Gail Quinn

Recent developments, such as the publication of the new Code of Practice on the Right to Request Remote and Flexible Working, are reshaping how employers and employees in Ireland approach work arrangements. Hybrid working models have re-emerged as a practical solution that aligns with the principles outlined in the Code. How can employers balance the growing demand for employee flexibility and freedom with the new regulations? Voltedge Management Senior HR Consultant & Client Services Programme Manager Shane Prendergast explores this question in his inaugural article since joining our team. https://lnkd.in/dec_EPhR #hybridwork #remotework #flexiblework #HR

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Learn the latest insights and best practices on supporting employees in #outplacement situations with the appropriate level support. The case for proactive financial support is stronger than ever... https://lnkd.in/eA6BS3V8

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In today’s competitive job market in Ireland, creating a talent pool is key to establishing a steady flow of talent for your business.

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The EU Adequate Minimum Wage Directive: Getting the Collective Bargaining Provisions Wrong   In an article in today’s Irish Times, Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports on an interview with the new Irish Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Peter Burke. In the article, Burke-Kennedy writes:   “Another potential headache for Government is the incoming EU directive on adequate minimum wages which (obliges Member States) ... to ensure that collective bargaining wage agreements cover up to 80 per cent of the workforce. Currently in Ireland, the rate is just 35 per cent.”   The Directive does not require governments to ensure that 80% of the workforce is covered by collective bargaining agreements. The 80% is an indicator, not a target. Something the EU thinks would be a “nice to have”, rather than a “must have”.   Member States are not required to oblige employers to negotiate with unions. Rather, they should put in place frameworks that would facilitate such bargaining if the parties agree to bargain. You cannot make people negotiate with one another against their will.   Certainly, you can pass a law which says that an employer should meet with a union that has a certain percentage of a bargaining unit in membership. The law can put the union in the room. However, the law cannot make the employer agree to anything the union might ask for. Just look at how things work in the US.   There are only two alternatives to a negotiated agreement between an employer and a union:   1.  Mandatory, legally binding arbitration that imposes a settlement on the parties. This possibility already exists in Irish law through the Industrial Relations Amendment Acts, which allows the Labour Court to impose terms and conditions where “it is not the practice of the employer to engage in collective bargaining”. But, from the data, it appears to be a road less travelled by the unions. 2.  The union calls a strike to enforce its demands, the traditional way of exerting union power. However, this requires the union to have enough members to make the strike effective. Nor does the Directive oblige governments to introduce sectoral bargaining where it does not already exist. For a start, define “sectors” in a modern economy.   At the end of the day, if unions want employers to negotiate with them then they need to have sufficient members to give them the leverage to get the employer to seriously engage. Want a collective bargaining agreement? Get members. Otherwise, the law will not deliver for the unions.   https://lnkd.in/ecTDtvsZ

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Today's Ibec ER Drop-in clinic featured compelling discussions that shed light on key topics affecting the Irish labour market and HR practices. We delved into: State of the Economic & Labour Market 📊 We kicked off the day with an in-depth analysis of the current state of the Irish economic & labour market, and here are some key takeaways for 2024: 👉Inflation continues to slow but remains higher than pre-pandemic levels; 👉Strong growth in domestic consumption for the Q4; 👉There's a record number in employment and labour force, with 90,000 new jobs created over the past 12 months, largely due to immigration; 👉The tight labour market has led to increased wages in most sectors, underlining the competition for talent and the need for strategic workforce planning; 👉Despite positive trends, there are significant challenges with the high cost of labour, electricity, and housing; 👉Remote working is stabilising for service-based economies, indicating a potential shift in long-term workplace dynamics. EU Pay Transparency Directive 💼 This directive imposes significant obligations on employers to ensure transparency in pay structures and address pay disparities. Proactive steps are necessary to comply with these new regulations and to promote fairness and equality in the workplace. Right to Request Flexible and Remote Working 🏡 We also explored the essential components and employer obligations regarding the Right to Request Flexible Working and the Right to Request Remote Working. The conversations highlighted the need for employers to comply with the Work-Life Balance and Misc. Provisions Act 2023 by developing robust policies that accommodate these requests while maintaining operational efficiency. HR Metrics 📈 Lastly, we examined the importance of using effective HR metrics to make data-driven decisions that support employee engagement, performance, and overall strategic goals. Thank you Ibec for helping us stay informed and proactive in adapting to these changes. #Uniphar #HR #LabourMarket #PayTransparency #FlexibleWorking #RemoteWorking #HRMetrics #Ibec Angelica Naomi Lumanisa Sheila Oliveira Niamh Leeson (Assoc. CIPD)

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Government Revenue Surplus of €500m in Q1 as revenue and Expenditure rise. The government achieved a surplus of €500m in the first quarter of the year, with both revenue and expenditure seeing year-on-year increases. According to the CSO (Central Statistics Office Ireland) , tax revenue in Q1 reached €28.8bn, up by €1.3bn from the same period in 2023. This growth was primarily fueled by a €400m rise in social contributions and an additional €100m in investment income. On the expenditure side, there was a €1.4bn increase, totaling €28.3bn. CSO statistician Paul McElvaney attributed this rise to higher pay, increased social benefits, and a surge in gross fixed capital formation, highlighting investments made by local companies. #GovernmentSurplus #RevenueGrowth #ExpenditureIncrease #EconomicUpdate Brightwater Executive

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Have you been increasing pay for your employees? See illustration below for more details. Some of the reasons cited for this in the CIPD-IRN Private sector pay and employment report 2024 on pay practices in Ireland were staff retention; inflation; skills shortages; increase to national minimum wage and (one which I am glad to hear companies are proactively working on, albeit with more to do) the gender pay gap. #cipd #hr #compensation

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A prime example of not having hr support in place or perhaps having it and not utilising it. If you're unsure of your obligations as an employer and want straight forward, professional advice give Insight HR a call on 056 7701060 to discuss any situation with our HR consultants! Mary Cullen Liam Barton Joe Thompson, Assoc CIPD Megan Power #hradvice #hrconsultant

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Starting in 2024, employers with 150 or more employees will be required to report on their Gender Pay Gap. This requirement will extend to employers with over 50 employees from 2025 and applies to public and private organisations. Improving the gender pay gap in organisations involves implementing a combination of policies, practices, and cultural changes. Here are several steps companies can take: 👉Promote Flexible Working Arrangements For ALL Employees 👉Review Recruitment and Promotion Practices 👉Set and Track Gender Diversity Goals 👉Participate in community programs that support gender equality and economic empowerment for women. Read more 👇👇👇 https://lnkd.in/eWj8auVr #GenderPay #Returners #Midlifeworkers #Backtowork #Careerchange

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There's been a significant increase in employees feeling overwhelmed and not supported in the workplace. Linda Hynes reminds employers of the actions they can take to ensure employee wellbeing in an article for Irish Examiner. These include: ➡️ Check-ins with employees ➡️ Normalising conversations around mental health ➡️ Carry out risk assessment with mental health considerations ➡️ Offer wellbeing support ➡️ Training managers to identify problems and how to talk about and support colleagues mental wellbeing Read the full article below 👇 https://okt.to/YeNXcp #EmploymentLaw #MentalHealth #StressAwarenessMonth

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How can hybrid workers better manage their time and wellbeing? Recent insights from RTE and University College Cork underscore the critical importance of mastering time management to enhance performance and wellbeing among hybrid employees. With an overwhelming 92% of Irish workers preferring hybrid and remote setups, it's vital for businesses to adeptly manage the blend of onsite and remote work. The article recommends implementing tools like the reflective time journal to delve deeper into daily activities and identify productivity patterns. #HybridWorkforce #EmployeeWellbeing #ProductivityTools #Jobsiest

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We're very proud to be involved with this valuable piece of work. The #SustainableHRMFramework "Sustainable people practices" empowers tomorrow’s workforce to be net better off. 🍃 This practical guide identifies five pillars that people professionals, HR leaders and business owners can use to start, progress and lead in the areas of business, employment and environmental sustainability. Mary Connaughton, Fellow CIPD Meg Dunphy Sara Mullally Paul Healy Dr Declan Bogan Dr Tara Shine Sustainable HRM Skillnet Skillnet Ireland #SkillnetIreland #Skillnet #SustainableHRM #SustainableHumanResourceManagement #SustainableBusiness #Employment #EnvironmentalSustainability #Sustainability #CIPDIreland #CIPD #Framework #PeoplePractices #SustainablePeoplePractices #WorkforceoftheFuture #Guide #SustainabilityGuide #SustainableHRMGuide

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Highly recommend a listen, some great insights on navigating the HR landscape. #CIPD #CMCN #HR

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Really interesting article exploring some of the research by Hays Ireland. Spoiler alert, the survey also shows the importance of the interview process with over half of employees saying they have been deterred or almost deterred from a prospective employer because of a poor interview experience. The most common reason for being put off a role at this stage is because the process was too long. If you are recruiting and the process needs to take a bit longer for whatever reason, the number one tip I can give you is the keep in constant communication with the candidates every step of the way, explaining the reasons for the lenghty process and anticipated timelines. Please feel free to reach out if you would like to discuss any section of this article further or for insights on the HR market at present.

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Thank you to everyone for making our Ireland DEIB+W Network Q2 event such a success at the fantastic Iconic Offices. We created the space to come together as leaders and changemakers across #DEI and #Wellbeing. The passion, dedication and authenticity in the room was empowering, each of us committed to genuinely raise the floor for inclusive workplaces. A special thank you to Adam Harris for his message. There has been much progress, however there is still so much to do. 📊 A staggering 85% of autistic adults are unemployed (an insight I shared with Platform55 HR leadership community last week) ⚖️ Autistic people deserve the #samechance in work and every aspect of our communities 💡 It’s never been more important to have different thinkers in the workplace 🔍 Changes to workplace culture present a huge opportunity to become more progressive and inclusive of different types of talent. This has never been more urgent, reaching a hidden pipeline of skilled talent 🤔 Organisations don’t know where to start with a fear of getting it wrong 🌟 Marie O’Riordan opened the event, sharing her inspiring story and lived experience through her intersectionality, “I’m out autistic, out gay, and I’m a woman.” Marie has overcome significant challenges to have a soaring career. She is deeply committed to her advocacy in #neurodiversity and #LGBTQ+. We had a powerful fireside chat with Dr Lollie Mancey, Marie O'Riordan and Laura McPartlin Lollie shared her expertise on: 🧩 The “missing generation” ⏳ Impact of late diagnoses ❌ Common misdiagnosis of women 🤖 Leveraging AI for personalised learning experiences 🌐 How #AI is already transforming the workplace and our #futureofwork Laura shared valuable insights from Bank of Ireland’s best practice Neuroinclusion Strategy, with so many practical learnings.  📊 Neurodiverse employee voices are integral to the success of the strategy 🔄 Embracing #flexible and #hybrid work policies 🤝 Invaluable partnership with #AsIAm and #auticon 👥 Individualised employee experience Laura is deeply committed to DEI and continuing to embed a neuroinclusive workplace at BOI. Marie shared  💔 The damaging impact early #stigma has on a child 👶 Her daily childhood struggle being #nonverbal 🏆 The daily challenges she overcomes to be in a world so many take for granted #RESPECT 🌍 And insights and guidance on creating a neuroinclusive world and workplace We openly discussed 🚀 Where each organisation is on their neuroinclusive workplace journey 🚧 Common challenges and barriers 🌉 Broken bridge between supportive college environments to non-inclusive workplaces 👩‍🏫 Need for greater awareness and understanding of neurodiversity in women 🔍 Intersectionality and equitable opportunities 👥 Critical need to support people managers 📚 Importance of awareness in workplaces, creating a ripple effect to our communities 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family support of neurodiverse children 🌐 Intercultural competency And so much more #Neurodiversity

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