The Prosperity Recruitment 2023 employment and salary survey for Ireland’s digital sector

Despite the challenges faced in the job market, including tech layouts and geopolitical stress, the digital sector has demonstrated its resilience with many companies achieving their revenue goals and record profits.

2023 will be a transition year during which companies will likely have somewhat more leverage in a market dominated by candidates for the last few years. Tech layoffs will continue to supply the market with highly skilled talent happy to join companies outside Big Tech. This will present and opportunity for SMEs to attract great talent at favourable conditions.

The ongoing remote vs office debate will settle, with companies and employees having remarkably aligned on the topic of hybrid solutions. Employees will remain to aspire to join companies with fully remote policies and will be leaving companies that require them to go back to the office full-time.

These results have been confirmed in our extensive survey conducted to more than 900+ employees from the digital sector.

Prosperity Recruitment’s Director Gary Mullan, envisions an optimistic 2023:
 
“I see great resilience in the market. Despite some excesses in the past the foundations of the digital sector in Ireland are solid. Inflation will be back to normal and key indicators like revenue and profits will rebound in the second half of the year. SMEs can have the best year since 2019 and will find once-in-a-lifetime talent opportunities in the market.”

Key findings:

• Salaries will see modest increases under the 3% on average across categories in 2023. Web development roles are the only ones that will be increasing more than 6% in 2023.
• Web Development roles are expected to experience the highest increases in salaries, while Agency positions will see only modest increases.
• The average pay in the digital sector in Ireland across roles and seniorities is €60,000.
• The highest paid roles are CTO (up to €180,000), Director of Marketing (up to €150,000), followed by Head of eCommerce, Head of Search/SEO, and Creative Directors (all up to €120,000).
• Demand for mid-level and senior profiles will remain high but tech layoffs, crypto and Metaverse partial bubbles bursts will limit candidates’ access to above-market salaries.
• Tech layoffs will offer an opportunity for SMEs to acquire highly skilled talent at competitive market rates.
• Salaries is the number one motivation for candidates to switch jobs in 2023, with career progression and fully remote conditions a close second and third.
• Employers forcing a return to the office will risk loss of talent, as 81% employees no longer accept less than hybrid working arrangements.
• Governments in Europe, including the Irish, will hear out propositions to pass laws to regulate remote work and remote workers’ rights.
• 2023 will see companies opting for 4-day week arrangements and/or fully remote policies to attract talent in the Digital sector.
• The market will remain resilient despite geopolitical and economic headwinds.