Employer Resources Newsletter - May 2025

How Do organisations Maximise Their Attractiveness to Key Talent? 

In today's competitive labour market, attracting and retaining the right people is crucial for organisations striving for long-term success. Adare’s HR Barometer Series 9.1 found that talent retention was the most common HR priority for 2025 with 43% of organisations prioritising retaining employees. Organisations are therefore looking for ways to stand out in a market where the demand for highly skilled professionals is at an all-time high. But what does it take to not just attract top talent, but to ensure that the talent you bring in stays engaged, productive, and loyal to your organisation? 

In this article, we explore the key strategies that organisations can implement to maximise their attractiveness to key talent, ensuring they don’t just hire well but also build a sustainable, engaged workforce for the future. 

1. Develop a Strong Employer Brand 

The foundation of any successful talent acquisition strategy is a strong employer brand. An organisation's reputation as a place to work plays a significant role in attracting top candidates. Today’s job seekers are looking for more than just a salary; they want to know that the organisation they join aligns with their values, goals, and career aspirations. 

Practical steps to enhance your organisation’s employer brand include: 

• Communicate company culture: Share what makes your workplace unique. Showcase values, mission, and the work environment through your website, social media, and recruitment materials. 
• Employee testimonials: Current employees make great brand ambassadors. Their testimonials can be powerful tools to convey the true experience of working in an organisation. 
• Career development opportunities: Candidates appreciate transparency in the hiring process, from salary ranges to growth opportunities. Be open about what working at your organisation entails and the path for career development. 

2. Competitive Compensation and Benefits Packages 

While nonprofits and charities do their best to provide competitive renumeration, there are obviously limits to how much they can expect to compete with private companies in attracting top talent. However, as many working in the charity sector know, renumeration is not the sole reason why people are attracted to working in this area. Often, job satisfaction is derived from the fact that you are engaged in a meaningful and positive job of work, one that is inherently positive for the wider community.  

Additional elements that nonprofits / charities can focus on to enhance their appeal to prospective employees include: 

• Flexible working arrangements: With remote and hybrid working options becoming the norm, offering flexibility around where and when employees work is no longer optional. Many employees prefer a balance that supports both professional and personal lives. 

• Health and wellness programmes: From gym memberships and mental health support to wellness days and health insurance, offering comprehensive health benefits can help your organisation stand out from the crowd. 
• Professional development: Talented professionals often seek organisations that provide opportunities for growth and long-term career development. Offering educational support, mentoring programmes, or access to training helps to attract and retain ambitious talented employees. 
  

3. Create a Positive Candidate Experience 

The candidate experience, from the first interaction with your brand to the final job offer, is integral to an organisation’s ability to attract and engage top talent. Candidates are more likely to accept offers from organisations that make the hiring process efficient, respectful, yet personal. 

How to improve the candidate experience: 

• Streamlined application process: Avoid making the application process overly complicated. Simplify application forms and ensure that your online application system is user-friendly. 
• Timely communication: Keep candidates informed at every stage of the hiring process. Regular communication, whether by email or phone, ensures that applicants don’t feel left in the dark. 
• Engagement and feedback: Provide constructive feedback to candidates who weren’t selected. This not only helps maintain a positive relationship with them but also boosts your employer brand as an organisation that values its people. 
• Personalised approach: Treat candidates as individuals. Personalising your interactions, whether through a tailored interview experience or tailored feedback goes a long way in making candidates feel valued. 
  

4. Promote Work-Life Balance and employee Wellbeing 

Modern employees are increasingly focused on achieving a healthy work-life balance. organisations that promote flexibility, mental health awareness, and overall employee wellbeing are more likely to attract and retain key talent. 

Key strategies for promoting wellbeing: 

• Mental health initiatives: Offer resources like counselling services, mental health days, or workshops to help employees manage stress and maintain good mental health. 
• Time off and rest: Encourage employees to use annual leave as necessary and consider the organisation’s offerings in the context of family-friendly leaves, sick leave, career breaks or additional paid annual leave to foster a healthy work-life balance. 
  

5. Invest in Long-Term Talent Development 

Finally, organisations that invest in the long-term development of their employees will be better positioned to attract top talent. Offering opportunities for career advancement, mentoring, and leadership development helps retain talented employees. 

Ways to foster talent development: 

• Career development plans: Outline clear career pathways for employees to grow within the organisation. This gives potential candidates a reason to join and stay, knowing there are opportunities for advancement. 
• Leadership training: Develop future leaders by offering training and mentorship programmes. This demonstrates a commitment to employee growth and gives them the tools they need to succeed. 
• Learning and development: Encourage employees to pursue professional certifications or additional learning opportunities by offering financial support or dedicated time for development. 
  

Conclusion 

Attracting and retaining top talent in today’s competitive environment is no easy feat, but by focusing on building a strong employer brand, offering competitive compensation, wellbeing support, and providing long-term career pathways, organisations can position themselves as employers of choice. By investing in both the short- and long-term needs of their employees, organisations ensure they don't just acquire talent - they develop and retain it for the future. 

Complainant receives compensation for unfair contract termination during probation 

Background: 

The case involves an employee was hired as a Clerical Officer on 16 November 2020 and dismissed on 26 January 2021. Although initially assigned to the office in Ferrybank, Waterford, the employee was temporarily reassigned to another office 4km away before starting the role. The employee agreed to the change on a short-term basis but later raised concerns about the longer commute negatively impacting health and work-life balance. Despite these objections, the assignment continued. Following a refusal to work at the temporary location, the employee was dismissed during probation for failing to follow management instruction. 

Complainants View: 

The complainant submitted that: 

• The dismissal was procedurally unfair and lacked natural justice. 
• Agreement to the reassignment 4km away was based on the understanding that it would be short term. 
• The additional commuting time was detrimental to health and overall well-being. 
• Concerns were raised but not adequately addressed. 
• The continued reassignment led to feelings of being misled and unfairly treated. 

Respondents View: 

The employer submitted that: 

• The reassignment was necessary due to unforeseen operational demands. 
• The reassigned location was only 4 km away and within the flexibility outlined in the employment contract. 
• The employee was made aware of the implications of refusing a reasonable management request, particularly during probation. 
• The employee was informed of the right to appeal the dismissal but did not exercise that right. 

Findings and Conclusion: 

The Labour Court found that the worker’s contract did permit assignment within the region as required by service needs. Therefore, refusal to work at the reassigned office constituted a refusal to follow a reasonable instruction. However, the Court also determined that the employer failed to follow fair procedures when terminating their employment, particularly by not providing advance notice that a disciplinary meeting was taking place. Despite the worker’s failure to appeal the termination, the Court held that fair process was not observed. 

Decision: 

The Labour Court ordered the employer to pay the employee compensation in the amount of €2,000, in full and final settlement of the claim. The decision underscores the importance of procedural fairness, even for employees on probation. 

Recommendations 

Clearly Communicate Role Flexibility 
Employers should ensure that any temporary reassignment, particularly those affecting commuting time or working conditions is clearly communicated, even where contractual flexibility exists. 

Apply Fair Procedures During Probation 
Probationary employees are entitled to fair treatment. Employers must provide advance notice when meetings may lead to disciplinary action and allow employees the opportunity to respond. 

Inform and Support the Right to Appeal 
Employees must be clearly informed of their right to appeal disciplinary decisions and provided with adequate time and guidance to do so.  

Upcoming Gender Pay Gap Snapshot: A Key Date for Irish Charities 

As June approaches, a crucial date for many Irish charities looms large: the gender pay gap snapshot. This snapshot date, chosen by employers in June each year, marks the point from which organisations calculate their gender pay gap for the preceding 12 months. This reporting requirement, mandated by the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021, is a vital tool for promoting pay transparency and equality across the Irish workforce. Charities, like all other sectors, are called upon to engage with this process to foster fair and equitable workplaces. 

A significant change for 2025 is the expansion of the reporting threshold. Previously, it applied to employers with 250+ employees (in 2022) and 150+ employees (in 2024). From 2025, any employer in Ireland with 50 or more employees will be required to report on their gender pay gap. This means a substantial number of charities will be undertaking this reporting for the first time. The information to be disclosed includes differences in mean and median hourly pay, bonus payments, and the proportion of men and women in various pay bands. This data, along with a narrative explaining any gaps and measures being taken to address them, must be published by November of the reporting year. 

Proactive engagement with these reporting requirements is not only a legal obligation but also an opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, which can enhance a charity's reputation and attractiveness to talent. 

November Deadline for Publication of Gender Pay Gap Reports 

The Minister’s announcement also confirmed that this year’s updated regulations will require  to report their data via the new gender pay gap portal in time for this year’s publication deadline which is the end of November. All organisations in scope of the legislation will therefore have a five-month timeframe within which to publish their gender pay gap report. This is a one-month reduction on the current six-month window. 

Organisations can also upload their gender pay gap reports with additional information on their own websites, if they wish. 

See also: past Gender Pay Gap Reports