CPL’s report found that nowadays, salary may no longer be the most pressing concern for professionals.
Dublin-headquartered HR company CPL has published the results of a recent survey in which it discovered that currently, employees prize high-quality leadership almost as much as they value compensation.
The organisation spoke with 1,600 age-diverse men and women, collecting data in mid-2025, to build a broader picture of the preferences and attitudes of professionals.
CPL’s Salary Guide for Ireland 2026 found that while compensation and benefits continue to be the top priority for 35pc of contributing employees, 24pc of professionals said that leadership and culture are the most important factors to consider when choosing an employer.
Breaking down the elements that make up the leadership and culture category, employees were found to specifically value culture, values and ethics (27pc), work environment (25pc) and leadership behaviours (24pc). The report stated: “CPL’s findings reinforce that leadership quality remains a critical driver of employee attrition.”
Burgeoning benefits
Among the benefits of key importance to professionals, CPL’s research found that flexible working has evolved from a perk to a critical component of employee packages. After financial remuneration, flexibility ranked as the second most important benefit at 26pc.
The research indicated that 70pc of participating employees now utilise some form of flexible working, with CPL noting that previous studies indicate that one in four candidates would not proceed with a job opportunity if it lacked opportunity for flexible work.
A healthy work-life balance also matters to professionals, as 40pc said it was an experience priority. 21pc noted meaningful and stimulating work contributes to their overall happiness. The report said that while not yet surpassing compensation in importance, “work-life balance, when considered alongside flexible working, represents a core pillar of any successful talent strategy”.
CPL’s research also indicated that there is an incoming ‘workforce evolution’ of sorts, prompted by limited-company growth. The report noted that in Ireland, a country that experienced near-record limited company incorporations in 2025, growth and hiring is stalling.
It said: “This growth reflects layoffs and slower permanent hiring for experienced professionals, prompting many to establish their own businesses providing specialist services across technology, life sciences and financial services.
“This trend signals a structural shift toward self-employment, fractional leadership and contingent workforce models, offering organisations access to critical expertise with greater cost and workforce flexibility.”
Looking for organisational stability and additional career pathways are also priorities, the report indicated, noting that employees are in search of well-structured companies. Organisations’ stability and growth ranked as an important factor for 34pc of contributing employees, followed by organisational structure at 22pc, and mission and purpose at 17pc.
Notably, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability ranked low, at 5pc, suggesting organisations must strengthen their positioning as net-benefit entities.
CPL said: “Investment in upskilling, reskilling and internal mobility is accelerating as skills shortages make external hiring costly and competitive.
“Employees expect visible career progression, and organisations require resilient workforces to navigate economic and technological change. Those building clear career pathways and investing in learning reduce long-term hiring pressure while retaining critical skills.”
Commenting on the report, Lorna Conn, the CEO of CPL, said: “Ireland’s labour market is undergoing a period of dynamic evolution. While economic and technological pressures continue to reshape how organisations operate, one fundamental truth persists: talent is the key differentiator for growth.
“This salary guide sits at the intersection of pay, skills, flexibility and leadership, drawing on insights from CPL’s Future of Work Institute, Ireland’s 2026 talent trends and our latest analysis of AI’s impact on the workforce.”
Looking ahead, the report finds that Ireland’s 2026 talent market will continue to reward organisations that adopt a holistic, long-term approach to the employee experience.
It said that while “not every organisation can compete on salary alone, those balancing compensation and benefits, career development, innovation, flexible working, and upskilling are best positioned to attract and retain top talent”.
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