Company culture has emerged as the most important consideration for Irish professionals when evaluating new job opportunities, with 43 percent ranking it above salary and other traditional incentives, according to new research.
The findings from recruitment firm Robert Walters reveal a fundamental shift in workplace priorities as Ireland’s competitive job market forces employers to reconsider their approach to attracting and retaining talent.
The research exposes significant challenges in employer-employee relationships, with 89 percent of Irish professionals admitting they have quit positions due to poor relationships with management. Additionally, 72 percent of employees believe their expectations are not properly acknowledged by their employers.
Suzanne Feeney, country manager at Robert Walters Ireland, emphasized the need for employers to adapt their strategies. “Compensation, culture, progression and hybrid working continue to be top priorities for professionals – and if Irish employers wish to attract top talent, they must respond accordingly. Tailoring their offerings to ensure they remain attractive in a market where competition is high.”
The importance of workplace culture is underscored by data from Ireland’s Great Place to Work awards, which found that 93 percent of employees in certified ‘Ireland’s Best Workplaces’ considered their organization a friendly place to work, compared to just 68 percent in non-certified workplaces.
Beyond culture, Irish professionals prioritize relevant benefits (27 percent) and career advancement opportunities (24 percent) when considering new roles. The Robert Walters Benefits Guide identified health and medical insurance (89 percent), bonus schemes (82 percent), and work-from-home subsidies and equipment (61 percent) as the three most valued workplace benefits.
These employee expectations come at a time when Irish employers are struggling with retention challenges. Over half of employers report greater difficulty attracting and retaining staff in 2025 compared to the previous year, with 60 percent citing unprecedented levels of competition as the primary factor.
The competitive landscape is particularly intense in professional services sectors including IT, accounting, and insurance, where analytical skills, data analysis, customer relationship management, and SQL expertise are in high demand.
The research highlights a critical disconnect between employer perceptions and employee experiences. While employers recognize the competitive challenges, nearly three-quarters of Irish professionals feel their expectations are overlooked, with fewer than 20 percent believing their voices are even occasionally heard by management.
Management relationships appear to be a crucial factor in employee satisfaction and retention. The survey’s finding that 89 percent of professionals have left jobs due to poor relationships with line managers points to a fundamental issue in workplace dynamics.
“Although salaries play an essential role in attraction and retention, there are other crucial factors employers shouldn’t overlook,” Feeney noted. “Managers play a huge part in professionals’ experience of a workplace and as such, they should be trained to give their teams the best experience possible.”
The research suggests that investing in management training and workplace culture could yield significant returns for employers. “A positive workplace culture will in turn boost engagement and morale levels, which will inevitably lead to improved productivity, rates of attraction and lower staff turnover,” Feeney explained.
The findings reflect broader changes in the Irish labor market, where strong demand across multiple sectors has shifted power toward job seekers and forced employers to compete on factors beyond traditional compensation packages.
For Irish businesses, the message is clear: in an increasingly competitive talent market, company culture, management quality, and employee recognition have become as important as salary in attracting and retaining top performers.