.png){kind=logo}
Ireland Employee Benefits Guide 2026-7 - Pre-order your copy
Published date: October 9, 2025
Pre-order your free copy of the Ireland & UK Employee Benefits Guide 2027
Looking to strengthen your employee benefits strategy in 2027? Our free Employee Benefits Guide reveals what professionals across Ireland value most, helping employers attract, engage and retain talent in an increasingly competitive hiring market. Fill in the form to pre-order the upcoming edition of the guide and access the most recent edition.
Following the success of our previous editions, we surveyed more than 3,000 professionals across the Ireland and the UK to understand how employee expectations, workplace priorities and benefits preferences continue to evolve.
The upcoming edition explores the benefits employees receive, the benefits they value most, and the impact benefits can have on employee satisfaction, retention and overall perceptions of compensation.
What is the Robert Walters Employee Benefits Guide?
The guide is a comprehensive analysis of employee benefits across Ireland and the UK, based on real survey data from professionals working across a wide range of industries and seniority levels.
It includes detailed benefits benchmarking data, key findings and recommendations to help employers review and strengthen their benefits offering. The guide complements our Ireland Salary Survey, providing a more complete view of total reward and employee expectations.
What’s in the guide?
The guide provides detailed insights into the employee benefits professionals are receiving across Ireland and the UK and what they value most in 2026-27.
1. Types of employee benefits professionals are receiving - and what they value most
The guide includes data and analysis across key benefits categories, including:
- Financial security and overall compensation
- Pensions, wealth-building and income protection
- Hybrid and flexible working
- Annual leave and paid leave benefits
- Health, wellbeing and insurance
- Parental leave, family and caring support
2. Explore the key findings across the main benefits categories
The guide examines the benefits professionals receive, how important they consider them and how different aspects of their benefits package relate to satisfaction, loyalty and their overall employee experience. The findings are organised across five main areas:
Financial security and overall compensation
Explore pensions, wealth-building benefits, income protection and bonus schemes. The guide considers how these benefits contribute to long-term financial security, total compensation, employee satisfaction and loyalty.
Flexibility, autonomy and work-life balance
Understand how hybrid and flexible working arrangements, commuting, office attendance, annual leave and other forms of paid leave shape employees’ experience of work-life balance.
Health, wellbeing and insurance
Discover how professionals value healthcare, insurance and wellbeing support, including health cover, preventative healthcare, mental health support and lifestyle benefits.
Managing life outside of work
Explore parental leave, parental support, family and household benefits, and support for employees with caring responsibilities. The guide considers how these benefits are valued across the workforce and the difference they can make at important stages of employees’ lives.
Personalisation and relevance
Understand whether professionals feel their benefits package reflects their individual needs and priorities, and how greater personalisation and choice relate to benefits satisfaction and perceived relevance.
3. Practical recommendations for employers
The guide translates the research findings into practical recommendations for organisations looking to enhance their employee benefits strategy.
Recommendations focus on:
- Supporting financial wellbeing and security
- Improving work-life balance through flexibility and leave policies
- Strengthening employee health and wellbeing support
- Enhancing family and caring-related benefits
- Improving benefits communication, accessibility and personalisation
The recommendations are designed to help employers evaluate not only the benefits they provide, but also how effectively those benefits are communicated, understood and utilised by employees.
Why employee benefits matter in Ireland
Employee benefits play a vital role in an organisation's employee value proposition. Our research highlights the importance professionals place on factors such as financial security, flexibility, wellbeing and work-life balance when assessing an employer's overall offering.
A successful benefits strategy is about more than simply offering additional perks. Employers must ensure their benefits align with employee priorities, are clearly communicated and deliver meaningful value throughout the employee lifecycle.
The upcoming edition of the Employee Benefits Guide provides employers with the market data, employee insights and practical recommendations needed to benchmark their current offering and identify opportunities for improvement.
Pre-order your free copy today by filling in the form on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
How can the guide help my company?
The Employee Benefits Guide can enhance your company's ability to attract and retain top talent by providing a comprehensive understanding of the types of employee benefits that professionals in the UK and Ireland receive and value most. It offers data segmented by seniority and company size, enabling you to craft a competitive benefits package tailored to your workforce's specific needs. Additionally, the guide includes expert recommendations on optimising your offerings, ensuring that your company remains aligned with current trends and employee expectations. By leveraging these insights, your company can stay ahead in the competitive talent landscape and build a more satisfied and loyal workforce. -
How do employer benefits impact employee satisfaction?
Employer benefits play a crucial role in shaping employee satisfaction, as they directly affect workers' overall wellbeing, sense of loyalty, and productivity levels. The Employee Benefits Guide explores how the right mix of benefits can significantly boost employee morale, reduce turnover, and create a more engaged and motivated workforce. Benefits that are thoughtfully designed to align with employees' individual needs and preferences not only enhance job satisfaction but also strengthen their emotional and professional connection to the company. By understanding these impacts, your company can effectively tailor its benefits package to foster a positive and productive work environment. -
Is the Employee Benefits Guide applicable to all industries?
Yes, our exclusive guide is relevant across all industries, offering insights and data that apply to a wide range of sectors. Whether your company operates in accounting & finance, technology, or another field, the guide provides valuable information that can help you refine your benefits strategy to meet the needs of your workforce. It includes seniority and company size specific variations in benefits preferences, ensuring that the advice is both comprehensive and adaptable. By using this guide, companies in any sector can enhance their employee benefits packages, attract top talent, and retain their best employees, all while staying competitive in the evolving job market. -
What makes the guide different from other resources?
The Employee Benefits Guide stands out from other resources due to its comprehensive approach, combining extensive data from a survey of over 3,100 professionals across the UK and Ireland with expert recommendations from leading HR professionals. Unlike typical reports that offer only data or general advice, this guide provides a deep dive into the benefits that employees actually receive and value most, alongside actionable insights on how to enhance your benefits package. This blend of quantitative data and qualitative expert analysis makes the guide a unique and invaluable tool for companies aiming to optimise their benefits strategy. -
What are some employee benefits examples included in the guide?
The guide covers a range of benefits. Examples include financial and monetary benefits like bonuses and pension schemes, paid leave and flexible working options such as vacation days and remote work, various types of insurance including health, life, and dental coverage, and family benefits like parental leave and childcare support. Additionally, the guide explores workplace benefits related to office environment and equipment, as well as wellbeing and lifestyle perks like gym memberships and mental health support. These examples highlight the wide array of benefits that professionals value most, offering companies a framework to tailor their benefits package effectively. -
Can Robert Walters assist with reviewing and enhancing our benefits package?
Yes, we can enhance your benefits package by leveraging our market intelligence services. Through a data-driven approach, they provide comprehensive salary and benefits benchmarking, ensuring your compensation packages are competitive and aligned with industry standards.
The team analyses a wide array of data sources to offer insights into salary trends, benefits preferences, and competitor strategies. This enables your company to attract and retain top talent, stay ahead of market changes, and make informed decisions that support long-term business growth. View a sample report here.
Likewise, our Ireland recruitment agency will always offer advice on compensation trends throughout the recruitment process - using real market insight to optimise your hiring. Submit a vacancy today to attract top talent.