HR Heartbeat: AI use, falls from height, and verbal abuse

Welcome to HR Heartbeat, where we take a look at the week’s most pressing HR and employment law stories. With over a decade of experience as a solicitor working in employment law, I give my opinion on current trends impacting your business, as well as my own personal commentary on all things HR and legal.

Workers saving 17 days a year through AI use

A recent survey of 1,000 workers across Ireland has revealed the time-saving benefits of AI. Workers are taking back an average of three hours a week because of AI. And here’s how they’re making the most of this extra time: 44% of respondents are using it for higher priority tasks, 42% feel it’s boosting productivity, and 29% are upskilling or training.

We recently sent out a global survey to nearly 80,000 clients to find out about AI adoption across small businesses. And it’s revealed some unexpected insights. In 2024, just 30% of Irish businesses were using AI. Now 56% have adopted AI in part of their operations. We also asked how businesses feel about AI: where they are using it most and what the risks are. You can read the full report here, along with some practical recommendations about how to use AI in your workplace.

Back to basics campaign aims to tackle construction site falls

Over the past 10 years, 70 construction workers in Ireland have died after falling from height. The Construction Industry Federation has launched a ‘Back to Basics’ campaign to encourage construction companies to revisit the core principles that keep workers safe. The main thing employers can do to keep their workers safe is know the legislation and, of course, stick to it. But workplace culture is just as important when it comes to health & safety.

It's no coincidence that one of the CIF’s sub-themes is leadership in safety. As an employer, it’s your responsibility to make sure everyone knows the rules and sticks to them. And by building a strong safety culture, you’re investing in your employees and building a strong workforce too. Take a look at our end-to-end health & safety management system, with risk assessment templates, real-time reporting and accredited health & safety training.

Two thirds of bar and retail workers have experienced verbal abuse

Nobody should go to work expecting harassment. Yet according to a recent survey, nearly 66% of workers in the bar and retail trade have suffered verbal abuse, and over a quarter have received threats to their physical safety. The survey was undertaken by Mandate, the trade union for bar and retail workers, who plan to present their findings to the Minister of State with responsibility for retail.

It’s an employer’s legal responsibility to support employees facing harassment. BrightHR clients can download a personal harassment policy and procedure from BrightBase, our legally-compliant document library. If and when the legislation is updated, our HR and legal experts will make sure the documentation is up to date too.

And that’s a wrap from me. Tune in next time for my take on the latest headlines and employment law stories, helping keep your business ahead!