Archive for February, 2008
Friday, February 29th, 2008
I did a previous post listing recruitment agencies to help you find suitable ones to source candidates.
Here is an updated list of recruitment agencies in Ireland.
Tags: 1 Source Recruitment, 1 Stop, 1–800 People, 3Q Catering, A A Appointments Ireland, A.S.A.P Recruitment, Abacus, ABLE Recruit, About, Abrivia, Accenture, Accountancy Solutions, Accountants Register, Accreate, Accurat, Achievers Group, ACR - have, Action, Action Coach, Active Recruitment, Acumen, Adecco Recruitment, Adelaide Recruitment, advalueMEDIA, Advance, Agency (Unbrella), Allegis Group, Allen Recruitment, Alpha Recruitment, Alpine, Alternatives, Altus Personnel, AMR Ireland, Amrop International, Ann Kilgallon Recruitment, anoisHR, Antal International Network, Apariant, APB, Approach People, Archer, Arcon Recruitment, ASFI & Technical Recruitment, Ashville Media, Asset Engineering & Insurance Recruitment, Assure Consulting, Aston Carter, ATFM Solutions Ltd, Atlanco Recruitment, Atlas Personnel Group, Bank of Scotland, Barry Search & Selection, BDO Simpson Xavier Hr & Recruitment, BeesWax, Benasso, Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd, Berkley IT, Best Personnel, Better Careers, Big Fish, Blue Lynx, Blueprint Appointments, BMC Software, BMS Sales Recruitment Ltd, Bond Personnel Group, Bowen, Brendan Long Associates, Brightwater, Brompton Recruitment, Building Envelope Technologies Ltd, Butler Carolan, C&M Recruitment, Capital, Career Compass, Careers In Recruitment, CareerWise Recruitment, Carlisle Group Ireland, Caterassist, ccprecruit.ie, Celtic Careers, Centre Point Group, CFW | Coxfitzsimons&Wilkes, Chandler Recruitment, Chase Resourcing, Chatworth Rowe & Partners, Circle, Clark Recruitment, Clear Consulting, Client Solutions ltd, Cliffe Recruitment (Ireland), CMI Recruitment, Coastway Recruitment, Collins McNicholas, Computer Futures Solutions, Computer People, Condor, Contact, Contax Recruitment, Cordele, Cork Recruitment, CPL, Cregg Labour Services and Recruitment, CRIT Human Resources, CRUZ REcruitment, CSR, Data Exchange Europe Ltd, DB Recruitment, Delta Resource, Design and Build Recruitment, Diamond Recruitment, DP Options, E-Frontiers Ltd, ecruitment, eFlexes, Elan IT, Electus, Enterprise People, Eolas, EPC (bought by Clients.ie), ePeople, Equity Search Partners, eTravel, ETS Recruitment Consultants, EVG Eventures Group, Executive Connections, Executive Edge, Expect, Fast, Fastnet, FastTrack, FHR, Financial Directions, Finchester, FINEOS, Firstaff, Fostu, FRS, Future Solutions Recruitment, G2 Recruitment, Gallop Marketing, Gartan Group, GCS Recruitment, GD Group, Gekko, Gemma Hayes Recruitment, GilliganBlack, GKR Search & Selection, Grafton, Green Dot, Halo Human Resources, Harada Ltd, Harry Walsh Associates, Hays Recruitment, hc-exchange, Head Hunt, Headcount Solutions, Helen Kearney, Hook Head Software, HR Plus, HR Skills, HRM, Hudson, HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, Hunter Lynch Associates, Hunter Marshal, I.C.E. Group, ICDS, Indaver, InPerspective, Intel, Interactive Services, Interventions, IRE RECRUITMENT SERVICES, IT Alliance, IT Focus, IT Force, Jackie Brown Medical, Jackson's Hotel, JacksonStone Recruitment, JHA Search & Selection, Joslin Rowe, Julia Ross Recruitment, Kaizen Recruitment, KCM Recruitment, Keane International, Keaney Medical, Kelly Service, Kingsley Recruitment, Kingston Recruitment, Kudos Recruitment, Lagore, Lakelands Recruitment Agency, Landmark Technologies Ltd, Legal Staff, Lex Consultancy, Life Science Recruitment, Link Personnel, Local Recruitment Solutions, Logiskills, Manpower, maryb.ie, Match Employment, Max Recruitment, McAdam & Associates, McGrath Saunders Associates, McGuinness Killen Partnership Ltd, Meghen Group, MERC Partners, Merrion Resources, Methodius, Michael Page International, Mondial Placement, Morgan Recruitment, MOS Staff Solutions, MSI Group, Murlin Recruitment, Nationwide Recruitment, Net Nation, Network Personnel Consultants (NPC), Network Recruitment, New Candidates, NewMove Recruitment, Next Generation, Noctor-Feeney Recruitment, Noel Recruitment, North Gate Recruit, O&B Recruitment, Oak Recruitment, ODB Recruitment, Office Angels, ONeill and Brennan, Orange, Orbis, Oriel Recruitment, Original Solutions, Orion Executive Search & Selection, Orkid Technologies, Ormonde, Osborne, Paragon Selection, Paramount HR, Parc Recruitment, ParkHouse Recruitment, Peach Recruitment, People Solutions, Perfect Placement, Pharma Solutions (Recruitment) Limited, PharmEng Ltd, Phoenix, Pinnacle Search & Selection, PlaceMe Recruitment, Planet Recruitment, Platinum Catering Recruitment, PPG.ie (Professional Placement Group), PRC, Precision Recruitment, Premier Group, Priority Placements, Progressive Placements, Project Recruitment, Prosperity Recruitment, QED Recruitment, Qualitas People Solutions, Quest, Rainbow Recruitment, RCB Recruitment, Recruiters, Recruitment Agency, Recruitment Central, Recruitment Solutions, RecruitmentPlus, Red Box Direct Ltd, REED Personnel Services, RESCON IT, RFC Recruitment Group, Richmond Recruitment, RightFit, rigneydolphin group, rithon, River IT Recruitment, Robert Half International, Robert Walters, Rosmean Consultants Ltd, Runway Recruitment, Sabeo Technologies Limited, Sales Placement, Science Recruitment Ireland, Select Financial, Selective Recruitment, Seyner Benson Partnership, Sigmar, Smart Careers, Smart Placements, Solomon Search Partners, SOLV, Southside Personnel, SSC Recruitment, Star Recruit, Stelfox, Sure Candidate, Synergy, TCS, Teamworks, Techsearch Recruitment, The Firm, The Panel, The People Group, The Recruitment Business (TRB), The Tipperary Recruitment Company, Three Q Catering, Top People (HRM owned), Torc Consulting Group, TRIL Recruitment, TRS Staffing Solutions (UK), TTM, Vantage, WBS, Wicklow Recruitment, Wise Recruitment, WJP Floyd, World of work, World Wide Jobs, WSK
Posted in Jobs, Recruitment, Recruitment Agencies | 6 Comments »
Friday, February 29th, 2008
Did you know that the average smoker spends almost a full year of their working life having smoking breaks? That’s a lot of cigarettes. The average smoker takes three 15 minute breaks per day which equates to 195 hours per year. The introduction of the smoking ban has meant that many smokers now have to travel further from their desks (I guess the exercise will help).
Anyway this is a huge cost on employers. I do know of some employers who have started to monitor this more and put in measures to reduce smoke breaks. Many employers see them as negative and a breeding ground for gossip. Fellow non-smoker employee will also not be too happy with these finding as the will carry the additional workload.
Why do we smoke?
Could it be that 1 in 4 workers find their job stressful? A combination of increased working hours and commuting hours has seen stress levels rise in Ireland. Over a third of Irish workers are spending more time working and commuting than they used to. Well work life balance day will soon be upon us to resolve all this stress.
Tags: Cigarettes, Commuting, Employees, Employers, Irish Firms, M50, Smokers, Smoking Ban, Smoking Breaks, Stress, Travel, Work-life Balance
Posted in HR, Work-life Balance | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
I posted previously about Psychometric Testing and the benefits of using testing as part of your recruitment and selection process. Tools like Personality Questionnaires and Ability Tests can greatly reduce the chances of hiring the wrong staff. If you have made a wrong hire in the past you will know the associate costs and hassle.
Measurability is a provider of Psychometric Testing services to companies in Ireland. Their clients include County Council, VEC, Universities and companies in the IT, Retail, Financial Services, Recruitment, Manufacturing and Construction sectors. Measurability work with clients in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Sligo and other regions.
Measurability is a partner of SHL and offer a wide range of SHL assessment tools. The portfolio includes the OPQ32 and Verify numerical and verbal ability tests both online and paper and pencil. SHL is the leading provider for Assessment tools at all level of your organisation.
For more information on Measurability and the Psychometric Testing services offered visit their website.
Tags: Ability Tests, Assessment, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Ireland, Limerick, OPQ32, Personality Questionnaires, Psychometric Testing, SHL, Sligo, Waterford
Posted in HR, Psychometric Testing, Recruitment | No Comments »
Monday, February 25th, 2008
Following a landmark ruling employers will no longer be able to sack employees who fail what is deemed a flawed drug tests. All tests will have to comply with a European Standard.
This all stems from a Luas worker being sacked for failing a drug test. He was sacked in September 2006 but his union argued that his result fell below the recognised cut-off point in Europe. This cut-off point is important as readings below can be explained by factors such as being in the room where someone else was smoking drugs. His employer Alstom has a zero policy to drugs but the Labour Court that no code of practice was agreed. This code of conduct had to be agreed with Trade Unions.
This ruling will have implications on many workers in Ireland who are already subject to random drug tests but also organisation like CIE who are implementing random testing.
Tags: Alstom, CIE, Drugs at Work, Ireland, Luas, Random Drug Tests, Union
Posted in HR, News | No Comments »
Friday, February 22nd, 2008
There has been a 2.8bn plan put in place to upskill 500,000 workers in Ireland by 2020. The government will have this plan in place by the summer. We were promised The Port Tunnel, Airport Transport Links , M50 all on-time and on budget so I am asking you not to hold out for the summer deadline or proposed cost. This aside I think it is an excellent initiative. It will be a huge project and it will involve bodies like FAS, Universities, VEC’s, employers and obviously the workers.
The obvious problem here is getting the balance right for employers – current versus future demands. Employers on the one hand will reap the long-term benefits of a better skilled workforce BUT in the short term they have to cope with supporting staff through the education and training.
There will have to be flexibility by staff and employees but as we have seen recently with various trade union employer spats and even GAA spats that the various stakeholders in a situation are often not prepared to give ground
Tags: FAS, GAA, Government, Ireland, M50, Port Tunnel, Trade Unions, Universities, Upskill, VEC
Posted in HR, News | No Comments »
Thursday, February 21st, 2008
GlaxoSmithKline announced 100 redundancies in Cork today. This is a blow for the Pharmaceutical sector as they are good employers in the region – 1600 staff. Poor sales were put forward as the reason for Job Loss.
A redundancy cloud hangs over SR Technics with suggestions that 200 jobs could go as a result of lost contract. SR Technics lost 3 of the 4 contracts they had with Aer Lingus. Fortunately they held on the Line maintenance contract which if lost could have threatened the bulk of the 1500 staff currently employed.
The above news was in contrast with new job announcements in Dublin and Belfast. ServiceSource is to create 100 jobs in Dublin and Fidessa 26 jobs in Belfast.
Tags: Belfast Jobs, Cork Jobs, Dublin Jobs, Fidessa, GlaxoSmithKline, Pharmaceutical Sector, Redundancy, ServiceSource, SR Technics
Posted in Jobs, News, Redundancy | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
A KPMG report has found that over half of Irish firms intent to increase their spend on IT this year. Would this explain why most Senior Technical Executives are optimistic about the performance of the IT sector in 2008.
The fact that IT investment will increase with the cloud of pessimism over the economy is significant for IT sector as traditionally IT spend was considered optional rather than necessary.
At least one sector is rubbing its hands with the prospect of good news in 2008. The construction sector with hit with more bad news today with the number of new home completions to fall again this year
Tags: 2008, Construction Sector, Information Technology, Investment, Ireland, Irish, IT Professionals, IT Sector, Technology
Posted in News | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
Organisations have been introducing a variety of initiatives in the last decade in a bid to improve employee health and work life balance and to take the pressure off poor Mary Harney. Gym memberships, onsite gyms, massages, yoga are all very common place at work.
Why are they doing this?
Well as the header indicates – healthy staff equal productive staff. Initiatives like these can help reduce stress and sickness. There is another flu pandemic on our doorstep according to David Williams but obviously organisations who look after their staff will not be affected. If you have been slack and want to ensure your staff don’t fall victim to colds and flus here is a 10 step guide from today’s Indo.
1. Get enough sleep (use your time on the M50 constructively and catch a few zzzz)
2. Stay active (Ok perhaps do some exercises in the car and forget the sleep)
3. Eat Well (Domino’s have announced 7 new stores for Ireland – problem solved)
4. Look after your emotional health (this does not apply to males – keep them bottled up as before)
5. Have a massage (yes please)
6. Get some herbal help (Book a trip to Amsterdam)
7. De-stress (How?)
8. Quit smoking (What about point 6)
9. Laugh a lot (There is much to laugh about such as recession, negative equity and so on)
10. Drink in Moderation (I was out in Dublin last Thursday and the prices sorted this problem)
Tags: Colds, David McWilliams, Domino's, Employee Health, Flu Pandemic, Flus, Gym, Health & Safety, Healthy Staff, Ireland, Massage, Quit Smoking, Sickness, Stress, Work-life Balance
Posted in HR, Work-life Balance | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
There seems to be quite a bit of bullish optimism across the Irish economy – glass half full stuff. Today it is the turn of the IT sector. I hope these voices are that of realism and not a case of dillusion like our good friend from Iraq “Comical Ali” – remember his statements about the US forces with a US tank in the background.
Anyway today I am going to believe what I have read.
The IT sector looks set to have a bright 2008. Over 50% of Senior Technology Executives surveyed were confident about the prospects for the sector in 2008. 68% of those surveyed expected to hire staff this year. Of note is that 48% felt that it was getting more difficult to recruit good staff.
So all the IT professionals who left the sector after the 2000 dotbomb – come back we need you!!
Tags: 2008, Dotbomb, Information Technology, Ireland, Irish, Irish Economy, IT Professionals, IT Sector, Jobs, Senior Executive, US
Posted in Jobs, News | 1 Comment »
Monday, February 18th, 2008
Today’s Independent highlighted the plight of many foreign workers who are being abused behind the closed doors of wealthy Irish homes. There is an increase in the number of cases being brought before the Rights Commission due to the level of abuse, with incidents such as withheld passports, threats of deportation, long working days, no overtime and general poor conditions being common.
The article highlighted one example: A Vietnamese worker had been working for an Irish couple for 50 Euro a week after deductions. The woman’s children were involved in a horrific car accident and she wanted to go home for a month but was told she would have to work up the airfare. Only when she was loaned to another couple for a party did the story come out and she was put in touch with SIPTU. When her employers found out they drove her to the airport and put her on the 1st flight home. This article and related stories make me sick. This problem is not just confined to Irish homes or to foreign workers. Mistreatment of staff is evident throughout Irish workplaces. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure this is stamped out.
It is easy for me to say that employees should speak up. It is difficult for affected employees as it is a lonely place to be. I regularly deal with employees who are changing jobs to run away from a situation – make my blood boil.
I accept that stories of mistreatment/bullying can hide performance issues and that the employee is not always the victim. But stories like that outlined above have no place in work.
If you employ staff perhaps increase your awareness to the possibility that this may be happening on your premises or you could be in for an expensive shock. If you are a co-worker and see this happening reach out a helping hand. If you are an affected party there are supports available.
Tags: Abuse, Bullying, Employees, Employers, Foreign Workers, Ireland, Rights Commission, SIPTU, Vietnamese Worker, Workplace
Posted in News | No Comments »
