Featured
Irish Companies Representing at the Drum Search Awards
The Drum Search Awards, which seek to recognise the very best internet based businesses from both Ireland and the UK, take place later today (June 8th). These awards focus on the two main disciplines of search marketing, SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and PPC (Pay Per Click), choosing from the year’s very best digital marketing campaigns.
As was the case in the European Search Awards, which took place in May, Irish entries are well represented at the Drum Search Awards. Among the big prizes handed out to Irish business on that night were “Best Use of Search for Retail” (Brown Thomas), Best Integration of Search and Social” (iClothing) and “Best Small PPC Agency” (Wolfgang Digital) as Ireland received four first placed trophies, the second most of any nation (bested only by the UK).
For the 2016 Drum Search Awards, Ireland finds itself looking to improve upon its European Search Awards haul, with no less than six award nominations in total. Many of the companies which represented Ireland at the European Search Awards find themselves on the Drum bill as well, including McElhinneys, iClothing and Littlewoods Ireland. This signifies that their European success was no fluke as their respective works and campaigns have been independently recognised by several respected judging bodies.
Irish internet based businesses have been nominated for the following Drum Search Awards:
- Best Integrated Strategy or Campaign: Littlewoods Ireland
- Best Use of Technology in a Search Campaign: Brown Thomas
- Most Innovative Search Campaign (SEO & PPC): McElhinneys
- Best Use of Technology in a Search Campaign: iClothing
- Best Use of Data in PPC: iClothing
- Performance Agency of the Year: Wolfgang Digital
While the competition at tonight’s awards is fierce, with many of the biggest companies and agencies in Europe in attendance, that was also the case at the European Search Awards back in May when several Irish companies emerged triumphant. It is hoped that the overall volume and quality of Irish submissions will prove to be the same recipe for success at tonight’s ceremony which kicks off at the Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel in London.
The full list of Drum Search Award categories and nominees can be found here.
public policy, Featured, Seanad, IIA News
Seanad Nominations
We recently wrote to you with the news that the IIA are for the first time a Seanad Nominating Body, on the Industrial and Commercial Panel. We are pleased to update you with the news that we received applications from a strong field of candidates. These applications were submitted to the Board of the IIA for their consideration and selection.
It is with great pleasure that I can now announce to you that Councillor William Lavelle (South Dublin County Council) will be contesting the Seanad Elections as the IIA nominee on the Industrial and Commercial Panel. Given Cllr Lavelle’s significant experience as advisor to Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, we believe that Cllr Lavelle will represent a strong and informed voice for the members of the Irish Internet Association should he get elected. As a qualified architect originally from Mayo and living in Dublin and having served as Chairman of the Planning and Transport SPC, Cllr Lavelle is not only a strong advocate for STEM education but also the critical role of broadband roll-out nationally.
The Irish Internet Association is an independent representative body working to make Ireland a leading web enabled economy. We made the decision to become a Seanad Nominating Body as we believe that Oireachtas representation will amplify these efforts and our voice at government level. We urge you as members to support us in this by lending your support to Councillor Lavelle’s candidacy. You can do so by contacting your local TD, Senator or County Councillor and ask them to consider Cllr Lavelle for their number one or next highest preference vote.
Uncategorized, Blog, IIA Press Releases, Featured
IIA eTail Initiative – We want to hear from you!
If you have a website and are engaging with customers online we need to hear from you!The Irish Internet Association (IIA) is asking Irish businesses to participate in research designed to support Irish SMEs adopt their best fit e-commerce solutions. To participate, simply click here.
This research builds on previous IEDR research carried out in 2015 to highlight the scale of the ecommerce gap in Ireland. This highlighted that almost 40% of SMEs don’t even have a website and of those that do, 68% cannot process payments on their site. Given that Irish consumers spend €8.5million daily almost 80% of that is spent with overseas retailers.
This new initiative will look to develop a diagnostic tool to enable Irish SMEs find the best route to sell online. Once developed the IIA will run nationwide clinics to help participants adopt the best fit e-commerce solution will be hold information days, clinics and workshops all over the country with the support of the IEDR, AIB, AIB Merchant Services to get this to as many business owners as possible.
This research phase is being powered by Qualtrics and it is open to businesses selling online.
Blog, IIA Press Releases, Featured
71% of STRESSED IT PROFESSIONALS IGNORING THEIR HEALTH AND FAMILY TO MEET WORK DEMANDS
Research of the Irish Internet Association (IIA) Reveal State of IT Professional Stress:
Dublin 2nd December 2015: 71% of Irish full time IT Professionals are sacrificing their health and personal lives to meet work demands. 87% of Irish IT professionals are losing out on personal time due work calls and emails. In fact 59% never take their full holiday entitlement with 47% reporting that work pressures are contributing to family conflict.
The research conducted by the Irish Internet Association (IIA) examined how workplace demands and stress impacted across their health, family life and work. It found that over half (54%) felt they did not have enough time to accomplish their tasks.
The research was conducted by the IIA in October 2015 and surveyed 200 IT professionals from a range of SMEs and large organisations.
Health of the IT Nation
When asked about their employers, 61% were uncertain if their employer cared about their mental health, with 41.5% unsure if their employer cared about their physical well-being. Over a quarter of those interviewed reported never exercising due to work pressure, while 32% reported that the demands of work was impacting on their diet.
Family Strife
Nearly half of IT professionals interviewed reported family tension and arguments caused by word demands encroaching on their personal time. 87% of those interviewed highlighted that they have had personal time regularly interrupted by work calls or emails. When it comes to downtime in the evening or weekends, 63% of them took work home in the evenings and weekends. In fact, 59% of those interviewed never took their full holidays due to work demands, causing stress in their family life.
Workplace Woes
Nearly three quarters (69%) report working up 60 hours a week. Over half (54%) of those surveyed feel they do not have enough time to accomplish all their tasks. More worryingly, 41% of this surveyed felt they have too much work to cope. In terms of their employer, 65% of those interviewed highlighted that their workplace did not any reactional facilities. Even for companies that have such facilities 42% of employees do not have enough time to make use of them.
“Without a doubt there are untold exciting career opportunities in the technology sector and the Irish Internet Association has been campaigning to address the digital skills shortage since 2012. More than anything, I believe this survey highlights that this skills shortage is having a serious knock-on effect for those currently employed in the sector. The number of respondents who feel they have more work than they can reasonably cope with is a worrying trend. From a business perspective, it simply makes sense that we do not exacerbate the current skills shortage by failing to acknowledge and address the implications of stress and burnout in terms of talent retention and development. Likewise we cannot in good conscience continue to entice people to work in our businesses if we do not invest in and care for them once they are there. I believe that most member organisations are committed to their employees but in light of these responses we must clearly do more. We live and work in a time where people are increasingly ‘on’ and we need to improve the demarcation lines between family time and work time if we are to retain great people and support their development”.
Stress on Health |
· 61% unsure if employer cares about their mental wellbeing |
· 41.5% unsure if their employer care about their physical wellbeing
· 32% feel work has negatively impacted their diet |
· 25% of IT professionals never exercise due to work pressure |
Family Strife |
· 86.6% of IT professionals have had personal time interrupted by calls or emails from work |
· 63% take work home on evening and weekends |
· 59% of IT workers never take their full holiday entitlement |
· 47% percent have been in family conflict over work demands in personal time |
Stressful Working Life |
· 41% believe they have too much work to cope |
· 54% believe they do not have enough time to accomplish tasks |
· 69% of all it employees work 50- 60 hours per week |
· 42% of employees don’t use recreational facilities that are provided due to lack of time |
ENDS
Contact
Cyril Moloney – PSG Plus.
Phone: 01 634 2509 or 086 0479462
Email: cyril.moloney@psgplus.ie
About the IIA
The Irish Internet Association (the IIA) is the independent representative body for internet businesses in Ireland. Established in 1997 it has been at the forefront of ensuring that Irish businesses and citizens have the skills, infrastructure and network of support needed to drive growth in the economy. Working with agile start-ups, scaling SMEs and indigenous and FDI corporates, the IIA have a unique insight into the ICT sector in Ireland.
The IIA is a non-profit business association. Members of the association include suppliers of Internet services and products as well as those using the medium for communication, marketing and commerce.
For more information contact Joan Mulvihill, +353 (0)1 542 4154 or members@iia.ie
– See more at: http://www.iia.ie/news/item/2185/71-of-stressed-it-professionals-ignoring-their-health-and-family-to-meet-work-demands/#sthash.YnGZy6ex.dpuf