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Do you wonder what the future of work will be in Ireland, how norms will change, and what employment options will dominate the workforce? In a year of decade-high inflation and increasing interest rates, and with widespread discussion focused on cost-cutting measures which tech giants such as Meta and Twitter have shocked the Irish market with, there is significant discussion into the changing Irish employment landscape and the future of work in Ireland. For a number of years, we have been witness to a shift in the way we work and how we work. This ‘new normal working environment isn’t simply associated with the introduction of flexible work options or working from home possibilities, but with the fundamentals of the contracts in place. No longer is there a reliance on the traditional permanent employee/employer relationship, but instead, a continuous focus on engagement with independent professionals and contractors alike. In the past contractors were utilized for pro...

With fuel prices reaching an all-time high, what better time to ensure our clientele and the wider Contractor Community are fully aware of what mileage and travel costs can be reimbursed as a business expense - let's jump in! When can I claim business mileage? Where Contractors use their private cars or motorcycles for business purposes, claiming mileage is considered an allowable business expense. It is important to be aware that Contractors are  not entitled  to claim mileage to and from their homes and their normal place of work (and vice versa). Only mileage relating to business journeys away from your normal place of work are considered allowable. What is my ‘normal’ place of work? The normal place of work is the location where the majority of your work is carried out. It is important to note this is not limited to the location specified on a contract, but other factors may also have an impact. As a contractor, where possible this should be stated...

In general, a person beginning to experience burnout might feel they’ve little or no control over their work situation, they will probably find themselves working longer hours, and may not be able to find any work-life balance. As an Independent Professional Contractor, you need to stay aware of the signs of burnout as early as possible and this blog will give you seven ways to avoid it altogether! We are all prone to occasional stress at work, especially when we are working on a busy project or when we have a tight deadline to hit. Burnout is different, it usually results from more long-term issues, like having overly demanding expectations, working in a highly pressurized environment, or overworking yourself to please as many clients at once.  In general, a person beginning to experience burnout might feel they’ve little or no control over their work situation, they will probably find themselves working longer hours, and may not be able to find any work-life balance. This le...

In this blog, we are joined by Robert Whelan, Managing Director of Rockwell Financial Management. Throughout this piece, Robert will discuss the ins and outs of planning for your retirement as an Independent Professional Contractor. Unlike traditional employees, independent contractors don’t have an employer making contributions to their pension on their behalf. However, this isn’t something that should put you off contracting. Contracting has plenty of other benefits and thankfully, there are a ton of retirement plans for independent contractors available. Here are some things to consider when choosing a retirement plan: Review your Goals and Understand your Priorities First things first, figure out how much you want to save for retirement. Why not use our  pension calculator  to help you? In just 4 steps, you will receive a clear insight into how much you will need for retirement and how much you need to contribute each month/year. Does your plan see...

Ireland’s thriving tech sector provides plenty of contract opportunities with no shortage of available positions. As the workforce continues to evolve and grow, we must continue to advance alongside it. As we know, IT contracting is booming in Ireland specifically, with the exponential increase in the number of contracting roles in the IT sector over the last few years. Ireland’s thriving tech sector provides plenty of contract opportunities with no shortage of available positions. As the workforce continues to evolve and grow, we must continue to advance alongside it. What is an IT Contractor? An IT contractor is an information technology specialist who works with clients on a business-to-business ‘contract’ basis rather than becoming a traditional employee. IT contractors offer their skills on demand to help their clients and generally fill short-term gaps within projects.  Why become an IT Contractor? In general, contracting can be a satisfying and rewarding...