Lisa Hogan
CIPD in Ireland
As the potential for technical automation continues to grow, the pace of workforce transformation is likely to continue to accelerate.
Navigating change and technological growth highlights the importance of fostering a culture of safety and wellbeing, especially for those in the people profession. This ability is crucial, not just for weathering the storms of change, but to thrive sustainably in uncertainty.
Wellbeing challenges for leaders
For leaders, boosting wellbeing positively impacts workplace culture, employee experience, attraction and retention and sustainable performance — helping them build a successful future for the organisation. The 2023 CIPD People Profession report and HR Practices in Ireland 2023 survey highlight the persistent challenges of skill shortages and recruitment difficulties.
Absences and employee turnover
Our research shows us that mental health issues are impacting absences being and employee turnover (over 50% reported higher employee turnover rates). Workload/burnout (35%) and work–life balance (28%) were identified as factors contributing to employees leaving.
Despite organisations having a range of employee wellbeing initiatives in place, heavy workloads and burnout within the workforce remain evident, impacting both employee turnover and mental health. As a result, employees are re-evaluating the role of work in their lives, the impact it has on their lives and what they expect from their work.
Workload/burnout (35%) and work–life
balance (28%) were identified as factors
contributing to employees leaving.
Flexible and hybrid working
Remote and hybrid working continues to grow. As of this year, Ireland is adopting remote working at the fastest rate of any other EU country. Flexible and remote working is also being used as part of retention, inclusive workplaces and sustainability strategies.
However, as reflected by both the People Profession 2023 and HR Practices in Ireland research, challenges persist. Sustaining culture and supporting wellbeing have been called out as a big part of the challenge. A culture reset is needed alongside a greater focus on the employee experience to address some of the difficulties of operating in this environment as these new ways of working continue to develop.
Responsibility for HR and line managers
Building for the future means laying the right foundations and ensuring that wellbeing is addressed holistically. The success of any wellbeing strategy and its meaningful impact on the organisation’s objectives will need to place people first in creating a culture of sustainable wellbeing and performance.
The impact of HR and the line manager’s role in creating this should not be underestimated. Increased levels of training are needed to help them meet these challenges. This is something that we, at the CIPD, seek to address through our support and at our annual wellbeing seminar.