Data suggests that employees are working to improve their abilities around artificial intelligence in a workplace environment being transformed by the technology.
IrishJobs has published the results of a report exploring Ireland’s evolving hiring landscape and shifting attitudes across the jobs market. What was discovered is that there has been a significant push among professionals to upskill in AI.
According to the report, which gathered data from more than 500 employers and nearly 1,000 professionals across Ireland, this urge to upskill in AI is being driven by a growing adoption of AI tools and technology in the workplace.
More than one-third (35pc) of participants have taken steps to enhance their AI skills this year amid the accelerating AI workplace transformation.
With 86pc of contributing professionals confident that their skills will stay relevant over the next three years, the report indicates that the potential impact of AI on the jobs market is expected to take place over the long-term, rather than the short-term.
Commenting on the findings, Christopher Paye, country director of The Stepstone Group Ireland with responsibility for IrishJobs, said, “Across Ireland, the hiring landscape is evolving at pace, shaped by a combination of economic and geopolitical volatility, accelerating technological change and shifting workforce expectations.”
He added, “There is a growing sense of uncertainty around the impact of AI and how this could affect future careers. Professionals in Ireland are responding to these changes by enhancing AI skills and putting an increased emphasis on the value of adaptability in the workplace.
“Employers, too, have a vital role to play in investing and skilling up their workforce to ensure their people can successfully adapt to these shifts.”
AI recruitment
IrishJobs’ report also found that increased automation in the recruitment process is potentially affecting how candidates experience and engage with recruitment. Almost three-quarters of jobseekers who contributed to the research said it is more difficult to reach the interview stage of the hiring process, while 65pc report that they do not hear back from recruiters beyond an autoreply.
Skills, for both applicants and employers, remain a divisive subject, as 78pc of candidates find that job adverts require more skills than ever before, while skills-matching remains the top hiring challenge for employers. The report suggests this is reflective of a growing disconnect between employers and candidates on the expectations around roles.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, salary was found to be the top factor for candidates when considering new opportunities, followed by work-life balance, flexible working and job security. This is in line with rising inflation and cost-of-living pressures.
With the increased economic uncertainty in mind, 77pc of contributing candidates said that job security is more important than career progression when considering potential opportunities. Meanwhile, 23pc of employers are struggling to meet jobseekers’ rising salary expectations, leading to one of the biggest hiring challenges for recruiters.
“The findings also spotlight a growing disconnect between employers and candidates across several key areas. Challenges around rising salary expectations, skills-matching and increasingly complex job requirements are contributing to friction in the hiring process,” said Paye.
“To stay competitive, employers need to sharpen their approach, setting clear and realistic expectations from the outset of the recruitment process and leading with transparency on pay, flexibility and career development. Those who actively invest in skills and support employees through the significant change ahead will be best placed to attract and retain high-calibre talent.”
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