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By Geraldine GittensA company in New Zealand which granted all of its staff a four-day working week last year has said productivity and team engagement levels have risen amongst its workers.Perpetual Guardian introduced the four-day week on March 5 last year as part of an eight-week trial involving 240 staff members.Staff were told they could work 30 hours but would be paid for 37.5, and in return they were asked to deliver the same amount of output as in a standard week. Now the company, which has continued the initiative, has published a white paper after it worked with The University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology (AUT) to analyse the effects of the four-day working week.Staff showed increased leadership, commitment, stimulation and empowerment; job performance was maintained; staff stress levels decreased; and work-life balance increased.Staff stress levels decreased from 45pc to 38pc. Work-life balance scores increased from 54pc to 78pc. Staff leadership increased from 64pc to 82pc, and commitment rose from 68pc to 88pc.Head of People and Capability Christine Brotherton said: &quot;When we’re giving people the gift of time, the gift to be able to reconnect with their families, to take care of some personal admin, we’re actually starting to make a bit of a difference in people’s lives.&quot;Andrew Barnes said: “When we started inevitably everybody’s reaction is ‘how am I ever going to do my work in four days rather than five. So the fact that the trial indicates that not only could they do their work in four days but at the same time, actually they were better able to do the work in four days: that for me was the one result from the research which was extraordinarily surprising.”In Ireland last November, Forsa Deputy General Secretary Kevin Callinan told a conference on the Future of Working Time that reduced working time was emerging as one of the central issues in international debates about the future of work. Source: <a href="https://www.independent.ie/life/fourday-working-week-trial-company-sees-productivity-rise-and-stress-levels-plummet-37835808.html">https://www.independent.ie</a>

Four-day work week trial: Productivity rises and stress levels plummet

Director & Chief Biscuit Dunker

Sean Breen

Deliveroo are looking for an official festival food taster this summer.The delivery company are stepping in to analyse festival fare, from the humble plate of chips to the most bourgeois concoctions.The lucky food taster will travel across the UK and Ireland, sampling delicacies at outdoor events across the land.Here&#39;s the specifics:Travelling to and attending some of England and Ireland’s most renowned music festivals, and investigatively consuming the food offerings that are present at them.Deliveroo have also listed several new requirements: &#39;18+ years experience of living in the world and loving it&#39; alongside &#39;a great sense of adventure&#39;.A spokesperson for Deliveroo said:&quot;We love our festivals, just like we love our food. We want to reward one lucky festival fanatic with the job of a lifetime, combining both.&quot; &quot;We’re seeking someone who shares Deliveroo’s innovative flair - happy to sample new and exciting foods and report on them, while having a good time of course.&quot;Job spec via Deliveroo:Summer jobs are synonymous with major FOMO, but summer 2019 is set to buck that trend for one lucky job applicant. Deliveroo is looking for festival food taster, someone to visit the hottest music festivals and try everything tasty in sight!The new opening forms part of Deliveroo’s commitment to being the definitive food company, that means working with the very best of up and coming talent in the UK food scene. The seasonal role will report into Deliveroo’s special projects team to determine who are rising stars in the food truck scene, with a view of signing them up to Deliveroo Editions.The newly created role will play a key part in determining new food trends, analysing consumer behaviour and identifying popular food vendors. Deliveroo is a leader in the food delivery industry and this role will support the company in keeping its competitive edge, ensuring we always have the best selection of food that our customers love to eat.Deliveroo wants someone who has a sharp understanding of the food and isn’t fussy when it comes to trying new dishes - we’re looking for someone who can translate a great foodie experience into recommendations for the how we engage with potential partners.The new food taster role has the following requirements:<ul><li>Experience in eating all food types (including meat dishes)</li><li>A keen understanding of the summer festival scene, you will need to propose festivals to attend with a rationale for each</li><li>Willingness to travel</li><li>An excitement which comes from being at the cutting edge of new developments in the food industry and working for a market leader which is expanding at a record pace.</li><li>Non-smokers are preferable due to taste bud functionality</li></ul>Interested applicants should email their CV to foodtaster@deliveroo.co.ukWhy Deliveroo?When you first think about Deliveroo, you probably think of getting great food to your house in less than half an hour. Awesome right? But behind the scenes is the real story. This story is one of high growth, huge challenges and an enormous opportunity ahead of us. It began with our founder Will, arriving in London over 5 years ago and finding it almost impossible to order great food, despite the wealth of incredible restaurants in the city. Fast forward 5 years and we operate in 13 countries with over 50,000 riders who deliver orders from 50,000 restaurants in over 200 cities worldwide.We want to be the definitive food company - the app you go to any time you have a hunger pang. We are transforming the way people think about food. We are providing people with limitless access to different cuisines and restaurants, turning cooking from a chore to a choice, and giving people the freedom to eat what they want, when they want, where they want it.We work with riders, restaurants and consumers. We operate one of the most complex three sided marketplaces in the world and we do this in real time. Millions of customers and thousands of restaurants and riders rely on us to match them within milliseconds. The algorithms behind that marketplace are the secret sauce that allow us to deliver our orders in under 30 minutes.And we’re just getting startedThe scale of the opportunity ahead of us is immense. The global food market is valued at £7.7 trillion but only 1% of it is currently online. Contrast that with the digital disruption of countless other industries - from banking and travel to retail and communications - it’s clear that our journey in the food sector has only just begun.We are already a multi-billion dollar company that is more than doubling in size every year. Deliveroo came top in the FT’s’ list of Europe’s fastest growing 1000 companies in 2018, and we were the first company ever to win Deloitte’s ‘UK Top 50’ two years in a row. Yet most of the extraordinary value this company will generate lies ahead of us.Start your application <a href="https://boards.greenhouse.io/deliveroo/jobs/1561896">here.</a>

Deliveroo Is Looking For A 'Festival Food Taster

(Image credit: Jena Ardell/Getty Images)We’re seeing more and more dream jobs where the lucky employee gets paid to travel the world. There’s usually some unbelievable perks, and most require skills like photography and social media content creation—but this gig is different.That’s why the latest dream job we spotted really stands out. One woman is hiring a personal designer to travel the world by her side. So break out your sketchbook and dust off your passport—the main responsibilities are designing and creating custom clothing for her and her two dogs.Jan describes herself as a “fashion-conscious CEO with a unique sense of style” in her email to Sewport, an online marketplace for brands and manufacturers. Sewport shared the email on its website and opened the opportunity up to the world to help her find the right designer for the job. If you’re a dog-loving, designer with wanderlust, this gig was tailor-made for you.So, where would this unique personal designer and her pups get to travel? They plan to visit East Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia in the next 12 months, and possibly other destinations, too. Jan is preparing to attend high-profile events like Wimbledon and horse races in Dubai, which is an impressive itinerary that requires a bespoke wardrobe to match. Perhaps the easier question to answer is where are they not going?Jan says the time away from home and family “will be worth it.” How worth it? The job will pay a salary of £40,000, or around $52,000. She will also cover all expenses, food, accommodation, and transportation costs. Plus, she will pay for all design and material costs.Like the destinations, the work schedule will vary widely. She says weekly hours can range from 10 to 50, but even during the busiest weeks there should be plenty of time for exploring new places and playing tourist.Naturally, Jan wants to hire someone as soon as possible and get going on her world tour with custom wardrobe in tow. If you think you fit the requirements she and her dogs are looking for, you can fill out the application <a href="https://sewport.com/fashion-designer-manufacturer-needed">here.</a>

Dream Job Will Pay You To Travel the World and Design Dog Clothes

Supermac&#39;s chief Pat McDonagh has been given the green light to develop a multi million euro service station on the outskirts of Longford town, the Leader can reveal.A decision on plans to construct a Barack Obama style plaza, similar to the one in Moneygall, Co Offaly which opened in 2014 at a cost of around €7m, is set to be formally announced later today.However, the Leader understands letters were dispatched to all relevant parties involved in the project yesterday afternoon concerning the decision.It is also believed the granting of the ambitious project at Lisnamuck and just off the main N63, which provides for retail, dining and refueling as well as electric car charging capabilities, is subject to a number of conditions.It follows plans announced by Mr McDonagh last week to create 200 additional jobs at three new Supermac’s outlets in Wexford, Waterford and Kinnegad, Westmeath.Further details to follow.Source: <a href="https://www.longfordleader.ie/news/home/364056/breaking-major-longford-jobs-boost-on-cards-as-supermac-s-given-go-ahead-for-obama-style-plaza.html?refresh_ce&amp;fbclid=IwAR3u25YwILzTjO0Fci_3yQGaxEFXdOCewsTcK5EgBCsxEB9Oo9e7bU8pC7g">https://www.longfordleader.ie/news/home/364056/breaking-major-longford-jobs-boost-on-cards-as-supermac-s-given-go-ahead-for-obama-style-plaza.html?refresh_ce&amp;fbclid=IwAR3u25YwILzTjO0Fci_3yQGaxEFXdOCewsTcK5EgBCsxEB9Oo9e7bU8pC7g</a>

Supermac's given go-ahead for Obama-style plaza in Longford

Director & Ideation Manager

Pamela Doyle

A new survey has found that Dublin is the third worst city around the world for time spent sitting in traffic.The study by transport data firm INRIX examined congestion and mobility trends in more than 200 cities across 38 countries.The INRIX 2018 Global Traffic Scorecard showed that commuters in Dublin spent 246 hours sitting in traffic last year, the equivalent of more than ten days.It represents a fall of 4% on the same time last year.Only drivers in the Colombian capital Bogotá and in Rome in Italy spent longer stuck in traffic jams, 272 and 254 hours respectively.The report said &quot;Dublin also has the distinction of having the slowest city centre&quot; with drivers travelling at an average of less than 10km/ph at peak times.Overall, when issues such as population, city size, distance traveled and the costs of motoring were taken into account, Dublin ranked as the 52nd most gridlocked city in the world.Last year, a study by Dublin Chamber found that almost 75% of companies in the capital had experienced negative effects on their business due to traffic problems.Source; <a href="https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2019/0213/1029375-dublin-traffic-survey/">https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2019/0213/1029375-dublin-traffic-survey/</a>

Dublin third worst city for time spent sitting in traffic - survey

By Ailbhe Conneely - RTÉ News Political reporterThe Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs is to examine today the challenge of recruiting and retaining social workers in Ireland.Members will hear from representatives of the child and family agency Tusla and the Health Information and Quality Authority.In its opening statement, Tusla will say Ireland is not educating enough social workers to meet service demands for the coming years.Its interim Chief Executive Pat Smyth says it will take a number of years to resolve the issue.Set up in 2014, Tusla brought staff based in more than 400 locations together. They were dealing with more than 43,000 child protection and welfare referrals each year.Once its funding increased in 2016, it developed its own recruitment service, which had been under the umbrella of the Health Service Executive.Currently, 215 social workers are trained in four universities, but Mr Smyth will tell the committee that demand for social workers is not being met by the supply of graduates.Almost two thirds (65%) of the class of 2018 was recruited by Tusla, which is a young workforce.However, given that child protection is viewed as the most challenging work in the sector, employees often leave their positions within two years.One solution from Tusla is a revised pay structure or salary banding that recognises the particular challenges encountered by social workers within child protection.HIQA&#39;s opening statement notes that during a statutory investigation into Tusla&#39;s management of child sexual abuse allegations against adults of concern last year, Tusla staff frequently expressed concern about staff recruitment and retention.HIQA&#39;s Director of Regulation and Chief Inspector of Social Services Mary Dunnion will also point out that Tusla is not alone in its staffing difficulties.Tusla will be advised, along with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, to manage the same workforce challenges faced by other jurisdictions and to avoid an &quot;organisational mind-set&quot; that sees such problems as insurmountable due to factors outside its control.Source; <a href="https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2019/0213/1029217-social-workers/">https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2019/0213/1029217-social-workers/</a>

Revised pay structure proposed to tackle shortage of social workers

For 165 years, it was an iconic landmark of Dublin&#39;s city centre - before it closed its doors in 2015. Now Clerys department store will be returned to its former glory.The building has remained all but empty over the last three years, following a controversial sale and closure which left a hole in the capital&#39;s shopping thoroughfare.But the O&#39;Connell Street site will spring back to life as new owners, the UK-based Europa Capital, unveiled its plans for the famous building.It promised the historic building and its famous clock will be restored and the development &quot;will regenerate Dublin&#39;s landmark street&quot;.Building is due to begin before March and finish late next year.More than 400 jobs will be created with the opening of what will be called &#39;Clerys Quarter&#39;.Another 750 temporary construction workers will be hired to work on the project that will include a 176-bedroom four-star hotel, its new owner Europa announced.There will also be retail outlets, office space, a panoramic rooftop restaurant, cafés, restaurants, and a market.In a statement, Europa and its partners Core Capital and Oakmount, said the historic store will be restored into a &quot;new city centre destination&quot;.&quot;Key to the development will be the sympathetic transformation of the listed Clerys building into a world-class retail, office and leisure destination,&quot; they said.&quot;This will include the restoration of Clerys iconic features, including the colonnaded facade, internal staircases, columns and ceilings and the famous Clerys clock.&quot;Clerys original restaurant and bar, the Tea Rooms, will be fully refurbished.Former workers have demanded the new owner live up to an agreement to ensure the northside community benefits from the job opportunities.&quot;Myself and my colleagues expect this agreement to be fully respected by the new owners,&quot; said Justice for Clerys Workers spokesman, John Finn.&quot;We look forward to ensuring that this development is one that works for business, those who are employed in it and the surrounding local communities.&quot;Workers were given just 30 minutes to leave when the department store went into liquidation in 2015, and the building was sold to the Natrium Investment Group.The new owner said new employment opportunities will be available on completion, anticipated in late 2020.It said there will be positions in retail, leisure and hospitality.Europa acquired the development in October last year and got planning permission to extend the buildings from 212,000 sq ft to 344,000 sq ft.There is a tendering process under way and construction is expected to start in the first three months of this year.The plans include, 92,100 sq ft of office space across two buildings and 60,000 sq ft of retail space,An 18,762 sq ft panoramic rooftop restaurant, bar and events venue, are also planned.A former warehouse will become the new hotel at Earl Place Market. It will be close to a new Moxy Hotel.The owners said they are in talks with a number of occupiers for the retail, office and hospitality areas.Meanwhile, a Siptu spokesperson said it will seek clarity from the owner on an agreement reached after Clerys closed to boost job opportunities in the area.&quot;I was interested to see that the owners didn&#39;t refer to the community benefits scheme that was formally agreed under Dublin City Council, and is part of the planning process,&quot; he said.&quot;To the best of our knowledge, they haven&#39;t engaged with that process yet and we expect them to as soon as possible but it looks like they may have to be contacted.&quot;He said the scheme meant the owners should be in touch with local representatives and training institutes in the north east inner city to ensure locals were trained for the various roles.A spokesperson for Europa Capital said it was &quot;fully committed to providing the jobs, and training&quot;.She said the jobs will be advertised among the local community, and in the mainstream media.Clerys dates from 1853 but the current building was constructed in 1922 after being destroyed in the Easter Rising.Source; <a href="https://www.independent.ie/business/jobs/clerys-to-return-to-former-glory-but-former-workers-demand-owner-lives-up-to-deal-on-jobs-for-northside-37751024.html?fbclid=IwAR278CJsAkUgTp2q8fD-h7JsmUUZDpdRxifAxSu5iadUBBAOFoZC9i8lVHc">https://www.independent.ie/business/jobs/clerys-to-return-to-former-glory-but-former-workers-demand-owner-lives-up-to-deal-on-jobs-for-northside-37751024.html?fbclid=IwAR278CJsAkUgTp2q8fD-h7JsmUUZDpdRxifAxSu5iadUBBAOFoZC9i8lVHc</a>

400+  new jobs expected with the opening of 'Clerys Quarter'

Expansion at Supermac&#39;s and at founder Pat McDonagh&#39;s separate hotel business is set to add 300 jobs across the country.Supermac&#39;s three new outlets in Wexford, Waterford and Kinnegad, Co Westmeath, are expected to add 200 new jobs. The McDonagh family&#39;s growing hotel group is on course to deliver a further 100 jobs.Construction has already begun in Kinnegad and building is due to begin in Wexford, the first Supermac&#39;s in the county, and in Waterford.Four other outlets in the pipeline - in Letterkenny, Longford, Ennis and Portlaoise - are currently awaiting planning permission.Meanwhile, the SÓ Hotels Groups, owned by Pat and Una McDonagh, said it will add 100 jobs through the refurbishment of the Athlone Springs Hotel, the Castle Oaks House Hotel in Co Limerick and the Killeshin Hotel in Portlaoise.Supermac&#39;s now has 116 outlets in Ireland and the SÓ Hotels Group also includes Lough Rea Hotel and Spa, Castletroy Park Hotel and Charleville Park Hotel.Source of Article; <a href="https://www.independent.ie/business/jobs/supermacs-expansion-to-create-300-jobs-37790672.html?fbclid=IwAR3d-nKQD5iN_1E8Jl_oJ7HjWCyM_IlNmzeJ_eki1p-oKNjbrFZzOuacyG0">https://www.independent.ie/business/jobs/supermacs-expansion-to-create-300-jobs-37790672.html?fbclid=IwAR3d-nKQD5iN_1E8Jl_oJ7HjWCyM_IlNmzeJ_eki1p-oKNjbrFZzOuacyG0</a>

Supermac's expansion to create 300 jobs

Here&#39;s a an interesting article by Barnaby Lashbrooke that looks at the weird coping rituals of CEOsThe late Steve Jobs would bathe his feet in the toilet water of the Apple restrooms to destress, according to his authorized biography by Walter Isaacson.Nintendo director Shigeru Miyamoto keeps himself sharp by carrying a measuring tape and challenging himself to correctly guess the length of different objects.And Tesla tycoon Elon Musk plans his entire day in five-minute intervals.Such behavior is not dissimilar to athletes mentally preparing themselves before events.Tennis legend Rafael Nadal strategically places his water bottles with their labels facing the end of the court he’s playing from, explaining: “It’s a way of placing myself in a match, ordering my surroundings to match the order I seek in my head.”Lashbrooke spoke to four entrepreneurs about their coping mechanisms and a psychologist to find out if such rituals really work in the pursuit of productivity, motivation or a less stressful work life.Jaclyn DiGregorio, founder of wellness brand Cusp It, starts every single day by handwriting all her goals for the year, pictures herself achieving them, and then behaves as though she has already met those goals.DiGregorio said:Say I’m trying to close the deal of a keynote speech next month. I will go buy an outfit to wear because I already have decided that I’m going to close this deal. I will get my hair and nails done and research travel arrangements. When I do close a deal, I feel like I’m on top of the world. I spoke it into existence and now it exists. To succeed as a startup founder, you have to want it really bad. You have to do whatever it takes to hit those goals.”Gaby Alves, co-founder of Tampon Tribe, flies a plane on days when work seems particularly stressful.She said:You have to make logical, strategic and accurate decisions under pressure. You simply can&#39;t blink while flying, training or learning commercial techniques because it is life-threatening if you make a mistake. You have to be super cool under pressure, trust 100% in your decisions, and implement them immediately. You also have the lives of others in your hands, so there is no room for error. For me, this is just like running a business, as mistakes can be costly, so it&#39;s perfect for learning to trust your instincts and being confident with what you know.”Alves added: “When you learn how to surpass fear and failure, you grow. I believe this is replicated when learning how to fly, and when you&#39;re working as an entrepreneur and in business; it is such a relief - relaxing, rewarding with an outcome of exhilaration and pure contentment.”Heather Andersen, founder of New York Pilates, always works at floor level because it “grounds her”.She added: I’m not a total hippy but sitting in a chair for long periods of time can be tied to chronic back pain, low energy, and higher blood pressure. Sitting on the floor or squatting has many health benefits like better digestion and healthier blood circulation, which is going to make you feel better and function more efficiently. And on top of the physical perks, the mental effects are huge.”Having tried lunchtime jogs around Copenhagen, Mads Hallas Bjerg, CEO of Denmark-based art and antiques appraisal site Mearto, finds challenging his colleagues to regular video gaming tournaments – specifically Command &amp; Conquer: Red Alert – works best for him.Bjerg said: Just 20 minutes of video gaming and the office is hyped with energy. It is super fun and works better for me than any meditation app when it comes to reducing my stress levels and increased my energy. You are totally zoomed in and no worries or negative thoughts can emerge in such an intense game. Afterwards, I feel energized, positive and it increases my focus and speed for the next several hours.”But does it work?He asked Sharon Peake, chartered occupational psychologist, business coach and founder of Shape Talent to explain how these rituals might help us, mentally, to perform better. She said: The power in the ritual is less about the ritual itself and more about creating the environment that enables the person to perform. For some people performance comes from a calm, relaxed state, for others it might be a focused state, and for others it may be a highly excited state. It is seductive to attribute the success of well known, successful individuals to their strange rituals – think Barack Obama and Mark Zuckerberg’s strategy of wearing the same outfit each day, in order to reduce time. However, this is where our cognitive biases reveal themselves, as we erroneously attribute their success to these rituals, not taking into account the many other personality and behavioral aspects associated with their success.”Peake added: “Some rituals have been proven to be helpful, particularly when it comes to stress reduction. Exercise, relaxation and breathing techniques, mindfulness, meditation and reflecting on the positive learnings from a negative situation can all ease stress by reducing cortisol, your body’s main stress hormone.”Source; <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/barnabylashbrooke/2019/02/12/do-the-weird-coping-rituals-of-ceos-like-steve-jobs-really-work/?fbclid=IwAR0I-zEISyOXhy0VHV3yvixdSrstdgWvn1-MxCJobFJu-ogMuHixZqDKIcI#4e98a1dd6fe1">https://www.forbes.com/sites/barnabylashbrooke/2019/02/12/do-the-weird-coping-rituals-of-ceos-like-steve-jobs-really-work/?fbclid=IwAR0I-zEISyOXhy0VHV3yvixdSrstdgWvn1-MxCJobFJu-ogMuHixZqDKIcI#4e98a1dd6fe1</a>

Do The Weird Coping Rituals Of CEOs Like  the late Steve Jobs Really Work?

<h1></h1>Assystem Technologies and its affiliates have relaunched under a new brand – 18 months after taking over the operations of Assystem SA’s Global Product Solutions division, and following a series of acquisitions in 2018 including SQS – an industry-leading quality partner for digital business with a 500 people-strong presence in Ireland, the organisation becomes Expleo. The organisation announced €8m investment and the creation of 150 jobs. To help businesses harness technological change, Expleo offers access to sector-specific expertise and best practice across consultancy and business agility, product design, production and in-service support, as well as continuous quality.This unmatched service portfolio reflects the changing needs of the market where engineering and software are becoming increasingly intertwined.Source; <a href="http://www.engineersjournal.ie/2019/02/12/assystem-technologies-becomes-expleo-and-announces-creation-of-150-jobs-and-e8m-investment/?fbclid=IwAR39ld2bW6G6PiXtfaps5C_hxFyRizgQAnKxlrB7vFVfg927yUFpZrT99ww">http://www.engineersjournal.ie/2019/02/12/assystem-technologies-becomes-expleo-and-announces-creation-of-150-jobs-and-e8m-investment/?fbclid=IwAR39ld2bW6G6PiXtfaps5C_hxFyRizgQAnKxlrB7vFVfg927yUFpZrT99ww</a>Assystem Technologies has re-launched under the new name Expleo and is recruiting 120 new jobs at its Dublin offices.The 30 other positions will be filled at the company&#39;s Digital Labs in Belfast.The company is seeking experts in robotics, quality engineering, DevOps, project management and business agility.Hiring for the new roles has already begun.<h3>Re-launch</h3>Expleo Ireland Managing Director Phil Codd said: &quot;We are very excited to become Expleo today, which marks the start of a bold new chapter for the company across the island of Ireland.&quot;&quot;The key to this will be – and always has been – our people,&quot; he said.&quot;We have a rich digital ecosystem in Ireland and we plan to be an even greater driving force at the heart of that ecosystem, reinforcing Ireland’s position as a major player in the global digital economy.&quot;<h3>&quot;Welcome investment&quot;</h3>The Minister of State for Employment Pat Breen said he &quot;very much welcomed the new investment.&quot;&quot;We have a strong footprint of high-tech companies in Ireland and announcements like today’s are a reflection of our attractiveness to companies operating in high technology sectors,&quot; he said.&quot;This is a great vote of confidence in what we have to offer and I wish Expleo every success in their future operations in this country.&quot;IDA Executive Director Mary Buckley said the investment is a strong reflection of the thriving technology sector in Ireland.Expleo already employs 15,000 people in more than 25 countries and is aiming to &quot;pursue its growth organically and through acquisitions.&quot;The group aims to expand its operations around the world in the coming years - notably in Germany, North America and India.Source; <a href="https://www.newstalk.com/news/french-tech-firm-expleo-to-create-150-new-irish-jobs-486489">https://www.newstalk.com/news/french-tech-firm-expleo-to-create-150-new-irish-jobs-486489</a>

Expleo announces  €8m investment & creation of 150 jobs (Dublin & Belfast)

Dublin-based Lynk Taxis has invested more than €1m into its digital platform for its new &#39;Delivers&#39; courier service and intends on adding another 200 drivers this year.The company launched its personal-use courier service last week, which allows customers have anything from a lost wallet to an online delivery sent to them.Lynk claims that it differs to most courier services as it will collect and deliver packages &quot;at a time that suits you&quot;.Chief executive Noel Ebbs said he intends to increase the size of his delivery fleet this year. &quot;We have 45 drivers currently working, we want to increase that fivefold over the year to come. There certainly seems to be a market for it so I don&#39;t expect it to be all that difficult,&quot; he told the Sunday Independent.&quot;We currently deliver around 5,500 packages per week but we hope to get that up to around 30,000 by the end of the year.&quot;Under the current system drivers receive 80pc of the cost of the delivery, according to Ebbs.He said that is not &quot;traditionally&quot; the way it works but said the company wanted to attract drivers that &quot;felt they could make a living out of it&quot;.He added: &quot;The most common thing we&#39;re asked to deliver would be items of clothing. Perhaps someone is going out in the evening and it&#39;s a casual affair and they&#39;re wearing a suit. We might be asked to pick up a pair of jeans and T-shirt from the home.&quot;Ebbs also said that there were further plans around the collection of online deliveries that still needed to be &quot;fleshed out&quot;.He said that couriers earn anywhere between €60 and €160 a day depending on the number of packages they deliver.Some of the €1m investment was spent on developing a system that ensured drivers could not take on more than they could handle to help ensure that no deliveries were delayed.Late last year, Lynk also outlined plans to enter a food delivery service, pitting it against the likes of Uber Eats and Deliveroo.It is also in ongoing discussions with a &quot;very well known&quot; food chain about taking over deliveries for all of its outlets.Lynk also has partnerships with Offbeat Donuts and other food businesses.Source; <a href="https://www.independent.ie/business/jobs/taxi-firm-invests-1m-in-courier-service-37776853.html?fbclid=IwAR25V3b_7JEYb1d0xp3QtbXkbCHXqTYusfW1mqkG4NmU3s1hcojAGnTl0hU">https://www.independent.ie/business/jobs/taxi-firm-invests-1m-in-courier-service-37776853.html?fbclid=IwAR25V3b_7JEYb1d0xp3QtbXkbCHXqTYusfW1mqkG4NmU3s1hcojAGnTl0hU</a>

Taxi firm invests €1m in courier service

Three out of four Irish people think automation and robots will cause unemployment, a new survey claims.However, the iReach poll also says that most people believe robots will be good for the economy, estimating that the jobs under threat may exclude their own. The poll of 1,000 people found that just 16pc see &quot;no threat&quot; to employment in Ireland as advances are made in technology.And 76pc of Irish people believe that job automation will contribute to a rise in unemployment here. However, 55pc view job automation as &quot;positive for the Irish economy&quot;.Almost everyone (94pc) believes that &quot;large-scale job automation&quot; will occur at some point in the future, with just under half (46pc) predicting that it will happen &quot;in the very near future&quot;.As to what kind of automation might come next, two-thirds of us doubt that robot receptionists or assistants on wheels will become common in hotels or retail outlets.&quot;Fifty-six per cent predict that this robotic way of running a hospitality business will not become a threat in Ireland, with the top cited reason that a high level of customer service trumps a robot, as people want the personal touch,&quot; said iReach. Respondents&#39; experience of automated systems to date are dominated by self-checkouts (80pc), online check-ins (74pc) and ATMs (91pc).Recent research from the consultancy firm McKinsey estimates that jobs such as food preparation will be almost entirely wiped out by robots by 2040. However, it predicts that jobs such as software development will remain immune.The McKinsey research also predicts that job replacement will disproportionately affect men and the lower-paid.Source: Adrian Weckler . <a href="https://www.independent.ie/business/jobs/automation-poses-threat-to-irish-jobs-new-survey-finds-37759626.html?fbclid=IwAR3nzqLR-LnT8vxJDGZRz1fti8mscoxqPE7O2YMtTez1ab7QFwc4u5G5yVY">https://www.independent.ie/business/jobs/automation-poses-threat-to-irish-jobs-new-survey-finds-37759626.html?fbclid=IwAR3nzqLR-LnT8vxJDGZRz1fti8mscoxqPE7O2YMtTez1ab7QFwc4u5G5yVY</a>

Automation poses threat to Irish jobs, new survey finds

Tue, Feb 5, 2019, 17:35 Updated: Tue, Feb 5, 2019, 17:40 by Eoin Burke-KennedyIn Ireland, workers add an average of $99.50 (€87) to the value of the economy every hour they work, according to the OECD. Photograph: Suzie Howell/New York Times Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to Email AppShare to LinkedIn Irish workers are now officially the most productive in the world, adding an average of $99.50 (€87) to the value of the economy every hour they work, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).The Paris-based agency published figures on Tuesday showing the Republic had the highest rate of labour productivity, effectively economic output per hour of work, of any advanced economy in 2017.At the top of the OECD list was Ireland at $99.50, followed by Luxembourg ($98.50) and Norway ($83.10). The Republic’s rate was also significantly higher than its biggest trading partners, the United States ($72) and the UK ($61.10), and nearly twice the OECD average of $54.80.Labour productivity typically measures the value of work done in a given economy over time, with higher value-added jobs generating the greatest productivity increases.<ul><li>Unemployment remains at 5.3% as ‘dark cloud’ of Brexit looms</li><li>Lifting of US sanctions on Aughinish brings relief and controversy</li><li>UK services sector cuts jobs for first time in six years</li></ul>The Republic’s position at the top of the global rankings has a lot to do with the high concentration of multinationals here, which typically drive the biggest productivity gains.A recent Central Statistics Office report suggested labour productivity here grew by 4.5 per cent on average between 2000 and 2016 with a significant increase recorded in 2015, the same year that saw a massive influx of multinational assets and an unprecedented 26 per cent jump in gross domestic product (GDP), later derided as “leprechaun economics”.The report also highlighted a gulf between indigenous and foreign-owned firms. Productivity growth among foreign-owned entities averaged 10.9 over the period but was only 2.5 per cent for indigenous firms.<h4>Investment</h4>Nonetheless Cantor Fitzgerald economist Alan McQuaid described the OECD’s figures as “very encouraging”, suggesting “that even if things go pear-shaped on the Brexit front, the end result for Ireland Inc may not turn out as bad as some are predicting”.“In an era of increased automation (which of course in some cases can help workers increase productivity), with machine taking over from man/woman, it is a very positive sign that Ireland tops the league in terms of productivity, suggesting that while we can well and truly party, we also can work very hard,” he said.While acknowledging the multinational component of the figures, Mr McQuaid said they still left the Republic in a good position in terms of attracting in foreign investment.“Any business owner looking at moving out of Britain because of Brexit or any other country for that matter, and seeing those productivity figures, would be encouraged to come to Ireland, all other things, such as tax liability, property costs or internet access, being equal,” he said.Source: <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/irish-workers-now-ranked-as-most-productive-in-world-1.3783173">The Irish Times</a>

Irish workers now ranked as most productive in world

Employment rates in Dublin are at their highest level in 20 years.The latest Dublin Economic Monitor shows almost 700,000 people are now employed in the capital, an increase of 33,000 in just over a year.Tourism in the capital is up over 14%, owing to an increase in visitors from the US, Germany and China while retail sales are up 7% on the previous 12 months.In the housing market, residential rents are now at record levels while the cost of property continues to rise, but at a slower rate.Senior Economic Development Officer at Dublin City Council, Steven O&#39;Gara, says the high rate of employment in the capital is down to a mix of international and indigenous companies.&quot;This is a hugely positive bounce back in the story of the recovery and the creation of jobs, predominantly by small and medium enterprises in the Dublin city and region,&quot; said Mr O&#39;Gara.&quot;But also the international cohort of FDI [foreign direct investment] who are coming in and creating jobs. We&#39;re seeing almost continuous updates over the last couple of weeks of large scale foreign direct job creation coming into the city and region.&quot;

Dublin's employment rates at highest level in 20 years

Dream job? Cruise line seeks &#39;Shore Explorer&#39; to travel the world for over €2,000 a weekRoyal Caribbean is offering the ultimate &#39;apprentice-ship&#39; for the Instagram generation, says Pól Ó Conghaile.Wanna get paid over €2k per week to visit glaciers in Alaska, go white water rafting in Norway or ride an urban zip wire in Dubai?Of course you do... and of course there&#39;s a catch. You enter via competition, and the dream job lasts just a couple of weeks.Royal Caribbean International has launched a search for a &quot;Global Experience Hunter&quot; - an &quot;apprentice&quot; it says it will pay £6,000/€6,850 over at least three weeks spent cruising around Japan, Alaska, Europe and the Middle East.The &quot;Shore Explorer&quot; will seek out and test &quot;extraordinary shore experiences&quot; in jaw-dropping locations including CocoCay, a private island in the Caribbean, sharing their footage and photos on Instagram, Insta Stories and IGTV. Oh, and you&#39;ll also get £50/€57 a day for expenses.It follows a similar &quot;intern-ship&quot; offered two years ago, which saw Russ Francis appointed Royal Caribbean&#39;s &#39;Instagrammer in Chief&#39;. Indeed, the successful candidate will work together with Francis on the dream job assignment.How does it work? In a sign of the times, candidates are being invited to apply by sharing their best travel experience on Instagram, tagging @RoyalCaribbeanUK and #ShoreExplorer. Entries close on March 1, and the winner will be chosen by a judging panel including Francis, James McVey of The Vamps, Ben Bouldin of Royal Caribbean and influencer and travel writer Nadia El Ferdaoussi.So, what does the perfect candidate need to apply?T&amp;Cs stipulate that applicants should be 21 or older, live in the UK or Ireland, hold a valid passport and be able to drop everything to travel between May and August for at least three, and up to four, consecutive weeks if required.Royal Caribbean is seeking &quot;someone who has a passion for travel, exploration and seeking out new and extraordinary experiences around the world,&quot; McVey says. &quot;And, of course, they have to be brilliant at sharing their adventure online too!”Royal Caribbean was voted Ireland&#39;s Favourite Cruise Line in the Irish Independent&#39;s Reader Travel Awards 2019, and its fleet includes the largest cruise ship in the world - Symphony of the Seas, which launched last year.The search for a &#39;Shore Explorer&#39; follows new research commissioned by the cruise line, which reveals Irish millennials are adopting a ‘do it’ rather than ‘own it’ attitude on holidays. Over half (56pc) claim they would rather spend their money on memorable experiences over material possessions (27pc), it says.The survey also provides a clue as to why Royal Caribbean is immersing itself in Instagram... 30pc of those surveyed have booked a holiday or experience after seeing someone posting about it on the social platform, it found.Source: <a href="https://www.independent.ie/life/travel/cruise/dream-job-cruise-line-seeks-shore-explorer-to-travel-the-world-for-over-2000-a-week-37785829.html?fbclid=IwAR1lPblIhhwVHtO08tQkfcCDpQ4PDfAhv17jn-hCv2x1uutheQOmy-B_63s">Independent.ie</a>Competition Details:THE SHORE EXPLORER APPRENTICE-SHIP Here at Royal Caribbean we have a flair for the extraordinary, especially when it comes to awe-inducing travel and adventure.So much so that last year, we appointed photographer extraordinaire, Russ Francis (@russ_francis) to capture epic content from around the world as our official Instagrammer-in-Chief. But with 25 of the world’s most innovative ships (soon to be 26 with Spectrum of the Seas joining our fleet in 2019!) visiting over 250 remarkable destinations worldwide, we know that finding and capturing all of this is a job bigger than just one man.And that’s where you come in! We are now expanding the team as applications open for the first ever Shore Explorer Apprentice-Ship.Our Instagrammer-in-Chief is hunting for a bold traveller to act as his new apprentice for three weeks. Applicants can leave their tea making and photocopying skills at the door. They’ll instead be charged with exploring the world to test and capture the extraordinary on-land experiences that guests can enjoy on a Royal Caribbean holiday – and if that wasn’t enough, they’ll be paid the equivalent of a six-figure salary for their troubles!Recruited via Instagram, our Shore Explorer Apprentice-Ship is the job of a lifetime and will see the successful candidate heading to…HOW TO APPLY?Applicants can apply for the position by posting their most extraordinary travel story on Instagram (including Instagram Stories and IGTV), tagging @RoyalCaribbeanUK and #ShoreExplorer. Must be aged 21 years or over. The successful candidate will meet the following criteria:1. User of Instagram on a daily basis (with extensive knowledge of all 40 filters, editing, video content/Stories and IGTV)2. Ability to take stunning photos and videos (Instagram stories) that capture the essence of an extraordinary experience for others3. Willingness to travel4. Unyielding hunger for amazing experiences and daredevil nature – must be willing to try new things5. Must be proficient on social media6. Must be available to travel for three consecutive weeks from May-August 2019What is the Shore Explorer Apprentice-Ship?The successful candidate will be responsible for capturing and sharing the incredible destinations and extraordinary adventures Royal Caribbean guests can enjoy on their holiday on social media. You’ll also be tasked with trialling and providing feedback on the shore excursions in each destination.As part of the experience, you will receive:A number of different shore excursions across the full itinerary, as determined by Royal Caribbean. The successful candidate will be given various options to choose from in each destinationA cheque for £6,000 upon completion of the three-week trip, based on an annual salary of £104,000 p/aFree roam of all destinations visitedAll hotel stays, all transfers and all necessary economy flights. It also includes hotel gratuities, standard meals, non-alcoholic drinks, a Wi-Fi allowance, plus daily expenses to the value £50 GBP per dayUniform: BYO swimmers, sandals &amp; shades. Hiking boots/running shoes also recommendedApply now:Apply for the position on Instagram now to be in with a chance of securing the best job the world has to offer! Tag @RoyalCaribbeanUK and #ShoreExplorer in your travel story, via an Instagram Post, Story or IGTV.Applications close 23:59 on 1st March 2019Judges decision is final. Judging criteria and entry T&amp;C’s can be found here <a href="https://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/shore-explorer/terms-and-conditions/">https://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/shore-explorer/terms-and-conditions/</a>More info here: <a href="https://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/shore-explorer">https://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/shore-explorer</a>

Royal Caribbean will pay you €2,000+ per week to travel the world

<h1>Centra Delivers Record Sales of €1.63 billion in 2018 With Plans To Open 25 New Stores And Add 375 New Jobs This Year</h1>25 new stores to open, along with 80 revamps, as part of an €35 million investment; Centra continues to redefine the convenience market as the breakfast roll makes way for healthy alternatives like Cold Pressed Turmeric Shots and Paleo Superbowls;4th February 2018: – Ireland’s leading convenience retailer Centra registered a new record in 2018 after hitting sales of €1.63 billion, an increase of 3.6% year on year, further cementing the brand’s position as number one in the convenience market.The convenience retailer plans to build on this momentum by opening 25 new stores across the country this year, as well as refreshing 80 stores, as part of a €35 million investment, which will see 375 jobs added to the Centra network. The revamp programme will see Centra rolling out the latest thinking in the convenience market that will meet new trends and provide shoppers with a seamless shopping experience.The launch of the retailer’s new premium “Inspired by” Centra range last July, which includes products like Cold Pressed Turmeric Shots and Paleo Superbowls, reflects the evolving taste of the Irish consumer who is more health conscious and looks for premium products. Since its launch last July, the range has already recorded €6.3 million in sales and it continues to grow rapidly.The Frank and Honest gourmet coffee offering available in Centra has been a real success, quickly establishing itself as the number one coffee brand in Ireland and recording a 40% growth in coffee volume in 2018. Frank and Honest’s popularity has been further built upon with the launch of capsule and whole bean ranges for the at home market, a range of coffee accessories and the roll out of instore cafes.Building on its successful introduction of new brands, this year Centra is rolling out a new ice cream brand – Moo’d – to over 200 stores, adding a further seven products to the range and launching new take-home packs in three flavours. Combining the best Irish dairy and Italian ingredients, a unique delicious ice-cream range has been created to offer a contemporary take on an Irish favourite.Speaking at the Centra conference at the Great Southern Hotel in Killarney, Martin Kelleher, Centra Managing Director, said: “Our record sales performance is testament to the dedication of over 463 Centra store owners across the country who provide market leading stores in convenient locations and our ongoing investment in shaping the future of the convenience market. Responding to consumers, retailers and market trends, Centra has developed a healthier offering and innovative range unrivaled by competitors. We plan to continue our expansion through new initiatives like our Inspired by Centra luxury range, Moo’d ice cream and Frank and Honest Coffee along with driving innovation across all areas of the store.”“In the past, convenience stores would have been synonymous with the breakfast roll but walking into a Centra today illustrates how the concept has been revolutionized with products like Cold Press Tumeric Shots and Paleo Salads. We aim to stay one step ahead of the competition in this respect by ensuring we stay close to the modern Irish consumer who is looking for health alternatives, innovative ranges and great quality food for those short on time”.With over 463 stores, Centra employs almost 11,000 people and serves over three million customers per week. Centra invests more than €240 million in local communities per annum, which is the equivalent of €4.5 million per week through a combination of payments to local suppliers, acquisition of local business services, wages, charitable donations and local sponsorships.To keep an eye on jobs at Centra click here; <a href="https://www.musgravecareers.com/">https://www.musgravecareers.com/</a>Source;<a href="https://www.musgravegroup.com/2019/02/04/centra-delivers-record-sales-of-e1-63-billion-in-2018-with-plans-to-open-25-new-stores-and-add-375-new-jobs-this-year/">https://www.musgravegroup.com/2019/02/04/centra-delivers-record-sales-of-e1-63-billion-in-2018-with-plans-to-open-25-new-stores-and-add-375-new-jobs-this-year/</a>