In this MCS Lunch and Learn webinar Julie from Legal Island is joined by leading recruitment experts Ryan Calvert and Rebekah Mulligan.

In the first quarter of 2025, the business and recruitment landscape has already been reshaped by macroeconomic, socio-economic, and political forces. Policy changes, inflationary pressures, and shifts in the labour market are compelling organisations across the UK and Northern Ireland to reassess their HR strategies. As workforce dynamics continue to evolve and skills demands grow, it’s essential for HR professionals to adapt their approaches to remain competitive and effectively meet new challenges.

In this 45-minute webinar, Ryan and Rebekah share the latest trends in recruitment, exploring how organisations are addressing skills shortages, meeting the demand for flexible work, and adapting to the changing expectations of today’s candidates. From the rise of AI-assisted applications to the impact of global DEI rollbacks on local employer brands, they outline the trends that will define talent acquisition in 2025 and beyond.
In this session, we cover:

• Evolving Hiring Trends – Gain insight into where job demand is expected to increase in the next year.
   
• Practical Strategies for Addressing Skills Shortages and Talent Demands – Learn how organisations are responding to economic pressures and shifting labour markets.
   
• Building an Authentic and Competitive Employer Brand – Discover how cultural fit and retention efforts can strengthen your recruitment strategy.

Learn how to build trust and strengthen your employer brand in an era where candidates are more informed than ever. Our experts will also discuss how HR teams can stay authentic and competitive in a rapidly shifting environment, ensuring your organisation’s values shine through at every touchpoint, from job adverts to interviews and beyond. Expect practical tips, straight-talking insights, and just enough humour to make your talent challenges feel (almost) manageable.

Transcript to Follow:

Julie:  Hi, everybody. Welcome to our Lunch and Learn webinar, "What Top Recruiters Know that You Don't (Yet)". My name is Julie Holmes, and I work as part of the Knowledge Team at Legal-Island, and I'm delighted to host today's session. I just want to thank you all for taking the time to join us today.

Now, today we're joined by two recruitment experts from MCS Group. We have Ryan who's the Head of HR, Sales, Marketing, and Legal Recruitment, and we have Rebekah who is a Senior Recruitment Consultant for HR in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

And this is what we'll be discussing today. First of all, we'll take a look at what's new in hiring. We're going to also take a look at how smart employers are staying ahead in a squeezed talent pool. And we're also going to look at culture, credibility, and clarity, and why they matter more than ever.

So with our webinars and podcasts at Legal-Island, they're all sponsored by MCS Group. And MCS help people find careers that match their skill sets perfectly. They also support employers to build high-performing businesses by connecting them with the most talented candidates in the marketplace. If you're interested in finding out more about how MCS can help you, then you can head to www.mcsgroup.jobs.

Just a note that the recording from today will be available and it will be sent to you within a few days' time, and you'll have a chance then to go back and review anything that you think you may have missed, or you can also share your learning with others.

Rebekah and Ryan will do their presentation, but there's a Q&A box over at the side. You can just drop questions in during the presentation, and then at the end we'll have a chance to go through those with them.

To start off, we're just going to set the scene a little bit to find out what is happening with you in your different HR teams.

First of all, and Gosia is going to bring up the poll now, what is the biggest hiring headache that you're facing at the moment? Is it not enough of the right candidates? Is it hard to fill roles with niche skills? Or is it competing with stronger employer brands? And that's just because of the tight labour market. So I'll just give you a moment and ask you to take a look at that for us and vote so that we can all see what's happening.

So, Ryan and Rebekah, you'll see that the scores are changing as people vote for us. What's coming through very strongly is not enough of the right candidates at 67%, hard to fill roles with specialists or niche skills at 21%, and then competing with stronger employer brands, we've got 13% of people who are saying that that is the biggest issue at the moment. Great. So we're having trouble finding people is the gist of that.

The second question then ties on from how confident are you that your current employer brand stands out in your sector? And this is something that Ryan and Rebekah will be talking about shortly.

For example, are you very confident because you've got a clear message, strong reputation, and you're quite confident with that? Is it somewhat working on it, you're aware that there may be gaps but you're doing the best that you can? Or you're not sure because it's not really something you're actively measuring at the moment, maybe you're not too sure how to measure it? Or not at all, it's a little bit of a blind spot and maybe something that you need to think about, especially after you get tips from Ryan and Rebekah today.

At the moment, the second one seems to be the most. It's a work-in-progress with everybody saying they're somewhat confident and that they're working on it, and then not sure, we're not really measuring it.

So, Ryan and Rebekah, for yourselves, just so that you know where to focus whenever you're discussing that a little bit more for us.

And then whenever you're ready, Gosia. I'm sorry, I know that you're under pressure here. It's the third poll question. Again, thanks, everybody, for participating in this.

The last one is a little bit more fun because it is lunchtime, so I hope you're just getting a break and getting a chance to connect with us on here and learn a little bit more about what everybody else is going through as well.

If you had to choose one recruitment superpower, what would it be? So would it be to instantly attract top talent? Would it be to predict a perfect cultural fit? So no need for all those big interviews because you know who fits in exactly. Cutting time to hire in half? Crafting the ultimate job ad? Or always knowing where the best candidates are hiding?

So, again, if you take a look at those options for us. We definitely have a winner with always know where the best candidates are hiding. So, Ryan and Rebekah, if you could both use your magic wands and make that happen, that would be fantastic. It sounds like 44% of our attendees saying that that would be fantastic for them.

I am going to hand over to Ryan and Rebekah. And again, remember that the question box is there if you have anything. I'll come back on towards the end and we'll put Ryan and Rebekah through their paces. Thanks, everyone. See you in a moment.

Ryan: Thank you. Thanks so much, Julie. Hello, I should say. So today's session is obviously a lunch and learn, so hopefully you've got something there to eat and you have this on in the background and you'll hopefully find some kind of interesting trends or something from today's session that you'll take away and you'll use in your own workplace.

So today we're going to focus on exploring HR trends and recruitment strategies specifically for 2025. Next slide, please. Thank you. Oh, back one. Sorry. We're having technical difficulties. Oh, there we go.

I'll introduce ourselves. I'm Ryan Calvert. I head up a few recruitment divisions for MCS Group. They include HR, sales, marketing, and legal, but on a day-to-day basis I would [inaudible 00:06:32] from an operational perspective on senior HR appointments. And I'll let my colleague, Rebekah, introduce herself.

Rebekah: Hi. Yes, as Ryan said, I'm Rebekah Mulligan. I am one of the Senior HR Recruitment Consultants here. I would specialise more in that mid- to senior-level appointments, and this is across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as well. Thank you.

Ryan: Brilliant. So, in terms of today's session, it's hopefully not going to be too long. There's a bit to get through, but this is the rough outline of the session.

We're going to do a brief recap on 2025, look at Q1 and Q2 and some of the recruitment trends that, as a recruitment agency, we've seen across the multiple different industries and sectors that we would support and recruit within.

We're also going to look at skill shortages, some of the challenges that impact skill shortages, and some of the coping mechanisms that employers have put in place to help solve these issues.

We're also going to look at employer brand and how, as an employer, you can position yourself as an employer of choice, and some of the key quite quick wins that you could probably call them that you could put in place to achieve that.

And last, but certainly not least, we're also going to look at AI as well as DE&I. That will complete our session, and we'll hopefully get that wrapped up within around 30 minutes.

So just touching on the first part of today's presentation, this is really looking at some of the recruitment trends that we have seen from an operational perspective in the marketing Q1 and Q2.

A brief update Q1 and Q2, it's produced a similar job flow in comparison to Q3 and Q4 of 2024, which, for me, is a good sign because there has been a high level of uncertainty in the market.

Things such as, for example, in Northern Ireland, national insurance contributions and national living wage increasing in April has put a lot of pressure on employers. So we felt there may have been a bit of a dip in the market based on that because employers were going into a level of uncertainty. They were having to find money that they maybe didn't budget for.

But that hasn't happened. Particularly in the HR recruitment world it hasn't happened, which is a good sign for HR professionals that they are incredibly valued and probably, if anything, there's more being brought in to help cope with these issues that employers are facing, because they ultimately need to attract and retain the best talent.

One trend that is another good trend that actually, I suppose, shows that the market is picking up is there was ultimately a significant decrease in talent acquisition roles in 2023, which fed into 2024.

But in Q4, there was a bit of a spike, there were a few green shoots, and then in Q1 and Q2 we've seen a host of recruitment, talent acquisition, talent management roles come through in the market, which is a great sign. It shows there is that confidence in the market from different employers, that they're backing themselves to hire talent and to achieve their long-term ambitions.

Just looking at some of the data based year-over-year, we had a 133% year-over-year increase in talent acquisition-related roles registered with ourselves, Q1 and Q2 of 2025 versus Q1 and Q2 of 2024. So, again, it's showing that there has been an increase and there's more buoyancy and more confidence in the market.

Another thing has been the increase in generalist and L&D posts. So there's probably around 10% increase year-over-year in HR generalist roles and a 15% increase in L&D and OD roles, which, for me, is a sign that employers are finding it really difficult to attract talent, which was highlighted in the poll at the start of the session, and they're having to create their own talent pools.

If you're bringing in junior talent, you have to have well-defined career paths. You have to have well-trained staff that are getting bespoke training and it's assessed well. They have strong management teams that can manage their performance and ensure that they get through their probationary period and get up to speed as quickly as possible. So there has been a significant investment in L&D and OD opportunities, which, for me, is another great sign.

Other roles that have sort of remained quite steady include reward roles, HR analyst roles. They've remained relatively steady, if not dropped slightly back year-over-year. We haven't seen as much traction.

Some of these roles are starting to be absorbed within broader generalist roles, which is something that I've noticed. It's not a major trend, but again, something that I thought I would mention.

And the last trend is just on salary. So we had created our salary survey for 2025 at the tail end of last year. And based on that data, for the HR community, they had seen a massive increase in salaries. There was a 20% increase in base salaries from the start of COVID up to around 2023, which was significant and it really demonstrated how high thought of and high sought after HR professionals were.

But it has steadied the past two years and we have not seen major increases in salaries coming into 2025. So all has remained reasonably steady there, but there is still a massive interest in HR talent in the market, just maybe not at the same level that there was a couple of years ago post-COVID.

So that's a bit of a recap on the trends. I'm going to hand over to Rebekah who is going to dig into skill shortages and really how to address them.

Rebekah: That is great. Thank you, Ryan. If we could move to the next slide for me, please, that would be great.

As Ryan mentioned there, I'm going to have a look at the skill shortages and really what we'd recommend to address them in your organisation.

So first of all, looking at addressing the skills gap, we really are seeing skill shortages. Now, this is across the board, right from engineering, advanced manufacturing, to healthcare, IT, and logistics. So there's no real area that isn't suffering from this.

What do we recommend or what is the response? Forward-thinking organisations are shifting. So they're not just relying on external hiring. They're investing in their upskilling, investing in reskilling, and reskilling their existing people.

They're also growing apprenticeships. They're expanding internship programmes. And crucially, they're recruiting from more diverse and often overlooked talent pools. And we will get into this in a bit more detail later on as well.

But a few examples of what some great organisations are doing. In the Republic of Ireland, we've got Springboard+ and Skillnet Ireland. Both are doing great work in retaining workers for the digital and green economies.

We also have in Northern Ireland more employers the likes of Thales and PwC who are actually working with Invest NI. They're partnering with local colleges such as Belfast Met, and that's to design tech academies that will lead directly into jobs.

We've also got some really positive cross-border collaboration. So the Shared Island Fund is supporting mutual job placement and shared learning across NI and the Republic, which is especially important post-Brexit.

Going on to understanding our candidate expectations. So talking about what candidates actually want, because their expectations have changed and they've changed significantly.

Flexibility, I know we say it all the time, but it's one of those hot topics. It is now a baseline. We're talking about hybrid models, four-day working weeks, and flexible hours. Companies trialling these successfully included the likes of FinTrU and CDE Global here in Northern Ireland.

And it's not just about flexibility. It's about transparency and progression. So candidates want to know how they'll be developed, what the promotion path actually looks like, and what the culture is really like.

Organisations like Diageo have made this a priority, and that's through personalised learning platforms and clear internal mobility frameworks.

And yes, salary still matters, as Ryan has referenced, especially in the ROI tech sector where wage inflation is real. But in NI, employers are competing with stronger benefits packages, job stability, and purpose-driven values.

So how can we improve the recruitment process? It needs to keep up with pace. So by that, I mean delays, poor communication, and unclear expectations are still the top reasons candidates walk away from a process.

What actually works? We recommend a personal introductory call before any formal interview. It does set the tone. A well-structured process, so set those expectations right from the beginning. It keeps everybody involved and everybody then knows the timeline.

And crucially, even if somebody doesn't get the job, they should still leave with a positive impression off your brand. We always say only one person is going to get the job, but 10 will talk about the process, so make that work for you.

And then a great example of this is Thales, again, who have done an apprenticeship programme. They transformed their employer brand. Recently won a CIPD award as well. They engage early, offer clear progression, and retain a high percentage of their talent long-term.

Looking into the broader market challenges we're facing at the minute, half of employers in the UK and Ireland are currently reporting hard-to-fill roles, as we've seen from the first initial poll responses at the beginning of this session.

A third are also expecting things to get worse within the next six months. So not to be too bleak, but we are expecting to have to ride this storm for a bit longer.

And we're talking about shortages in STEM, construction, advanced manufacturing, and tech. And then the likes of Brexit as well continues to complicate things, particularly for Northern Irish employers. EU talent isn't coming in at the same rate, but many are being put off as well by visa rules and admin delays. So thinking outside the box of how to attract that type of talent is incredibly important.

 And then Ryan did touch on this as well. Looking at the financial pressures employers are facing, so your national minimum wage. It is hitting employers hard, particularly for businesses with large numbers of lower-paid staff. It also leads to salary compression where you suddenly do need to increase other salaries to maintain fairness, and it's tough to absorb.

In the Republic of Ireland, we have seen it delayed quite a few times now, but we're hopeful that January 2026 is when we're going to finally see the auto-enrolment of the pension. But again, for some SMEs, this could tip the balance. There are a lot of business owners that are rightly concerned about affordability.

An example of this, one employer, Iceland actually in UK, has recently warned further increases in wage costs might lead to store closures if they can't pass the cost on.

So what is it we need to do? We need to act on multiple fronts. We need to upskill the force we already have. We need to make your recruitment process more candidate-centric and inclusive. Collaborate with educators to future-proof your pipelines and be agile because the market is moving fast.

Finally on this, addressing those shortages isn't just an HR challenge. It is a business continuity issue. Organisations need to get ahead of it now. They want to build inclusive forward-thinking talent strategies. These are the employers that are going to come out stronger.

And I'm going to hand across to Ryan for our next section. Thank you.

Ryan: Brilliant. Thank you. So we're obviously moving on now to really building a standout brand and I suppose a really unique employer brand that will stand out in the market.

Again, one of the poll questions alluded to . . . I think it was not enough great candidates. That was one of the things people were struggling with. And the superpower I think . . . I can't remember exactly what the answer was, but I think it was just to create more candidates. I think you can do that. You absolutely can do that. They're out there. It's just about are you an attractive enough employer to attract this talent pool? So it's really, really important that you put so much time and energy into this.

So, for me, a strong employer brand is not just about flashy perks. It's really about trust and alignment within the organisation. So, job seekers ultimately look for authenticity, how companies treat their people, how transparent they are, and whether their values are actually truly lived internally. That's where the attrition comes in.

You could say whatever you want in a recruitment process, but it really comes down to do you truly live your values that you talk about, that you post in your values, that you post on your website, that you post on social media? If you don't live them, you will just have attrition, you will have people moving on, they will have bad reports of the company, which will not help with your longer-term talent attraction strategy.

And that can impact on things like Glassdoor, Google reviews, even social media, TikTok. People are being quite vocal about employers where they haven't had a great experience. So your reputation is constantly being shaped across multiple different platforms, and it's important that employers realise that and they are completely aware of that.

For me, you need to focus on values-led recruitment, consistent messaging across every single touchpoint through the recruitment process, as well as listening to your current employees and actioning what they say. If you don't listen and you don't action, people will become disengaged and they'll ultimately move on. And they're really your best brand ambassadors.

So the first thing to cover is employer brand is much more than just perks. So it's easy to think of employer brand as flashy benefits or a great Instagram feed. But in reality, a strong recruitment brand is built on trust and alignment. It's how well your external message matches the internal reality, as I'd alluded to.

Today's job seekers are so tuned in and they're asking, "Do you live your values? Are your people happy and supported? Can I trust this company to do what it says it will do?" And they look for that across Google reviews, Glassdoor reviews to really tease out, "Is this actually being practised?"

 For me, it's important that employers are not just creating this great strategy and this great employer brand, but you're looking at ways to measure this internally. You're assessing your management team, and you're potentially linking things like bonuses to employer branding, to attrition, to retention.

And if that's all linked, that will ultimately drive people to live the values because they're incentivised and they're assessed based on actually actioning these particular values.

What does great employer branding look like? It's really about core building blocks which tell your story clearly, share your values, your purpose, your culture across multiple different platforms from LinkedIn to Instagram, to Google, to Glassdoor, and probably a load of others that I haven't thought of because I'm a bit old and I'm not that familiar with some of the tech platforms that the kids are using these days. But for me, it's just such an opportunity for you as an employer to really tell your story and shape your brand.

And also, you need to be consistent. So this means that you're messaging across job ads, careers pages, onboarding materials, interview processes, inductions. It should reflect the same tone, the same values, and the same vision.

If there is a chink in the armour at any point in that process, people will smell it a mile off, so it's important that it is all consistent. And that comes from it all being well planned and well executed.

In terms of examples, I know Rebekah had alluded to a few examples with employers. There was one financial service employer in Ireland that really built their brand by promoting inclusive hiring and a learning-led culture on social. And they're now one of the most attractive tech employers in Ireland because they actually live those values and they practise what they preach.

Another large technology client based in Northern Ireland used employee stories, a day in the life of, and they also used awards such as DE&I awards and Best HR Team to really solidify how good they were and how strong they were as an employer.

And that portrayed a consistent tone of voice to really set themselves apart from a crowded hiring space, where in tech, tech talent is just so sought after and it's really down to the candidate where they go. It's a market where they could really go wherever they want if they're good, and it's important that the employers are obviously aware of this and they're trying to tweak what they're doing as much as possible to make themselves as attractive as possible.

Employee advocacy is also your superpower. So your best brand ambassadors are actually your current team. When real employees share their experience on social media in a way that's natural, is not scripted, there are going to be mistakes in there, that's okay. That's grand. That builds trust in a way that no careers page can ever do. And people, in reality, don't even look at the careers page if they don't have that initial buy-in to the employer.

A bit of video content on social media, linking in employees, and genuinely linking them in where they're being authentic on camera can really help drive traffic your way.

So what's potentially working with employers that we partner with? Ambassador programmes in Ireland are giving employees the tools and the confidence to actually talk about their roles online. It's giving them something extra on top of their day job to have responsibility for. It's bulking out their CV. It's giving them a unique selling point about their profiles so they're genuinely bought into doing this. And we've seen huge success where people share a day in the life, why they joined, or how they've adapted to the role.

Another key thing not to be underestimated is community engagement because it really does build long-term equity and it feeds into the employer's ESD strategy, which is such an important tool to use to really make the organisation more successful and attract more talent and retain more talent.

So again, for me, great brands don't just attract, they invest. And we're seeing brilliant examples of employers getting involved in their communities.

In NI, there are so many organisations partnering with schools, coding camps, and local charities to build early talent pipelines. A large tech employer that we partner with in Belfast, they're working directly with a coding bootcamp and they're giving graduates job-ready skills and, ultimately, guaranteed interviews once they've completed that course.

In Cork, a large manufacturer actually introduced a four-day work week to appeal to skilled tradesmen. It's really paid off and they've been able to fill a lot of vacant roles that were so niche and so difficult to hire. They've been able to fill them, and that was one of the ways that they looked to, obviously, action that.

And across the island, we're seeing more companies recruit cross-border. So thinking of Ireland as one shared talent pool, not two markets. These moves show flexibility, they show creativity, and that's what makes your brand stand out.

So make sure you're trying to tap into markets outside of the country, looking at returners, maybe looking at candidates that are based not just in Ireland but in the GB market as well, or maybe even further afield.

And I suppose the last two things . . . So Rebekah had alluded to this in her previous slide around the recruitment process. You want to make it as streamlined a process as possible.

When you're attracting that talent and you've done all that work in the background to bring talent into your pipeline and they ghost you, they don't attend the interview, and they don't write back to an interview request, you think, "Well, what have I done wrong? You've applied for this."

Because other employers are more engaging, they've done more with that person and they've made them feel much more engaged in that particular employer.

So look, there are no silver bullets here. You can't eliminate it entirely. People will be people. But there are things we can do to reduce it.

For me, when people apply for a role, book in a quick and snappy informal call to get a bit of a rapport with that person. Give them an overview of the brand, the role, the process. Get them bought in so that even if they are in other recruitment processes, they're hopefully going to be excited enough about your process to stay with it throughout the duration of that recruitment process.

I always recommend this before a formal interview. It just shows respect for the person's time and interest as well, which is really important.

And think like a customer service team. Update candidates regularly. Don't leave them in the dark. When someone isn't successful, give specific and helpful feedback. Even a line or two can make a difference. People remember that and they will tell other people about their experience with you as an employer even if they didn't get the job.

Let's be honest. Nine times out of 10, people don't get the job and they have to look at other processes. You can only hire one person at any one time. So, again, for me, that's really important.

And look, it does take time. It's a time-consuming process, and it is a process, but it will build trust. Candidates talk, and even if they don't get the job, they're going to remember how they were treated and they'll remember how they feel and were made to feel, which is so important.

The last thing there is just around sort of SLAs that you've set yourself internally. I know within our organisation we have certain SLAs that we work to with our clients and our customers where maybe a role would come on and we would have a certain period to respond to applications or a certain period to find CVs. We've set those timelines and we set those timelines with our clients.

It's important that you do that with candidates that are applying for roles and set that with your internal stakeholders so they understand what to expect of them and, ultimately, it's measured as well so that they can be held accountable if they are not achieving what great looks like with the organisation. So that's really important.

I'm trying to think if there's anything else. So just as a recap, it's not a shiny campaign or a trendy office pick. It's being consistent and authentic. You empower your people to tell your story, treat candidates like customers, which I think is really important. And to do that, you have to have proper processes in place.

And then the last thing is to make sure that that process is embedded and it's assessed internally, and people actually have KPIs that feed into these processes so that it's not just something that's spoke about in a meeting and it's what good looks like. People won't do it unless they are actually assessed on it, so make sure that you do that.

And just handing over to Rebekah now. So that's concluding that slide.

Rebekah: Thank you very much, Ryan. So, finally, I'm going to have a look at three key forces, really, that are reshaping the recruitment world as we move through 2025. I know we've touched on one briefly, just this will be a bit more in-depth.

So, first of all, we're going to look at the growing influence of AI in hiring, then we're going to look at the normalisation of hybrid and flexible working, and then finally how DEI, despite global turbulence, still matters more than ever.

Looking at AI, first of all. Hiring in 2025 is increasingly digital-first and candidate-driven. AI is no longer a nice-to-have, and it's already embedded in many of the tools that we are actually using to attract and assess talent.

We are seeing AI-powered platforms for CV screening and candidate matching. We're seeing video interviews using machine learning to assess communication styles and traits. We're also seeing chatbots and these are guiding candidates through the application process.

So there are various tools in the market such as HireVue, Pymetrics, and Eightfold. They're becoming more common, and this is across the island of Ireland, but you need to remember all of this does come with risk. So we need to be really mindful of the algorithm bias.

AI is only as good and fair as the data it's trained on. So at the beginning, there's going to be a lot of training problems. So if you are using any of these AI products, you need to be really careful in this testing phase as well. There's a lot of trial and error.

We also need to make sure that you retain the human touch and the human element, because at the end of the day recruitment is still a people business. You don't want to remove the human element from a recruitment process. You're going to find that there's disengagement within the candidates within this process. People still like somebody to talk to, somebody to ask those questions. Nobody wants a completely automated service.

So what we'd recommend is definitely using and utilising AI, to use it to enhance your process to make it more streamlined, more candidate-friendly, and more user-friendly. But do not replace a human element with this.

We would also recommend being proactive. Don't wait until you're struggling, really, to fill your roles. You're going to be behind the time then. Start building your digital capabilities now. It's already in your systems. It's in your analytics, your onboarding. You want to be ready to compete when the talent gets tight.

As we know and we've referenced earlier on, talent is already tight, so what we can do in the background and the HRIS side of things is going to be really beneficial in the long run.

Next up, I'm going to have a look at hybrid working. So I know, again, we referenced this earlier on, but it is something every day we are hearing from candidates. It is their priority. It's something that's so important.

So flexibility is no longer a perk. It really is an expectation. Moving out of COVID, it very much was a perk at that stage, and it's not anymore. It's what is a deal breaker for a lot of candidates in processes now.

Now, it does look different. It's not saying that everybody needs a hybrid model, but it could be, for some, a few days home a week, and for others it's a compressed week. There's the opportunity to work fully remote.

We find at the minute with younger talent that they tend to value a bit more around of that autonomy and that purpose, while other workers may seek stability and stronger benefits. So it's really not a one-size-fits-all.

The key is to listen. So do this by surveying your workforce. Gather your feedback. Co-create your definition of flexibility for what works for you as an employer and for your employees.

What we're really seeing in the market at the minute in the Republic of Ireland is two to three days hybrid is the norm. Companies like Google and AIB are even offering at-home stipends as well.

In Northern Ireland, flexible policies are strong in the likes of your civil service, your professional services, but there is slightly more resistance in manufacturing and logistics where flexibility can be harder to define.

But we are seeing that the best employers are the ones who adapt based on real feedback, not by policy. So if you haven't looked at your flexible working policy, definitely review it, do your surveys, and see what you're actually finding from your employees. And if it is feasible, try to move with it these times. It is going to be a real differentiator between a candidate accepting a job or not accepting a job.

And then finally, looking at DE&I. Globally, we are seeing some organisations dial back on their diversity commitments. So this is especially in the U.S. Some big names are being cautious or even reversing the DE&I investments due to political pressure.

But for us here in Ireland and Northern Ireland, this is a big moment to lean in. Why? Because our communities are diverse culturally, religiously, and neurodiversely. Embracing this can be a real competitive advantage. Not just the right thing to do but also smart for business.

So how do we actually make DE&I real? Start with your inclusive job descriptions. Run pay equity audits and act on what they show. And make sure your interview panels have had bias awareness training. Make sure you're measuring what matters, not just pledges but actual representation and inclusion outcomes.

Again, we're seeing some really, really strong examples. So in the Republic of Ireland, EU mandates are pushing gender pay reporting and neurodiversity awareness. U.S. multinationals based here are also influencing local policy, so think about Salesforce and Meta.

And in Northern Ireland, there is a growing focus on cross-community engagement, inclusive hiring. Working with fantastic organisations like the NOW Group, they actually support people with learning disabilities and autism into employment.

Remember, candidates do actually notice the difference between performative DE&I and practised DE&I. They're choosing employers who show action, not just slogans.

So really, to summarise that section, AI, flexibility, and DE&I are not trends, they are strategic realities. The question for you guys isn't, "Should we?" It's, "How quickly can you start adapting?"

What we'd recommend doing is audit your hiring processes. Where can AI make you smarter and faster? Define your flexibility of your workplace, communicate it clearly, and make DE&I values visible not just in policies but in how you hire, develop, and promote people. The future of recruitment isn't about efficiency, it's about human connection and trust.

And that is me. I shall hand back to Ryan then. Thank you very much.

Ryan: Thank you. Next slide, please. So I suppose just before I say my thank yous, just a bit of a recap.

So, for us, skill shortages are not going away, and that means we need to be more proactive. We need to invest in training, build smarter recruitment processes, and really keep things human-centred at every stage within a recruitment process. That's how you engage the absolute best talent available in the market.

Your employer brand is your superpower, so put time, energy, blood, sweat, and tears into it. It will pay off.

Organisations that lead with purpose, with trust, with genuine DE&I action, something they have a strategy behind that they're assessing themselves on, they're the ones that candidates gravitate towards.

AI and hybrid working, it is literally reshaping recruitment. How we hire, where we hire, how we connect with candidates, it is evolving and we need to really evolve with it.

It's something that if you're hiding under a rock and thinking it will go away, I can assure you it is absolutely going nowhere. It is becoming smarter by the day. I think it's something like a Terminator, and it scares me sometimes, but that's okay. It's absolutely grand. It's something that will transform things for the better longer-term.

Finally, I think it's worthwhile highlighting the cross-border thinking. And I suppose relocator thinking is a game changer for some employers. So if Irish or Northern Irish employers work together on talent, training, mobility, we create a much stronger shared recruitment ecosystem, and that can include employers that are based outside of the island of Ireland. They're maybe based in GB or based further afield. When we have that joined up thinking, we can do great things.

So look, thanks so much for your time. Both Rebekah and I really appreciate it, genuinely. We're into another session here straight after, which we're looking forward to. I see Rebekah is looking at me like, "Oh, flip". It's a long day today, but really thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hopefully, there were some useful takeaways from that session. And if there's anything in there that you thought, "Actually, that does resonate", and you would like to have a chat with Rebekah or myself, just drop us a message on LinkedIn. We can arrange a time to run through something that's maybe troubling you that you need some confidential advice on.

Julie: Thanks very much both to you, Ryan and Rebekah. Lots of insights there and lots of good tips about what companies are doing well.

So, Ryan, one question that came in for you is have legal firms across Ireland changed how they approach marketing recruitment, and in particular, have there been more or less in-house appointments?

Ryan: Changed how they approach marketing recruitment?

Julie: Uh-huh.

Ryan: In terms of how they market their roles and how they promote their roles?

Julie: I think it's a general question about how you approach, yes, marketing recruitment and . . .

Ryan: Yeah. I mean, it's niche. I suppose it's niche to marketing roles within legal firms. Is that what it's asking?

Julie: I'm thinking that's what it is, yeah.

Ryan: Well, I mean, it's so important because in terms of the legal recruitment industry, it's incredibly candidate-led and it is so much about the employer and how they promote themselves and how they remain attractive.

And you will find that a lot of solicitors always have this end goal of they don't want to be looking at things like billable hours and working late nights and working on behalf of clients and having to come in early and work late. They want to be working for one employer, and that's an in-house capacity.

And I won't lie, that is something that does come up certainly with a lot of candidates who are proactively looking. They would always be open to an in-house role. But fortunately, there are still a lot that are open to moving within different firms provided they are providing a great work-life balance. That's really, really important.

Julie: Thanks, Ryan. And then Rebekah, you talked a lot about Springboard, you talked about PwC, Thales as well, and about partnering with colleges. Are you seeing a decline in entry roles due to AI?

Rebekah: I'm not going to say it's due to AI yet. Yes, of course, there's lots of speculation in the market that that is going to probably have an impact on it. In relation to us seeing the roles coming in at that kind of entry level, a lot of these roles are being hired directly by employers as well. So they are from the likes of your apprenticeship programmes and your grad schemes and your internships and things like that.

We do recommend employers do that because it obviously raises their brand awareness as well and gets a lot of buy-in from your candidates.

But I suppose on those entry-level roles, there's still an abundance out there. There are some really good agencies, and ourselves as well, and really good platforms you can go and actually look for these types of roles.

In my opinion, it hasn't really impacted the volume of those coming through, but will it have an impact later on? I think AI is going to have an impact on everybody's job, unfortunately. So we just have to watch the space there.

Julie: And then that's a good tip as well for future-proofing skills as well. Thank you very much.

So thanks very much to both of you. They covered the questions very, very well. And talking about questions, you may have some of your own questions about employment law. I'm just going to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about one of the special events that we have coming up, which is our Annual Review of Employment Law. It's a hybrid event for HR professionals in 2025.

Northern Ireland will be at the Crowne Plaza in Belfast on 13 November. And in Ireland, it'll be 27 November in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Or again, you can choose to attend those online instead.

We'll have lots of your favourite speakers. So, we've got people like the Labour Relations Agency. We've got Gareth Walls, Seamus McGranaghan, Jason Elliott for Northern Ireland, and then for Ireland, Jennifer Cashman, who's always very popular, Duncan Inverarity, Caroline Reidy from The HR Suite, and Michelle Halloran as well.

We also have a very special keynote address, so something that you shouldn't miss. You'll get the latest legal updates specifically for your jurisdiction. And as Ryan and Rebekah said, AI in HR is increasing. So we'll talk a little bit about that and how it affects different aspects of employment and employment law. And you'll also get the opportunity to network in-person or online.

So those early bird tickets are available now. We have in-person places as well, and they're selling fast. So if you want to have a better look at that, you can take a look at our website.

I just want to take a moment to thank everybody for joining us today and, again, providing so many helpful takeaways. A big thank you to Ryan and Rebekah for sharing their expertise and answering questions on the spot, and to Gosia for helping us keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

As I mentioned, a recording is going to be sent to everybody who attended today. And again, you'll be able to review anything that you wish to.

So thanks again for your time. And if you'd like to learn more about how MCS Group can support your recruitment needs, again, remember their website is mcsgroup.jobs.

Looking forward to seeing you at our next webinars, whether that's with MCS, whether it's with someone else, or just in person. So take care and have a good afternoon. Thanks very much, everybody.

Ryan: Brilliant. Thank you. See you all later.

Rebekah: Take care. Bye.

Julie: Thank you very much, Ryan. Thank you, Rebekah. Take care.

Ryan: Bye.

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