaching piece of legislation. We will continue to keep you updated on progress when we know more as it unfolds & are here to help in the meantime to help you prepare & answer any queries you have at NFP, an Aon company (Ireland)

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Auto-Enrolment is nearing implementation…..are you ready? Auto-enrolment is a new Irish pension savings scheme for employees who are not paying into a pension. Auto Enrolment applies if: 📍 Employees are aged between 23 and 60 📍 Employees are not currently part of a pension plan 📍 Employees earn €20,000 or more per year If employees earn less than €20,000 per year, or are not aged between 23 and 60, they can choose to join the pension scheme if they are not already part of a pension plan. As of 1st January all employees will automatically see the following processed through their payroll 💶 1.5% Employee Contribution on gross pay 💶 1.5% Employer Contribution on gross pay 💶 0.5% Government Contribution on gross pay   There are a couple of actions employers need to take to prepare for the implementation on January 1st 1. Update of Employment Contracts: 📌 Include a clause outlining deductions applicable by both employee and employer and when they become effective  📌 Where there is a workplace pension plan, an update to the treatment of probation periods - typically a waiting period applies but this is not applicable under Auto Enrolment as it happens on the first day of employment. Employers can allow employees to join the workplace pension plan from day 1 and include vesting conditions so that if an employee doesn’t pass probation they can recuperate the funds. Alternatively employees are auto enrolled with the option to join the workplace plan after waiting period at which point auto enrolment will cease. 2. Update of Critical Policies  📌 How are contributions being treated during absences (protected leaves, career breaks, unpaid leave, notice periods etc)  📌 How is opt out / non contribution tracked from a HR perspective - normally done through HRIS? 3. Communication ✍ A communication plan should begin at the latest November, to ensure that all staff are aware of upcoming changes and how it impacts them. ✍ Addendums to contracts / policy updates need to be shared with employees in advance. *Important to note that contributions are driven through payroll. If employees are not being paid, then they / you as an employer are not contributing   ✍ What are the options for existing employees who are not part of the workplace pension plan?    ℹ️ Employees can opt out or suspend from month 6 to month 8. Where an employee opts out, contributions are refunded. Employer and state contributions remain in the fund.  ℹ️ If an employee suspends contributions, all contributions, including those from the employer and the State, will be suspended. All the existing contributions remain in the fund. If an employee suspends their contributions, they must wait at least 12 months before they can start making contributions again. ℹ️ Both an employer’s and the Government’s contributions are capped at €80,000 gross annual salary.

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