As AI adoption grows, the skills needed in business are evolving, with 62% of hiring managers stating that they are willing to pay premium salaries for those with specialised skills.
The good news is that 48% of European and British hiring managers are going above their planned budgets. AI expertise is driving up salaries, with 36% of European and UK employers boosting pay for those with GenAI skills. This refers to having the technical capabilities and competencies to work with AI models that can generate content, including video, code, images and text.
According to a report by business consulting firm, Robert Half, the skills most needed are to support business growth, productivity and transformation in ways of working.
In-demand roles for 2027
Finance and accounting
• Finance Business Partner
• Financial Controller
• Financial Modeller
• Financial Planning and Analysis Analyst
• Part-Qualified Financial Accountant
Technology
• AI Engineer
• Chief Technology Officer
• Data Scientist
• IT Support Manager
• Lead Software Developer
Human resources and business support
• Executive Assistant
• HR Administrator
• HR Business Partner
• HR Director
• Office Manager
“We continue to see demand for specialised talent in Ireland, particularly for skills that can help organisations harness AI, improve productivity and drive transformation,” said Matt Weston, senior managing director, UK & Ireland at Robert Half.
“Employers are being selective about where they increase pay, but when critical skills are in short supply, they recognise that securing talent may mean going beyond their original salary expectations.”
However, a higher pay packet is not the only incentive. The survey cites other considerations such as work-life balance and flexibility in working hours as motivations for changing jobs. Health and wellness are also important factors at 38%, with 48% responding that learning and development opportunities are also important.
