DESPITE the fallout from last December’s Budget, three out of four employers plan to recruit more staff in 2011, according to a recent survey. That was one of the main findings of research conducted by Hays, the world’s leading recruitment experts in qualified, professional and skilled people, who surveyed 242 employers and 1,215 employees across Ireland.
A spokesperson told the Limerick Post that there was a very positive reaction from local employers to their survey, especially in accountancy.
The survey results pointed to a more active jobs market as the number of people seeking alternative employment has risen by 25%.
Hays also canvassed unemployed professionals across Ireland and found half of them (47 per cent) are feeling positive about their chances of securing employment in Ireland in 2011.
“It’s great to observe such a positive attitude to employment at ground level,” said Richard Eardley, managing director of Hays in Ireland.
“Recent headlines would suggest the country is heading downwards, but our experience is that people are very definitely hiring again and candidates have more confidence with regards to moving jobs”.
In respect to employers plans for 2011, there are far more opting for pay increases rather than cuts.
While 33 per cent imposed decreases in 2010, only 10 per cent plan to in 2011. Furthermore, 12 per cent are planning to make pay increases. Bonuses are back on the agenda with twice as many employers planning to pay out in 2011 than did in 2010.
One in five employed respondents (21 per cent) have had an increase in their salary in the last 12 months with more than half of those seeing increases of 20 per cent and above.
In addition 37 per cent did not experience a reduction to their salary in 2010 despite prevailing economic conditions.
Unemployed respondents were asked if they would take a cut in their previous pay level to secure a job. Some 83 per cent said they would. This ranged from 36 per cent accepting up to a 10 per cent cut, to four per cent who are willing to accept a salary reduction of two thirds.
One very positive trend observed by the survey was an appetite for up-skilling amongst the unemployed.
Half of the unemployed respondents said that they were attending training courses to enhance their skills. A further 23 per cent intend on taking up such courses.
“The job market has become extremely competitive and people realise that if they have been out of work for an extended period of time they will need something else to give them an edge over other candidates,” added Eardley.
When asked where they would look for work 70 per cent of unemployed respondents stated they would look abroad: 38 per cent in the UK; 13 per cent in other Western European countries; 13 per cent in Canada; 12 per cent in Australia and 7 per cent in the USA.
