Connecting...
We are delighted to announce that our founder and CEO, Adie McGennis has been recognised for his remarkable career, personal and professional standing, and in particular his achievements over his twenty-year tenure as Sigmar’s CEO. On Friday at the Employment & Recruitment Federation Awards, hosted at The Shelbourne Hotel, Adie was presented with the James Kilbane Lifetime Achievement Award. Our Sales & Marketing team were also the winners of the “Best in Practice – Sales & Marketing Recruitment” award on the night. Beginning his career in recruitment in the 90s with Interstaff Recruitment after a brief stint in London, within a few short years, Adie became Managing Director of Marlborough Recruitment. It went on to become the largest recruitment agency in Ireland and the first Irish professional services company to be listed on the stock exchange. In 2002, he left to help set up Sigmar Recruitment and since then, Adie has built Sigmar into a thriving, global company that has won over 60 awards. Adie is the ultimate servant leader; humble and sincere, measuring himself by the leaders he creates and not by his own achievements. His ethos has undoubtedly shaped Sigmar’s culture and purpose. Commenting on Adie’s achievement, Frank Farrelly, COO of Sigmar Recruitment said:“I am absolutely delighted that Adie has been recognised by the Employment & Recruitment Federation. Adie is one of the most recognizable and well-liked recruitment professionals in Ireland. In a career spanning over 30 years, he has made numerous lifelong friends and he has been one of the most collaborative and helpful people to many in the industry be they colleagues, competitors or members of the ERF. He truly embodies the spirit of this award and I am delighted to see him being awarded by his peers. Through Adie’s leadership, values, and entrepreneurial spirit, Sigmar has continued to grow and evolve as a business and will continue to do so! Thank you Adie, for all that you have done! Huge congratulations on behalf of all team Sigmar!” Find out more about Sigmar’s story here. Find out more about the Employment & Recruitment Federation Awards here.
This Inclusivity Employment Toolkit drawn up by the Open Doors Initiative is aimed at assisting companies working with our three groups – people with disabilities, refugees and asylum seekers and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. Jeanne McDonagh, CEO of The Open Doors Initiative said: “We are delighted to work with Employers for Change, one of our key supported programmes, along with Atlantic Technological University, to produce this Inclusive Recruitment booklet and training. Many of our companies have asked for guidance in this space and it is a much needed resource to ensure an inclusive workplace. We wish to thank the participants who gave us their expert knowledge and experience in putting this together and look forward to engaging with companies in this important training.” In creating this toolkit, which is supported by AIB, research was carried out in partnership with Atlantic Technological University (ATU) to understand the specific barriers for people from marginalised communities when seeking employment and the best strategies for becoming truly inclusive in the hiring process.DOWNLOAD PDFSigmar is a member of The Open Doors Initiative to help provide opportunities to some of the marginalised members of our society: refugee, asylum seekers and non-native English speakers; young people under 25 with educational barriers; and people with a disability.This information is taken from the OpenDoors website.
Sigmar led a delegation of 50 Irish and US business leaders to London last week for trade missionIreland Gateway To Europe, to promote US/UK/European trade. We hosted a number of events in the London over two days welcoming over 300 guests.We were joined by the team from The Hard Shoulder on Newstalk, who broadcast live from our trip.Boston College Global Leadership Dinner - RAF Club (19th Oct 2022)Sigmar CCO Robert Mac Giolla Phadraig was MC at the The Boston College Ireland Business Council Global Leadership Dinner which took place in The RAF Club in London. There were fascinating conversations with:Dame Sharon White, Chairman John Lewis & Partners;Conor McEnroy, Founder and owner Sudameris in Paraguay; Warren Zola,Executive Director, BC Chief Executives Club.The event was kindly hosted by Rosaleen Blair, CBE.Listen to Robert MacGiolla Phádraig, Conor McEnroy, and Neil Naughton The Hard Shoulder on NewstalkBoston College CEO Club Lunch at Bloomberg (Oct 20th 2022)There was a full house for the first BC CEO Club lunch ever held in the UK, hosted at the amazing offices of Bloomberg. Guests from London, Ireland, the US and a number of Boston College alumni attended to hear about global economic trends and Europe's energy crisis from our speakers:Fernando Vicario, CEO, Bank of America EuropeRobert Mac Giolla Phadraig, CCO, Sigmar RecruitmentSonya Twohig, Secretary-General of ENTSO-EGerard Reid, Co-founder, Alexa Capital Warren Zola, Chief Executive, Boston College Chief Executives Club.The London Irish Centre (Oct 20th)The delegation visited the London Irish Center, an established charity offering advice, support, culture and community services to the Irish in London from our centre in Camden. It was absolutely amazing the scope of what they do and the difference they make.Listen to Séamus MacCormaic, CEO of the London Irish Centre on The Hard Shoulder on NewstalkReception at The Embassy of Ireland, London (Oct 20th)We were delighted to end our trip as guests of Ambassador Martin Fraser at the Irish embassy in London.
Guides for EmployersAs the crisis in Ukraine worsens, many employers may wish to offer support and employment to those coming from Ukraine. We have some guides to assist you should you wish to support and employ someone from Ukraine that has arrived in Ireland.Finding Work for Ukrainians Settled in Ireland - An Employer’s Guide (PDF)Master Contract of Employment (Ukranian) (PDF)Ukraine Cultural Competency Guide (PDF)Tech Link UkraineTechlinkUkraine.org is a Not for Profit organization signposting those with tech skills that have been displaced by the war in Ukraine to employment opportunities. Our mission is to connect individuals to opportunities and enable them to happen. Download PDF
Talent Summit Employment Survey 2022 - The Talent Summit Employment Survey 2022 was commissioned by Sigmar Recruitment in partnership with Globalization Partners, the world’s leading global employment platform, as part of Talent Summit 2022. At a glance:35% of Ireland’s current workforce has never been to the office. Major social/ psychological implications. 26% now full time in office, 30% hybrid, 44% full time remote81% of employers to recruit in 202269% of employers to offer pay rise of 9% in 2022 (while 84% of employees expect pay rise)New Legislation - 53% of workforce can choose where they work. 68% of this population expected to choose to work from home. Says Talent Summit founder and Sigmar CCO, Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig: “The world of work has been in a flux for the past two years, as things begin to settle, the question of workplace remains up for debate as unprecedented levels of churn within the workforce has caused the power to shift from employer to employee. Many people are now choosing to work permanently from home, which in turn is being supported by the new legislation, forcing many employers to soften their rhetoric around returning to the office. Does this work for the employer and employee? Well, I think the remote experiment seems to have worked in the short term at least with full-time remote here to stay, but not at its current level. Hybrid working models are really in their infancy and the employers are facing into uncharted waters when it comes to sustaining individual flexibility for all, as choice around workplace re-emerges. While there are clear benefits to remote work, I don’t think we have enough data or evidence on the impact of long term, deeply individualised, isolated work has on our people and society.” Nick Adams, Vice President, EMEA, Globalization Partners comments, “The past two years have triggered the world’s biggest remote work experiment, and it is changing not just the way we work but the way we hire and onboard talent too. Companies are finding the best talent all over the world and not just on their doorstep. Talent shortages may be a thing of the past: The solution is to go where the talent lives.” ----------------------------Over 1/3rd (35%) of the current workforce has never set foot inside their place of employment, according to new research carried out on behalf of this week’s Talent Summit conference in Dublin. The Talent Summit Employment Survey 2022 suggests that just 26% of the workforce is currently working fulltime in the office with 44% working full time remotely, and 30% hybrid. The Right to Request Remote Working legislation will have a significant impact in 2022 with 53% of workforce in a position to choose where they work. 68% of this population is expected to choose to work from home. The recruitment market is at the highest it has ever been in the 20-year history of Sigmar Recruitment. 81% of employers will recruit in 2022. Pay is set to be a major issue in 2022 with 84% of employees expecting a pay rise. Employers are open to discussing the issue with 69% of employers agreeing to offer pay rises this year. The average pay rise on offer is 9%. According to Talent Summit founder and Sigmar CCO, Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig, Ireland is at the forefront of the changing work model globally: “As a central hub of some of the world’s most progressive and innovative companies, Ireland is now emerging as home to companies who are at the forefront of moulding, shaping and shifting how, where, when and by whom work is done as we emerge from the pandemic. While remote and hybrid working seems to be working for the employer with just 15% finding it a hindrance, my concern is that we have an entire generation of workers who are missing out on the social and psychological benefits of working in a communal environment with friends and colleagues.” Talent Summit 2022 Employment Survey Highlights Micro-environment - Out of Office35% of the current workforce were hired since the pandemic and have never been to a physical workplace. Major psychological and social implications. Isolation an issue. Majority of workforce choose full time remote even with offices reopening:26% full time in office (34% anticipated in 2021)30% working hybrid ( 44% anticipated in 2021)44% full time remote (22% anticipated in 2021) 95% of hybrid workforce work 3 days of less in the office – majority choose two days 40% 31% of workforce expected back in office by end of year Sentiment this year is that office space will remain the same. In 2021, 40% expected a reduction. Macro-environment - Talent shortage economy.With the presence of a massive talent shortage economy, pressure is on all fronts; internal retention, external recruitment and costs.Recruitment and retention are the top 2 priorities for HR Leaders - 12 months ago it was wellbeing and employee experience.Hyper competition for talent: This year sees the highest number of employers anticipating adding staff (81%) over past 5 years.Recruitment has gone global: Opportunity now finds talent. 62% have recruited outside of Ireland and 77% are willing to hire wherever talent resides.Labour costs: 69% of employers expect to increase salaries by 9% (highest gross uplift we’ve seen in doing this survey the last 5 years).Employee expectations have soared: 84% anticipate a pay rise compared to 54% in 2021 – leads into a further cycle of attrition. Legal Environment - Right to Request Remote WorkWith 53% of workforce having control over where they choose to work from highlights the potential threat proposed legislation (in Ireland) to offer the right to work remote may pose. We may in fact be alienating nearly half the working population creating new unintended workplace biases. Employers anticipate that 68% of this population will choose long-term remote working options, which means the proposed legislation applies to 36% of the overall workforce population68% of workforce expect long-term remote working options.53% of workforce are expected to be given long-term remote working option.When asked what impact the proposed legislation will have on their organisation, 33% of respondents said it would help, 52% said no-impact and 15% said it would hinder. ABOUT THIS SURVEYThe Talent Summit Employment Survey 2022 was commissioned by Sigmar Recruitment in partnership with Globalization Partners, the world’s leading global employment platform as part of Talent Summit 2022. This is the fifth year the study has been conducted, measuring the pulse of Talent Leaders on a range of Talent Topics. The survey ran from 09/02/22 to 12/03/22 with 153 respondents. 63% Senior HR leaders and 37% Business owners/ leaders across all company sizes, sectors and industries. Europe’s largest HR, work and employment conference, Talent Summit 2022 will take place in Dublin’s Convention Centre on Thursday, 24 March, 2022. With 2,000 people in physical attendance, as well as countless set to attend virtually, Talent Summit 2022 will see the largest group of HR leaders to convene in Europe since the pandemic. www.talentsummit.ie
We’re thrilled to announce that Sigmar Recruitment picked up Recruitment Agency of the Year and Best in Practice – Sales & Marketing at the 2021 Employment & Recruitment Federation Awards on Friday 25th February 2022. In a year that Sigmar Recruitment will celebrate another major milestone; of being in business for 20 years, we are over the moon to receive this recognition. Speaking on the win, Sigmar CEO, Adie McGennis said; “It is a great testament to every single person in Sigmar and the professionalism, coolness and positivity they displayed over the challenges of the pandemic. Their ability to get involved in not just providing excellent service to our clients and candidates but initiatives such as Talent Summit and Ireland, Gateway to Europe, I’m so pleased for the team to receive this recognition. It has been a record-breaking year and this is the crowning achievement.” Alan Murphy who accepted the Best in Practice – Sales & Marketing Award added, “We are delighted to have won this award again after what has been a challenging but ultimately rewarding year in recruitment. It’s a testament to how the team adapted to the demands of the market and will inspire us to continue to grow our high performing team and offer a best-in-class service to our candidates and clients alike!” The postponed ceremony took place in the Shelbourne Hotel and was attended by over 360 guests. The awards are designed to identify and reward excellence in recruitment in Ireland and is judged by an independent panel, including representatives from the international recruitment sector, the National College of Ireland and DCU. A huge congratulations to all of our fellow ERF Award winners and nominees. Visit the Employment & Recruitment Federation website to see a full list of the 2021 winners.
Our 2023 guide will launch in Feb 2023. Request your copy here------------------------------Salary Guide 2022 (Full)Salary Guide Ireland 2022 (PDF)Salary Guide 2022 by DepartmentAccountancy & Finance Construction & Property Services Financial Services & InsuranceHRITLegal & ComplianceLife SciencesManufacturing & EngineeringMarketingMultilingualOffice SupportSalesSupply ChainExecutive Summary From Adie McGennis, CEOWhat a year! We came into the year with high uncertainty but hope that we had all seen the chaotic stage of the pandemic over and a “New Normal” (or “New Abnormal”) giving stability and growth to businesses and economies. Equity markets and job vacancies grew in the first half of 2021 to record levels. At Sigmar, we had experienced our strongest month in twenty years by May and have broken business records since then. It applied to both the permanent and temp/contract jobs market. This in itself, is unusual because generally strong markets see an increase in permanent hiring, and less utilisation of temps and contractors. Such was the nearly frenzied, demand that companies looked for any solution to enable their growth. Salary inflation, as well as price inflation, began to increase, but all indicators show that further increases are coming. This was across the board, but particularly in IT and life sciences. Certain skills are experiencing double digit inflation, purely because demand is at an all-time high. Supply of skills by re-training or re-educating staff from sectors that suffered (retail, hospitality, etc.) was slow. It does present opportunities for SMEs to compete with larger multinationals, as the employee experience has never been more important and the flexibility that SMEs can generally give and the speed by which they can move, can give significant edge. Remote work obviously continued to increase significantly, and hybrid models seem generally to be the optimum for employees. Tax and legislative issues with working in a different country has slowed this internationalisation, but it does present excellent talent opportunities once it is well planned. Traditional professions, like accounting, HR and legal grew as pent-up demand was evident. In Ireland particularly, construction is very buoyant after the tight Covid restrictions closed many sites in 2021 lifted and the need for housing requires a large increase in activity in the coming years. So, a year of unprecedented growth in demand for talent, giving challenge and opportunity. The recovery of economies will sustain this growth throughout 2022 but some apprehension prevails that global economic shocks could accelerate recession. So, it is difficult to be over-confident on a medium-term basis. Predictions are difficult but I would estimate that demand will begin to level out and drop late 2022 and return to more “normal” or pre-Covid levels in 2023. The various Covid strains continue to challenge, but more importantly we hope everyone stays safe and healthy.
Sigmar CCO Robert MacGiolla Phádraig chats to Miriam O'Callaghan on Primetime about the new remote working legislation being discussed by Government; with Richard Grogan, Employment Law Specialist.
Given everything that has happened over the last eighteen months, it’s not surprising that we’ve essentially gone through an identity crisis around work. Power has shifted from employer to employee as work has changed from somewhere we go to something we do. This in turn has also altered how we prioritize other aspects of ourselves and how we approach work. So what does this mean for employers and recruitment today? Robert Mac Giolla Phadraig, CCO of Sigmar Recruitment joins Holly Fawcett on the The Shortlist show. They’ll be diving into this topic, looking at what needs to be different about an organization’s value proposition today in order to make them attractive to talent in the future. Throughout this discussion, they’ll be examining multiple aspects, like the precarious balance between well-being and well-doing in this atmosphere of high attrition and also the evolution of the EVP as it has changed to encompass more about human experience.