Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Processing Information Compiling, coding, categorising, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

The Work

Devising, researching and overseeing the implementation of strategies to maintain and improve membership density

Leading plans to engage and to animate members in relation to issues of concern to them

Developing initiatives to mediate employee & employer relations in a representative capacity in workplaces

Providing leadership, mentoring and guidance to the wider organising team and other colleagues

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Negotiate collective bargaining agreements.
• Monitor company or workforce adherence to labor agreements.
• Present the position of the company or of labor during arbitration or other labor negotiations.
• Write letters related to labor relations activities, such as letters to amend collective bargaining agreements, letters of dispute or conciliation, or letters to seek clarification of contract terms.
• Draft contract proposals or counter-proposals for collective bargaining or other labor negotiations.
• Call or meet with union, company, government, or other interested parties to discuss labor relations matters, such as contract negotiations or grievances.
• Interpret contractual agreements for employers and employees engaged in collective bargaining or other labor relations processes.
• Assess the impact of union proposals on company or government operations.
• Investigate and evaluate union complaints or arguments to determine viability.
• Recommend collective bargaining strategies, goals, or objectives.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

Persons who wish to become Employee Relations Officers may take a Degree course in Human Resource Management. In several of the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Business Studies degree courses, Human Resource Management is an option.

Training & Development 

FET Centre PLC Courses: Business studies, HR Management-Admin/ Advanced NFQ level 5-6  Search FET PLC Courses

Higher education CAO Entry: Human Resource management, Industrial relations, and Commerce with HR components NFQ level 7-8 Search CAO Courses 

Professional Development 

Postgraduate Study Options Business - Human Resource Management, Human Resource Management, Human Resources NFQ level 9

IBEC CPD training IBEC Training & Industrial Relations

Skillnets Professional Networks CPD  

Workplace relations: facilitated training & mediation

Last Updated: April, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €40k - €95k

Salaries vary by employer, location, duties, role, experience, and sessional shift pattern & conditions. 

Data Source(s):
Sigmar / CPL / Lincoln/ Morgan McKinley

Last Updated: July, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

The five-year annual average growth rate for this occupation was significantly above average, with strong growth observed between 2020 and 2021; employment grew by approximately 2,000 persons between 2021 and 2022. Employment was spread across all sectors of the economy, with the largest share, at just over a fifth, for professional activities. Employment permits, primarily in the ICT sector, spanned a number of roles, including data analysts, account strategists and logistics specialists.

While the number of online job adverts (OVATE) remained almost unchanged in 2022 for this occupational group, there was a 6% increase in adverts for financial and accounting technicians (although the numbers involved are small).

Employers (Skills for Growth & Spotlight on Skills) have signalled difficulties in recruiting data analysts. Furthermore, data analysis skills were required in other difficult-to-fill job roles such as engineers, software developers, and lab analysts. Demand for data analytics skills is evident; however, rather than existing only as standalone roles, these skills are increasingly embedded in other occupations.

• Irish Business & Employers Confederation (IBEC)

  • 84/86 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2
  • (01) 605 1500
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)

  • 31/32 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
  • (01) 889 7777
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• SIPTU (Services, Industrial, Professional, Technical Union)

  • Liberty Hall, Dublin 1
  • (01) 858 6300
  • Click Here

• Public Appointments Service

  • Chapter House, 26/30 Abbey Street Upper, Dublin 1, D01 C7W6
  • (01) 858 7400 or Local: 1890 44 9999
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME)

  • 17 Kildare St, Dublin 2,
  • (01) 662 2755
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here