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Future of Work

“Technology alone doesn’t create value; how we redesign work around it does.”

“Human judgement deserves to be designed into the future of work.”

Meg Dunphy, HR Policy and Engagement Manager, CIPD

Maria Souza, Head of Human Experience & Innovation, CPL

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Is your office strategy built for what happens next? The businesses best positioned for the future will not necessarily be those that predict every change correctly. They will be those capable of responding quickly when new challenges and opportunities emerge.

Joe McGinley CEO, Iconic Offices

WRITTEN BY Sarah Brown

Sponsored by Iconic Offices

To explore a workspace designed around your business, call Iconic Offices on 01 905 3508 or visit iconicoffices.com

oe McGinley, CEO of Iconic Offices, Ireland’s leading flexible workspace provider, shares three key considerations for businesses developing a workplace strategy that can continuously adapt and support future growth.

Plan for change, not certainty One thing is for sure: AI is changing the business landscape and making it hard for leaders to plan what their businesses will look like over the next three to five years. How many people will they employ? How will roles evolve? What kind of office space will they need? “AI is less a story about needing fewer desks and more a story about needing greater flexibility around the decisions businesses are making today,” says McGinley. That means looking beyond the number of desks or the headline rent. CEOs and CFOs must consider the full financial commitment from fitout, furniture and technology to rates and maintenance, alongside the time and resources required to operate a workplace.

Match your commitment to your certainty The key question, McGinley believes, is: “How certain am I about this requirement, and does the property commitment reflect that level of certainty?” Flexibility is not simply about protecting a business if headcount falls. It can also help companies move quickly when opportunity arrives. A major contract, new market, acquisition or rapidly expanding team should not be held back by an office that cannot accommodate change.

Create a workplace worth the commute Beyond accommodating change, businesses must also consider the value their workplace provides to employees. As AI becomes more capable of supporting individual tasks, workplaces must also deliver greater value through collaboration, mentoring, problem-solving and culture. As McGinley puts it: “The office has to earn the commute.” The future cannot be predicted with certainty. The strongest workplace strategies will evolve with the business, not freeze it where it happens to be today.

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HR’s role in building a resilient AI-driven workforce The real future of work question isn’t how we make people work harder, faster or differently, but how we design organisations to create sustainable value.

T Meg Dunphy HR Policy and Engagement Manager, CIPD

he forces shaping work are moving faster than many organisations can respond. The World Economic Forum estimates that 39% of workers’ core skills will change by 2030, while Gartner reports that only one in 50 AI initiatives delivers transformative value.

it does. This is where HR plays a critical role. Through workforce planning, organisation design, skills development, leadership and performance, HR helps build the capabilities needed for effective AI adoption, organisational resilience and sustainable growth.

HR can drive successful AI adoption

Wellbeing and sustainable business performance

Our HR Practices in Ireland 2026 research reflects the scale of this challenge. AI, automation and technology are now the leading drivers of organisational change for 65% of organisations, while 91% are experiencing skills shortages. These are often framed as people issues, but they’re fundamentally business issues, directly affecting an organisation’s ability to adapt, deliver strategy and create value. Technology alone doesn’t create value; how we redesign work around @Mediaplanet UK & IE

@MediaplanetUKIE

The same focus should shape how we think about employee wellbeing. Productivity can’t be sustained by continually asking people to absorb more change and work at greater pace. Trust, effective leadership and good work design all influence whether people can perform well over time. Wellbeing isn’t separate from business performance; it’s one of the conditions that enables it. This is reflected in October’s Thrive Conference, which brings together productivity,

performance, trust and wellbeing.

HR turning uncertainty into opportunity Across the CIPD community and through the CIPD HR Awards, we’re seeing organisations demonstrate what sustainable business success looks like in practice. People teams are redesigning work around future skills, using technology to improve how work is done, building career pathways to retain critical capability and connecting culture and wellbeing to organisational outcomes. With applications open until 21st October, I’m excited to see how this year’s awards entries showcase HR’s role in turning uncertainty into opportunity. Through my work connecting research, policy and practitioners across Ireland, I see that HR’s greatest contribution is creating the conditions where people and performance can thrive together.

Contact information: ie.info@mediaplanet.com or +44 (0) 203 642 0737

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Rising labour costs, skills shortages and operational complexity are forcing organisations to become more strategic. Eimear Byrne, Managing Director, SD Worx Ireland

What Ireland’s most resilient organisations are doing differently Many organisations are focused on individual workplace challenges such as AI, talent shortages, compliance and employee engagement. The real challenge is ensuring the fundamentals of work are strong enough to handle them all.

A Eimear Byrne Managing Director, SD Worx Ireland

WRITTEN BY Bethany Cooper

ccording to research conducted by the SD Worx Research Institute, while 62% of Irish organisations are exploring the use of AI, only 47% report significant outcomes. Eimear Byrne, Managing Director at SD Worx, explains what this means for Irish organisations. “AI is not a trend that organisations can wait out,” explains Byrne. “It is going to be part of the way we work for the foreseeable future. The challenge is no longer simply adopting AI; it is making sure it delivers measurable value and is genuinely connected to business strategy.”

While 78% of employees say payroll is accurate and reliable, 45% of organisations reported payroll-related compliance issues or audit findings during the previous year.

Transparency is redefining employee expectations

The EU Pay Transparency directive was due to be transposed into Irish law by June 2026. The date was missed and while the timeline for the EU Pay Transparency Directive has shifted, the work required hasn’t gone away. According to SD Worx, 68% of employers say they are prepared for Pay Transparency legislation, yet only 41% of employees understand what it means. Byrne defines pay transparency Workforce planning as a business imperative as being a clear opportunity to build greater trust and While AI continues to gain openness with employees. momentum, requiring “The benefits of pay businesses to think strategically transparency for employees are about how it can deliver value, significant, but organisations The benefits of pay transparency businesses also face the growing need to bring employees into challenge of employee and skills the conversation rather than for employees are significant, shortages, alongside employees focusing solely on compliance,” but organisations need to bring asking for greater flexibility she explains. “It is not enough employees into the conversation. in where, when and how they for organisations to be ready for work. pay transparency legislation; “Rising labour costs, skills employees also need to shortages and operational understand what it means for complexity are forcing them.” organisations to become more strategic,” explains Byrne. “Workforce planning is becoming unavoidable, referring to Employee experience needs attention how organisations align demand, capacity, cost and skills This open relationship extends far beyond pay transparency, over time.” as organisations must also put greater focus on the wider According to the HR and Payroll Pulse 2026 report employee experience. “One in four Irish employees report conducted by SD Worx, 60% of Irish organisations now being dissatisfied at work and 43% are dissatisfied with their consider workforce planning a critical or high priority, work-life balance,” says Byrne. “These figures highlight the moving it to the centre of leadership discussions. “These importance of getting the fundamentals right.” decisions must reflect long-term business needs and value, “While it may not seem as exciting as following the rather than focusing solely on short-term solutions,” says latest AI developments, employees continue to value the Byrne. fundamentals of fair pay, flexibility, work-life balance and a supportive working environment,” concludes Byrne. Payroll as a function of trust “Organisations need to understand what matters to Payroll is one of the clearest ways that an organisation their people and make sure they are delivering on those can demonstrate reliability, and according to Byrne, is fundamentals consistently and measurably.” a foundational pillar of compliance, employee trust and SD Worx is a leading provider of HR, Pay and Time employee experience. “When it goes wrong, the impact can solutions, helping organisations manage the backbone of extend far beyond an inaccurate payslip,” she says. “Aligned work with confidence. Combining European scale with over systems reduce errors, cut down reconciliation work and 30 years of Irish payroll expertise, our MegaPay solution is give teams the consistency they need to work confidently.” trusted to pay one in five people in Ireland.

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Why AI can’t replace human expertise in payroll and accounting An accountancy and payroll provider explains that while AI can be used to eliminate routine processing tasks, it will never fully replace the need for human financial expertise.

indful companies know there are limits to what AI technology can and can’t be trusted to do in the workplace.

AI can’t replace accountants Take accounting. While AI and automation have accelerated routine data tasks for accountancy professionals, it hasn’t necessarily made their jobs any easier. “It saves time on processes that were manual and tedious,” explains Jennifer Kelly, Partner, Accounts and Business Advisory Services at Azets Ireland. “It hasn’t changed the fundamental role of the accountant. We still need qualified, experienced people to prepare the accounts and advise the client.” AI is streamlining processes in payroll, too. Jennifer and her team are keen to stress that this is all it is being used for. “We reassure our clients that we do not use AI to process payroll,” she says. “For one thing, this is sensitive data we’re handling, so our clients’ data security has to be paramount.”

Human oversight essential for payroll compliance Plus, as sophisticated as it can be, AI cannot be trusted to navigate complex and everchanging financial legislation. Human oversight will always be needed to ensure proper compliance with regulations and administrative requirements, such as Employment Regulation Reporting (ERR), workplace pension autoenrolment and Gender Pay Gap reporting. Otherwise, the trust and reputational consequences of a possible payroll error would be too calamitous to contemplate. Indeed, according to Azets’ new Fresh Perspectives on Payroll report, 69% of Irish executives believe payroll errors are as damaging as a Revenue audit scandal; and 37% are struggling with legislative updates.

Automation plus human expertise A hybrid approach, combining smart automation with expert and experienced oversight, will always be best for business, insists Jennifer. “It’s also why some companies choose to outsource processes such as payroll,” she says. “For instance, our clients know the technology we use is fully compliant with the most up-to-date legislation — and our people are fully qualified. Because that’s the reality: AI is never going to fully replace people in our line of work.”

The next AI challenge is redesigning work For business leaders, the question around artificial intelligence is moving beyond whether to adopt it. Increasingly, it is becoming more fundamental: how should work actually get done?

I is changing how tasks are completed, how teams are structured and how decisions are made. Simply introducing new technology will not deliver the full opportunity, argues Allison Hodgson, Director at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Organisations need to look at the entire system of work – and the people within it. “Productivity and profitability won’t have factored in the wider opportunities available if the new technology is embraced and implemented holistically and systemically,” says Hodgson.

Looking beyond the technology Look closely at how work is done while stepping back to consider the bigger strategic picture. Increasingly, that could mean blended teams in which humans work alongside AI agents, raising new questions around performance management, quality assurance and accountability. The starting point should be people. “It’s definitely taking a human-centred approach first of all, understanding the people you’ve got, their skills and doing a gap analysis,” says Hodgson. McKinsey research suggests that for every $1 invested in an AI technology platform, organisations should invest $3 in redesigning jobs, processes and work structures and $5 in building human capability and change readiness. The ratio may vary, but the principle is clear: the value of AI depends on what happens around the technology. That means creating an environment where people can experiment, learn and adapt alongside it.

A new employee proposition AI could also improve the experience of work. Repetitive administrative tasks are obvious candidates for automation, freeing employees up to spend more time on higher-value work. That could help attract talent. Hodgson says candidates are increasingly interested in the technology and learning opportunities available to them. For Ireland, where 91% of organisations report difficulties filling vacancies, developing those capabilities is particularly important. A workforce that can learn and adapt alongside AI will be critical to maintaining Ireland’s competitiveness. The opportunity, says Hodgson, is to redesign work itself, combining technological innovation with human capability to create more productive, resilient and competitive organisations.

Jennifer Kelly Partner, Accounting & Business Advisory Services, Azets Ireland

Alison Hodgson Director, CIPD in Ireland WRITTEN BY Elizabeth Meager

WRITTEN BY Tony Greenway

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Investing in an inclusive, resilient workforce The acceleration of AI and digital investment is fundamentally rewiring global labour markets.1 The best bet against volatility is ensuring continued strategic investment in people.

I Caroline Shanahan Executive, Technology Ireland

nvesting in skills and talent means committing to Inclusion and P-TECH programmes4 to more learners across funding pathways and real-world training. This can the country will help address divides. be achieved by deploying While Ireland’s lifelong learning the €2 billion surplus in participation rate is slightly the National Training Fund Addressing the gender imbalance above the EU average 5(+2%), more 2 (NTF) to finance supply-side, still needs to be done. Ireland in STEM and supporting non-inflationary upskilling — is playing a key role through supporting enterprise AI and underrepresented groups must its Presidency of the Council digital preparedness. of the EU, demonstrating that also remain a high priority. literacy and skills are inextricable Expand AI skills training elements of digital policy and a nationally true Digital Single Market. Ireland Rapidly expanding proven networks (eg., Skillnet Business must now match targets to action. Networks, Springboard+, micro-credentials/micro1 Ibec budget 2027 submission, tinyurl.com/3xp295nt. 2 qualifications, ‘Skills to Advance’) will be paramount to The Fund, which is financed by a 1% levy on employers’ PRSI contributions, can play a key role in ensuring spending is matching the pace of contribution and meeting industry demand and supporting workforce demand. 3 development. An AI skills fund can ensure foundational Iinitial Vocational Education and Training (iVET) modules are optional TY modules developed collaboratively by the NCCA, ETI and SOLAS. Their aim is to competencies are accessible to all graduates. Accredited strengthen links between schools and further education training (FET) 4 micro-modules and iVET modules3 would also create greater P-Tech (Pathways in Technology) is a model of education-industry collaboration designed to tackle education disadvantage. It combines second-level school opportunities in secondary schools. education with aspects of third-level education, including work experiences, Addressing the gender imbalance in STEM and supporting mentorships and internships. 5 See SOLAS (2025), Lifelong learning amongst adults in Ireland. tinyurl.com/ underrepresented groups must also remain a high priority. yc6d3fz3. Enacting a national rollout of the STEM Passport for

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Who is designing the future of work? As automation decisions accumulate, how do roles evolve, where does accountability sit, and what do people still need to know and experience to exercise good judgement?

P Maria Souza Head of Human Experience & Innovation, CPL

eople can hold the same job title, in the same organisation, and increasingly perform very different work. One person may use AI to accelerate research while retaining the analysis. A colleague might delegate both and focus on recommendations. A third may use agents to execute much of the workflow, stepping in mainly for exceptions and decisions. On paper, the job remains the same. In practice, the role is beginning to diverge. In my work with clients, I see a shift from individual AI use cases to considering their cumulative impact across the organisation.

Employee judgement shapes AI adoption Every time employees decide what to hand over to technology, they also decide where to spend their attention and where their judgement enters the work. Across a workforce, those choices can gradually reshape roles and capability. Trying to control every variation would miss the point, as valuable applications will come from people experimenting with the work itself. Yet, there is a difference between creating room for experimentation and allowing work to evolve without direction. This becomes more important as agents take on longer parts of a workflow. Entering the work later can mean missing experiences that build expertise. Working through imperfect information, investigating problems and getting things wrong all develop context and judgement.

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Key learning and development trends shaping work in 2026 A survey reveals learning and development’s (L&D) rising strategic role in AI literacy, leadership, skills and measurable ROI as Irish organisations move from learning intent to real business impact.

he Learning & Development Institute (L&DI) is the professional body for learning and development in Ireland. Its role is to strengthen L&D practice and its contribution to people, organisations and the world of work. The latest L&DI Member Survey, drawing on responses from 158 organisations, shows L&D becoming increasingly central to workforce capability, leadership, transformation and future readiness. Looking forward, several trends stand out.

Sinead Heneghan CEO, Learning & Development Institute

AI demands discernment AI and digitalisation are becoming more prominent, but the challenge is moving beyond adoption. Members highlight growing concerns around ethics, risk and governance alongside the opportunities AI creates. For L&D, the task is twofold: using AI effectively while building the wider workforce’s AI literacy, confidence and judgement.

Human skills still matter Leadership and management development remains the strongest learning priority, followed by soft skills and resilience, AI, data and digital capability. Organisations are not choosing between human and technical capabilities. They need both. Leadership, adaptability and resilience must develop alongside increasingly sophisticated digital skills.

Investment brings accountability There are positive signs for investment, with 62.5% of respondents expecting L&D spend to increase over the next year. Yet, demonstrating impact remains a challenge. While 87.5% measure participant reaction, only 43.8% measure results, and just 10% use a formal ROI methodology. For L&D to strengthen its strategic influence, measurement must move beyond participation towards evidence of changed capability, performance and business outcomes.

Design decisions into automation deliberately

From intent to impact

Multiply those decisions across an organisation and automation becomes a form of organisational design. It can shape organisational intelligence by changing what people collectively know, where expertise sits, how that expertise develops and where human judgement enters the work. That requires a multidisciplinary team bringing together perspectives on the technology, the work, the people doing it and the wider business context to design how work should evolve. Otherwise, we could make hundreds of good automation decisions and still end up with an organisation we would never have designed. Human judgement deserves to be designed into the future of work, rather than discovered in the work that remains.

The 2026 outlook is not one of reduced complexity. Members anticipate continued resourcing pressure, financial constraints, skills gaps and change fatigue alongside accelerating technology adoption. The opportunity for our profession is to move from strategic intent to demonstrable impact: becoming more evidence-led, more connected to organisational priorities and better equipped to build the capabilities workplaces need next. The future of L&D is not simply about delivering more learning. It is about developing people and organisations for what comes next and demonstrating the difference that makes. Turn learning into business impact.

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