Key Takeaways:

1. Strong Start: The year began with continued demand for office managers and executive assistants (EA). Many candidates from the tech space sought opportunities in smaller Irish SMEs due to uncertainties and layoffs earlier in the year.

2. Focus on SMEs: Around 60% of the placements made by the team were with Irish-owned SMEs, and a significant number of these businesses had less than 20 employees. This indicates a trend of candidates preferring to work in smaller organizations.

3. Temporary and Contract Roles: There was a noticeable demand for temporary and contract employees in addition to permanent positions. To meet this demand, we have expanded our offering at Mason Alexander to include temp and contract roles alongside permanent placements.

4. Industry Sectors: Nearly 70% of the open roles with Mason Alexander's business support division were in the Real Estate, Legal, and Investment sectors. This highlights the dominant industries where their services were sought.

5. Counter Offers: 40% of the candidates placed by the team had received a counter offer from their current employer. However, our Business Support team was able to negotiate better deals and offerings for candidates on behalf of their clients.

6. Working Preferences and Benefits: The ongoing conversations around working preferences, market uncertainty, and benefits/perks were prominent. Almost half of the candidates in the market preferred a hybrid work model, reflecting the increasing importance of flexible work arrangements.

For further insights please download our Business Support Market Analysis document.

If you’re looking for top talent across your Business Support functions, please reach out to Aisling or Jessica who would be happy to help you with your recruitment and hiring needs.