The Cpl Employment Monitor is our quarterly report on the current state of the jobs market in Ireland. In Q3 2018, there were 2,597 jobs posted across the following four sectors:IT & Telecoms; Science, Engineering & Supply Chain; Sales & Marketing; and Accountancy.
Some of the findings from this quarter's Employment Market Monitor and a Whitepaper on The Gender Pay Gap show that fundamental changes to gender roles in the workplace and at home are very slow to change. As a result, career progression is slowed as the burden of caring - whether for children or other dependents - falls to women.
'There are a lot of women who have been forced to quit the professional world because they are unable to balance the demands of a professional life, the costs of childcare and the juggles of caring for dependents,' said Siobhan O'Shea, Director, Client Services, Cpl.
'This untapped reserve of talent is potentially one of the best options for companies who are struggling to find staff. However, to do this, companies need to change their fundamental outlook, and shake up their operating methods and structures. Otherwise women will find it too difficult and quit or refuse to return after they have their families'.
Looking at the job market statistics on the growth of the job market in Ireland, the numbers are looking very positive.
Commenting on the figures, Ronan Lyons, economist at Trinity College Dublin, said: 'Ongoing growth in jobs posted in these key professional sectors is a welcome trend. While jobseekers and employers still view things differently, both see the jobs market now as being one where jobseekers have more bargaining power than in recent years.'
Here's an overview of our findings.
Jobs posted in third quarter in line with 2016 average
Even though the overall number of jobs posted fell slightly in Q3 compared to Q2 2018, Q3 remains above the 2016 average with a very strong year.
The Accountancy, Finance & Banking sector continued to perform incredibly wellwith an index reading one third higher than the 2016 average. Science, Engineering & IT was in line with the 2016 average, whileSales & Marketing felt just below.
The third quarter in a row with year-on-year growth
In the third quarter of 2018, there were 7% more listings than in the same period a year previously. This is the third quarter in a row with year-on-year growth, following three quarters of falls.
The strongest rate of growth, by sector, was in IT, where there were 16% more jobs than a year ago. The Science, Engineering & Supply Chain sector recorded its second quarter of annual growth, with 9% more jobs than a year previously. In Accountancy, Finance & Banking (-3%) and in IT (+4%), postings were closer to stable in year-on year terms.
The power is in the hands of the jobseeker
The Sentiment Survey was completed in full by 230 respondents in September 2018. We asked both employers and jobskeekersto rate, on a five-point scale, whether the market is an employer's one (-2) or a jobseeker's one (+2).
The overall reading for employers (0.9, i.e. a market in favour of jobseekers) is the strongest on record, and compares to a reading of 0.5 eighteen months ago. The large gap between how jobseekers and employers assess the market persists - with the most recent overall reading for jobseekers at just -0.2.
78% of employers have started to prepare for the future of work
When employers were asked if their organisation started investing in training & development programs to prepare for the future of work, 75% responded with Yes. The findings also show that vast majority of employers think that men do their fair share in supporting women in the workplace, with 76% saying responding with Yes and 24% responding with No.
78% of employers also have stated that they wouldn't move out of the capital due to rent increases.
The responsibility to close the Gender Gap in Ireland lies with the companies
Employers believe that three times as much responsibility lies with companies, rather than the government, when it comes to combating the gender gap.Hiring (34%) and retaining (29%) are also the areas employers cited as the biggest obstacles in their business.
Research from the Gender Gap whitepaper recently published by Cpl, indicates that 90% of women who leave the workforce to have children want to come back but only 40% can. Tapping into this reserve of eager and skilled talent is critical for businesses who are struggling to find staff.
Men in Ireland aren't taking their full entitled Paternity Leave
Paternity Benefit in Ireland entitles men to two weeks leave, yet 49%of fathers in Ireland don't take their full paternity leave. Employers aren't legally obliged to pay employees during paternity leave which could be impacting the low levels of uptake.
Employers and the government must educate men on the benefits of paternity leave, and in turn promote shared responsibility for care-giving, so we can challenge social customs and increase the percentage of men utilising paternity leave.
Ireland and harassment in the workplace
According to our findings, an alarming 50% of people have either experienced or witnessed harassment in their workplace, with almost 80% stating they believe most incidents go unreported.
HR and legal teams have an important role to play in creating and communicating policies around this issue, but policies alone aren't enough. The culture of an organisation is key. Does your company culture reflect a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to harassment in work? Do all staff members share the same values with regards equality in the workplace? If not it is time to readdress.
Want the full report?
Click here to read the full Q3 2018 Employment Monitor report.