To attract and retain top talent in tech sectors, organisations may need to enhance their appeal via career development opportunities, flexible work arrangements and generous compensation.
Global professional services recruitment consultancy Morgan McKinley has today (20 February) released its 2025 Salary Guide for Ireland, highlighting the trends impacting multiple sectors across the region.
What was discovered is that despite what has been a tight labour market buffeted by rising costs, companies are prioritising targeted salary hikes for in-demand roles and skill retention, rather than implementing broad adjustments to pay. This year, there will also be a key focus on retaining professional talent in strategic areas, for example in technology and the life sciences.
Commenting on the findings, the global FDI director at Morgan McKinley, Trayc Keevans said, “Ireland’s employment market remains competitive, with organisations becoming more selective about salary increases. While overall pay growth is modest, demand for skilled talent in technology, finance, compliance, life sciences, projects and change and construction give professionals in these fields strong negotiating power.”
In demand
For experts working in the life sciences and engineering sectors, highly sought after professionals include project engineers, people skilled in various forms of automation, tech transfer experts, variously skilled quality control microbiologists and regulatory affair specialists.
Employers hiring in this area would expect new talent to possess an array of skills, with the most valuable including NPI and tech transfer for new products, biopharma and drug process development experience, quality control analysts with microbiology experience, RA candidates with CMC skills and experience in validation.
According to the survey, candidates in this field are in a strong position as the sustained demand for skilled professionals in niche areas means they can negotiate for higher compensation, especially in roles that require on-site attendance, relocation or extensive travel. However, organisations can also negotiate a lower salary for reasons such as exposure to new systems, proximity to home, longer contract durations, modern equipment or flexible working arrangements.
Those skilled in a competitive role are increasingly looking beyond pay, to weigh up the complete value of how they are compensated, in terms of work-life balance, healthcare options, flexible working and pension schemes.
“We are seeing a shift from reactive salary increases towards more strategic talent retention initiatives. Employers who focus on structured career progression, meaningful benefits and flexibility will be in the strongest position to compete for talent,” said Keevans.
A balanced trajectory
According to the report it has been a stabilising 12 months for the technology sector as it continues to recover from the mass restructuring of the last few years. Hiring in this field has cautiously resumed, with 70pc of new roles in the sector attributed to new positions, rather than replacements.
“Increased candidate availability, particularly in cybersecurity, has created a more competitive job market, leading to slight declines in contract daily rates. Salaries have largely plateaued, with job movers securing modest increases of around 10pc, a stark contrast to the rapid salary growth seen in previous years. Hiring in 2025 is expected to remain measured, with continued demand for specialised technology roles.”
Regulations requiring a depth of skill, such as NIS2 and DORA are driving hiring needs, particularly among those who possess knowledge in the areas of compliance and cybersecurity. 2025 is expected to bring new opportunities for UX designers and accessibility engineers as organisations implement web content accessibility guidelines and work towards improving accessibility standards.
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