How to manage: Higher pay rises are on the cards in 2021

Tech, pharmaceutical and consumer products sectors are in for the biggest increases, but employers can also reward employees by offering support and flexibility

In the year ahead, the highest average pay rises in Ireland are expected in the high-tech sector at 2.8 per cent, pharmaceutical health services at 2.6 per cent and consumer products at 2.5 per cent

Private-sector workers in Ireland are set to receive average pay rises of 2.3 per cent in 2021. This compares to a 2.1 per cent average pay rise last year, and it is encouraging to note the commitment of Irish employers to their employees in the wake of months of unprecedented challenges.

Just 11 per cent of private-sector companies in Ireland are expecting to freeze pay this year, compared to the 23 per cent of businesses ...