The HRLocker Room Episode 1: Employment Law 2026 – What Irish SMEs Must Prepare For.

Navigating New Employment Laws, Auto‑Enrolment & Pay Transparency for Irish SMEs with Louisa Meehan and ISME’s Neil McDonnell

Episode Overview

Irish SMEs are facing one of the busiest periods of legislative change in years. From auto‑enrolment and minimum wage increases to pay transparency rules, gender pay gap reporting, and new leave entitlements, it’s a growing list. For many business owners, it’s becoming harder to keep up, harder to stay compliant, and harder to feel confident that everything is covered.

In this episode, HRLocker’s CEO, Crystel Robbins Rynne, sits down with HR consultant Louisa Meehan and Neil McDonnell, CEO of ISME, to break down what’s changing, what SMEs need to know, and how to prepare without feeling overwhelmed.

Key topics

• Why 74% of SMEs feel unprepared for WRC inspections
• The real compliance challenges behind new employment laws
• Auto‑Enrolment: What SMEs need to know
• Pay Transparency: What’s coming and why it’s complicated
• Gender Pay Gap reporting: What the numbers really mean
• The bigger picture: childcare, flexibility, and cultural change
• What SMEs should prioritise in 2026

To ensure your business is prepared, compliant, and audit-ready, download our SME Compliance Survival Guide.