Northern Ireland’s employment rates have returned to pre-pandemic levels of 72.4%, an increase from 67.9% during 2020.

Although, many high-profile redundancies in retail, tech and banking inevitably raises questions and concerns about the state of the job market.

However, other measures suggest the job market remains relatively strong and that the biggest challenge for employers is finding the right staff to successfully grow their business. NISRA’s latest Quarterly Employment Survey of market statistics are encouraging, with a near record low unemployment rate and plenty of employment opportunities.

HMRC data suggests typical monthly pay in Northern Ireland was 6.6% higher in April compared to last year.

How to reassure employees?

Understandably, employees may be fearful. There are typically 4,000 to 6,000 redundancies in Northern Ireland in any given quarter, the vast majority of people affected find alternative employment.

In a labour market where 3 quarters of local employers are actively recruiting, the risk of long spells of unemployment and ‘scarring effects’ are reduced.

In order to provide concise and supportive information to employees, the advice remains:

Time Frame – The quicker the concerns can be addressed; the more likely employees will feel at ease. By seeking credible sources and reading the information fully, the doubts can be confidently expressed e.g., “Reports are still coming in, but what we understand so far is…”

Communication – It should be prioritised to communicate frequently, even if there isn’t specific news to report. This ensures that employees feel actively involved in the issue, and provide tangible action items e.g., “Here are the steps we are taking.”

Appreciation and Empathy – Praise and appreciation of one’s work are cited as behaviours that make employees feel understood and proud. Affirmative behaviour validates co-workers during challenging times and provides support when fears of job security are high.

Legal Island Training Resources for Your Staff

Employee Wellbeing Toolkit | eLearning Course

Are you responsible for overseeing and managing the wellbeing of all employees in your organisation?
Good mental health and wellbeing practices in the workplace are essential for us all. With an estimated 70 million workdays lost each year to poor mental health, good practices can provide not only a productive but a safe workplace for everyone.
Legal Island’s Employee Wellbeing eLearning Toolkit provides comprehensive training for all staff, ensuring every employee is aware of the importance of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. The toolkit is designed to enable all-staff training for organisations, with 8 key mental health and well-being topic areas to choose from.

Click here to view this course employee wellbeing toolkit.