Work Trends 2025

The jobs market continues to remain strong. Latest figures from the CSO office show that the rate of employment has increased once again, with the estimated employment rate for people aged 15-64 years reaching 75.3% — the highest rate recorded since the series began in 1998.

Global challenges remain, but Ireland continues to be an attractive market for business. However, it is competitive and ever-evolving, with the way we work and how we work changing daily. As organisations grapple with balancing team culture and flexibility, we’ve compiled key work trends to watch out for in 2025.

1. Hybrid Work with a Twist

2024 saw major companies such as Amazon, Dell, and even Zoom, the story of the pandemic, set mandates for workers to return to office spaces full-time. Fully remote vacancies also dropped, with IrishJobs reporting a 1.9% decrease in the third quarter of 2024. The friction between employees' desire for flexibility and employers' need for office visibility was evident this year and is set to continue to make headlines.

As we move into 2025, hybrid work will remain the most popular way of working, but it will evolve. Companies are adopting more creative approaches to hybrid work. The familiar weekly split (3 days in the office/2 days at home) is becoming less common, with organisations offering perks such as "work from anywhere" weeks during specific times of the year. This will result in more consistent office time, with larger chunks of remote work during quieter periods. This approach balances autonomy with team cohesion, becoming the compromise of 2025.

2. AI as an Aid, Not a Replacement

You’ve probably heard a lot about AI in the workplace, and you’ll hear even more in 2025. The challenge for businesses is understanding how AI can benefit them and how to use it ethically. A new survey by the Institute of Directors Ireland found that 68% of businesses in Ireland have no board-approved policy for using artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace. If you’re in a senior position, especially in communications, expect to be involved in developing an AI policy!

As we discussed earlier this year, AI will impact our jobs increasingly in 2025, but it will not replace us — at least not in the near future. In recruitment, for instance, AI can help with efficiency or brainstorming, but candidates still value personalisation and human interaction when dealing with potential employers. Expect more experimentation with AI tools, but as enhancers, not replacements.

3. It’s Okay to Be Soft

In 2025, soft skills will be in higher demand than ever before. The pandemic era highlighted the importance of communication and emotional intelligence, and these skills are now among the most sought-after by hiring managers. Candidates are evaluated not only on their ability to fulfil job duties but also on how well they handle difficult conversations. Recruiters are increasingly assessing emotional intelligence as a "must-have" skill, recognising the value of employees who can navigate interpersonal challenges effectively.

It is often theorised (though not proven) that older members of the workforce possess greater emotional intelligence due to a different way of communicating through technology in younger generations. Could Gen Z challenge this theory? We believe they can!

4. A New Era of Job Descriptions

For employers looking for the right candidate, it’s time to get creative with job descriptions. While many have already started, 2025 will see a new approach to crafting these descriptions. Companies must adapt. In a global Deloitte survey this year, 44% of Gen Z workers reported turning down an employer based on their personal beliefs, while 40% of millennials did the same. Additionally, 89% of Gen Z workers said having a sense of purpose is very or somewhat important to their overall job satisfaction.

To attract top talent, organisations must take a more thoughtful approach when crafting job descriptions. Highlighting corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, organisational purpose, and cultural values will be essential. This shift reflects the growing desire among candidates for roles that offer meaning beyond the payslip, making authenticity and transparency in job descriptions critical in the hiring process.

The 2025 World of Work

We’re halfway through the 2020s. The pandemic accelerated our use of technology, leading to the belief that the workplace would change forever. But this hasn’t quite been the case. What is clear, however, is that the demands on both employers and employees will increase. For employers, creating a workplace that is engaging, flexible, and leverages technology to maximise human potential will be top of mind. For employees, the ability to remain open-minded and find common ground with their employer will be key.

Finding the right balance for all remains an unsolved challenge for many, and this will continue into 2025.