The People Strategy Questions Every Irish CEO and HR Director Should Be Asking Right Now

The final six months of 2026 are shaping up to be some of the most commercially focused in recent memory for Irish organisations.

Conversations between CEOs and HR Directors are shifting. The topics on the table, productivity, talent availability, cost management, AI adoption, workforce planning in Ireland and succession, are no longer HR conversations sitting alongside the business. They are the business. The organisations navigating this well tend to have one thing in common: the right questions are being asked in the right rooms. This is a practical guide to those questions, broken down by organisation type, and why they matter for senior HR hiring in Ireland right now.

SMEs

Questions CEOs should ask HR Directors

• Do we have the skills and people needed to deliver our business plan for 2027?
• Which key employees would create the biggest risk to the business if they left tomorrow?
• Are our investments in AI and technology improving productivity and reducing costs?

Questions HR Directors should ask CEOs

• What are the three most important business priorities HR should support over the next 12 months?
• Where do you expect growth or contraction in the business during 2027?
• What type of culture and leadership do you want to build as the business grows or contracts?

Large Irish Organisations

Questions CEOs should ask HR Directors

• Where are the biggest workforce risks that could affect delivery, customers or revenue?
• Do we have enough leadership capability to manage ongoing change and transformation?
• Are we retaining and developing our highest performing employees effectively?

Questions HR Directors should ask CEOs

• Which business capabilities will be most important to our future success?
• Where should we focus our HR talent investment in Ireland to generate the greatest return?
• What level of organisational change do you expect over the next 12 to 18 months?

Multinational Companies

Questions CEOs should ask HR Directors

• Do we have a strong succession pipeline for critical leadership and specialist roles in Ireland?
• How exposed are we to talent shortages in areas such as AI, cyber security, data and engineering?
• Are our workforce and skills strategies aligned with future business growth plans?

Questions HR Directors should ask CEOs

• What role will Ireland play in the organisation’s future growth strategy?
• Which capabilities will be most important to build over the next three years?
• How do you want to balance productivity, innovation and employee experience?

PLCs

Questions CEOs should ask HR Directors

• What people risks should the Board be paying closest attention to?
• Do we have credible succession plans for executive and business critical positions?
• How are people and culture impacting productivity, performance and shareholder value?

Questions HR Directors should ask CEOs

• What are the Board’s biggest concerns regarding talent, leadership and organisational performance?
• How can HR better demonstrate its contribution to business performance and growth?
• What workforce capabilities will be required to support the organisation’s long-term strategy?

Three Questions Every Irish CEO and HR Director Should Be Discussing

• Do we have the skills and leadership needed to compete successfully over the next three years?
• Where are the biggest risks to talent, succession and workforce capability in Ireland?
• How are we measuring the impact of our people investments on productivity, performance and growth?

These are the questions increasingly appearing in Board discussions across Irish organisations as CEOs and HR Directors seek stronger links between workforce strategy and business performance.

Whether you are an SME, large company, multinational or PLC, HR Search is a specialist HR recruitment agency in Ireland recruiting for permanent and contract hr recruitment at every level. with the capability to make sure your HR team is fit for purpose as your business evolves and changes.  Get in touch to talk to our team if you have any queries! Similarly, for benchmarking guidance to support these conversations, take a look at our latest HR salary guides for 2026. Please particularly  note our Senior HR Professionals Salary Guide 2026.