Celebrating 10 years of Knowledge Centre operations

From small beginnings 10 years ago, the Ibec Knowledge Centre has grown to provide member employers with comprehensive information, advice and guidance on all aspects of people management.

Our team has doubled in size to 20 people with specialities in employment legislation, industrial relations, Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) and HR strategy. Supporting employers through the employment lifecycle from recruitment and induction through performance management, to the application of employment legislation, to offboarding is our speciality. We are supported in our work by Ibec’s Advocacy teams who manage employment cases at the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court. Our in-house specialist legal teams support us in the drafting and interpretation of new and current employment legislation as it applies in the workplace.

In addition to our employment support service units, we carry out research on the latest and emerging workplace trends in human resources and people management and provide invaluable networking opportunities for employers. As part of the expansion of our digital footprint, we have ongoing upgrades to our web portal, where employers will be able to find a wealth of news, guidance and information templates as well as our eve- popular KC Connect in 15 webinars and podcasts.

The events of the past 10 years have been a learning experience for the Knowledge Centre team. Hurricane Ophelia in 2017 and Storm Emma in 2018 taught us a lot about having contingency planning for unexpected interruptions the workplace. As a result, we were able to adapt those learnings to guide our members during the pandemic. Several social and societal issues significantly influence the workplace in more recent years including a focus on work life balance provisions as they apply through remote and flexible working as well as through statutory leave entitlements. In addition, as society becomes more open about issues like mental health and menopause, employers are increasingly implementing support systems for workers facing these challenges.

The continuing evolution of the employment law landscape makes the service provided by the Ibec Knowledge Centre more important and relevant than ever. In the last 10 years, we have witnessed over 20 pieces of employment legislation, codes of practice and policy changes that have had a direct impact on Irish workplaces. Employment legislation, whilst essential in particular areas, can be complex especially for the smaller employer to implement. Overlay this with the pace of change and the window which employers have to adapt getting tighter all the time, our teams will be on hand to support and work through these transitions.

While digital solutions play a critical role in our development, our people and teams remain at the heart of the Knowledge Centre. We engage with people directly. We listen to our members and work with them to find the information and solutions they are looking for.

See our meet the teams page here.