Competing for Talent in Ireland: Why should talent choose your organisation?

Mark Bowers, corporate market lead, Life & Pensions, and Clodagh O’Connell, customer relationship manager, Zurich Life Assurance.

The most effective organisations recruiting and retaining talent elevate employee benefits from a transactional function to a strategic asset.

Ireland’s role as a hub for United States (US) multinationals brings significant opportunity due to its pro-business climate, skilled workforce, and close US connections. In a developed labour market, however, competition for skilled professionals intensifies. The talent market is fluid. Skills are transferable across industries, and professionals have more choice than ever.

Across global organisations, employee benefits are undergoing a significant shift. Benefit programmes, once viewed for compliance or benchmarking reasons, are now strategic investments in employees, their productivity, and the organisation’s long-term resilience. Skilled and adaptable workers prefer employers who thoughtfully design benefit offerings with care and vision.

Benefits as a business tool 

When designed well, employee benefits support outcomes that matter by supporting workforce stability, talent retention, and organisational culture. This is particularly relevant during periods of growth, transformation, or uncertainty.

From a global insurer’s vantage point, Zurich recognises that organisations extract the most value from their benefits investment when they understand engagement influences outcomes. Over the long-term, benefits must evolve alongside the workforce they support.

Value-adding benefits 

Drawing on decades of experience supporting US multinationals in Ireland, Zurich understands what works. As organisations navigate talent scarcity, cost pressures and evolving workforce expectations, employee benefits warrant more deliberate attention. This is particularly relevant as Ireland’s demographic change, hybrid work models and shifting employee expectations reshape the employment landscape. There is a growing expectation for employers to offer comprehensive protection. This includes death in service, income protection, and robust retirement saving arrangements. These measures signal long-term commitment and financial security for employees.

Key questions for employers:

•  Does your benefit offering align with the organisations long term business strategy?
•  Are they future proofed to support the workforce?
•  Are you extracting full value from a significant investment?

Zurich’s practical solutions include:

 Group Pensions: Having financial security in retirement remains a primary concern for employees. Today, we see more employees looking to their employer to help them prepare for long-term financial security. So much so that retirement planning has become the fundamental and integral part of company wellbeing programmes. Of course, one of the challenges a Defined Contribution (DC) saver will face is that they can only maximise their future retirement income if the scheme they contribute to delivers ‘value for money’.

The Zurich Master Trust is a leading occupational pension solution in Ireland, offering strong governance, streamlined administration, and market-leading investment expertise. With over €6 billion in assets and 100,000 members, it provides employers with a secure, efficient structure and employees with diversified investment options backed by Zurich’s proven track record*.

Group Risk Benefits: Flexible options for Death in Service, Income Protection, and Disability Cover provide financial security for employees and their families.

As one of Ireland’s most established group risk providers, Zurich delivers consistently strong protection solutions backed by a dedicated Corporate Risk Team and a long standing track record of supporting employers nationwide*.

Analysis of Zurich Ireland’s income protection portfolio indicates an emerging pattern: mental health conditions and musculoskeletal disorders comprise 50% of all claims†. Mental health-related claims are the leading cause, particularly impacting younger employees. Musculoskeletal issues are most prevalent among individuals aged 40 to 50†. Zurich’s early intervention programmes delivered in partnership with independent medical specialists are proving highly effective, with 90% of referred cases returning to work within four weeks^. This illustrates the commercial advantages of implementing pro-active support measures.

Employee Accessibility and Engagement: 

Zurich offers: 

(1) Digital platforms for on-demand access to benefits information.

(2) Personalised support through advisory teams to help employees make informed decisions.

(3) Simplified and regular communication using multiple channels allows employees to engage in a format that suits them supporting diversity and inclusion in the workforce.

Zurich Group Supporting Internationally Mobile Staff: Global mobility is a reality for many organisations. For employees who are internationally mobile or based in regions without local pension schemes, Zurich Group’s International Pension Plan (IPP) offers a flexible, portable solution. These plans allow contributions and access to savings across borders, ensuring continuity in financial planning. Zurich Group also offers International Group Risk Solutions and Global Employee Benefits Captive Programmes, ensuring consistent protection for life assurance and income replacement regardless of location.

Personal Financial Solutions: Beyond workplace benefits, employees increasingly seek financial wellbeing guidance through employers. Zurich provides solutions that complement employer packages, helping individuals plan for retirement, invest responsibly, and protect their families.

Sustainability as a Strategic Advantage: Employees increasingly seek employers whose values mirror their own. Employers with strong sustainability ambitions can reinforce those values through their benefits strategy. Zurich integrates responsible investment principles across its pension options and embeds its purpose to “create a brighter future together” in its governance and community initiatives. From net-zero ambitions to funding climate resilience projects, benefits can reflect corporate sustainability values in tangible ways.

The Role of Investment Performance: Alongside sustainability, consistent long-term investment performance remains critical for employees’ financial security*. Zurich’s actively managed funds have delivered strong results for decades, with an in-house investment team managing over €46.7 billion in assets as of 31 December 2025*. This direct oversight gives Zurich control over costs and delivers value to pension members.

Why it matters 

A well-designed benefits strategy is more than a compliance exercise. It signals commitment to employee wellbeing and long-term partnership. That can be a key advantage in Ireland's talent market.

With over 40 years of experience supporting employers and employees in Ireland, Zurich is a committed and consistent partner, backed by a strong AA/Stable rating from Standard & Poor’s and a global presence in 210 countries. 

If your organisation is planning to expand into Ireland or if you would like to future-proof your existing benefits strategy in Ireland, get in touch with us for a conversation.

Cork Office: Clodagh O’Connell, clodagh.o'[e-mail], [phone] 

Dublin Office: Mark Bowers, [e-mail], [phone] 

Visit www.zurichcorporate.ie to learn more