The Sunday Times, in partnership with WorkL, unveil Ireland’s Best Places to Work 2024

The Sunday Times in partnership with WorkL, the employee experience platform, have unveiled Ireland’s top employers in their inaugural Best Places to Work list for 2024.

Launched to recognise and celebrate the very best places to work in Ireland, ‘The Sunday Times Best Places to Work’ were featured in an eight page supplement on July 14th highlighting 35 employers across the country, including Sculpted by Aimee Connolly, Nostra, Vodafone Ireland, bathroom renovations company Bathrooms 4U in Kerry and The Law Society of Ireland, that recruit and retain top talent along with industry-leading best practices in areas such as engagement, wellbeing and job satisfaction.

The Sunday Times Best Places to Work survey uses 26 questions from WorkL’s employee engagement survey, developed by behavioural scientists, data analysts, psychologists, business leaders, academics and other independent parties to most accurately monitor employee engagement, wellbeing and discretionary effort in the workplace. To be successfully accredited as a Sunday Times Best Place to Work, organisations must achieve a minimum 70% overall engagement score across WorkL’s six-set framework.

The survey also revealed that of those companies that entered, there is no one area where Ireland scores lower than the UK across all demographics. Further data showed that Gen Z workers, who are the least happy age group in the UK, are the second happiest in Ireland.

The Sunday Times Best Places to Work initiative aims to highlight businesses where individuals feel they have more control over their work life balance, wellbeing and environment and, as a result of this, take more responsibility for the success of their employer.

Entries are now open for The Sunday Times Best Places to Work Awards for 2025. Companies can enter through the WorkL for business platform where organisations can set up and distribute a survey designed by employee experience experts. The survey includes key questions which will give an insight into the organisation and employee sentiment. The link is: stbestplacestowork.ie

Brian Carey, Business Editor of The Sunday Times, says:

“Over recent years the country has enjoyed near full employment, creating a competitive market for recruiters and an environment where talent retention is at a premium. A happy workforce creates a stable workplace. The Sunday Times is proud to bring the Best Places to Work survey awards to Ireland, to sponsor an initiative that drives and recognises good practice, helps organisations develop their culture and identity and promotes employee welfare and ultimately economic success. Our inaugural list reflects the dynamic and entrepreneurial spirit of Ireland. To be a success on the international stage, Ireland must offer the Best Places to Work. This is a very good start.”

Mark Price, Founder of WorkL, says:

“Staff working for the Best Placesto Work represent a muchlower flight risk, which is goodnews for their chief executivesand finance directors, asrecruiting and trainingstaff is costly and time consuming,not tomention that withalmost full employmentin Ireland competition for talent is fierce.

So why are Irish staffhappier? I wouldprobably say thatmanagers are takingmore interest intheir people, theirwellbeing, they are looking after their people better.The bestemployersacknowledge theiremployees’ personaland professionalneeds, from family friendlyworking policies totraining and creating a positiveenvironment to work in. Everybody wins when employers invest in their staff.”

Ireland’s Best Places to Work can be found here –

thesundaytimes.ie/bestplacestowork