Archive for August 2020

In these turbulent times, many firms are viewing the period of disruption as an opportunity to reassess and improve how they care for and develop employees – and ultimately build better organisations. Irish talent tech firms are supporting HR and organisational development departments at global firms as they examine how a push for employee development,…

The unemployment rate fell to 16.7pc last month as thousands of employees returned to work. New official figures show that the rate fell by over 6pc in July from 23.1pc in June. However, unemployment is still over 10pc higher than it was before the crisis when the economy was close to full employment. Article Source:…

More than one fifth of Irish pension savers have reduced contributions to their scheme during the Covid-19 outbreak. Irish pension savers are three times more likely than those in the UK to have stopped or reduced pension contributions during the period, according to a survey by State Street Global Advisors (SSGA). Globally, most people surveyed…

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar, has said there is “particular concern” for survival rates among small and medium businesses (SMEs) as winter approaches. Speaking at the launch of the Government’s Covid-19 Restart Plus grant for small businesses, Mr Varadkar said: “Then we would have a concern in spring, when the wage subsidy…

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar will launch the Government’s plans for a beefed-up Covid-19 Restart Grant for small businesses today – a support that has been inaccessible since last month’s stimulus plan announcement. In his prepared remarks on the expanded Restart Grant Plus, Mr Varadkar says applications are now open. His spokesperson said this means all 31…

Bank of Ireland will reimburse customers hit by a cyber fraud that dropped fake texts into genuine interactions between the bank and account holders. The bank said it is launching a fraud awareness campaign highlighting tactics deployed by criminals to trick customers into providing their banking details. It will also reimburse customers identified as being…

When lockdown was imposed and workers were forced to desert office buildings en masse, it was a novelty. Hundreds of thousands of employees across the State decamped from bustling city centres to clear out their spare bedroom, turning ironing boards into stand-up desks or even making their own bedroom double up as a home office.…

There is no need to rake over old ground. We already know the tourism and hospitality sectors have been hit like no other by the pandemic and its war on fun. We could argue over whether this has been compounded by recent Government decisions, such as the petty move to force restaurants to close at…

ONE in ten small business owners now plans to give themselves a pay raise this year, while nearly a third will cut their wages amid Covid-19 losses, according to the Irish SME Association. Isme’s survey of 237 members identifies growing confidence among a minority of small firm owners that their enterprises will survive the pandemic,…

The coronavirus crisis has punched an €8.3 billion hole in the public finances, according to the latest exchequer returns. The figures show the Government’s budget deficit – the difference between what it spends and what it takes in in taxes – swelled to €7.4 billion in July as VAT receipts crashed and spending on income…