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Ask anyone who’s ever raised a child with Down’s syndrome and they’ll likely tell you how joyous and happy it is.For too long a time there was a misconception regarding children who suffer from the condition; a view that raising one is a near-impossible task completely different to raising a child without it.Of course, those in the know are aware that’s far from the truth. Sure, it comes with its own trials and tribulations, but what part of parenthood doesn’t?In any case, it’s great to see children with Down’s syndrome finally being included in a way they might once have only dreamed of. Just ask the Baxter family from Rochester, Kent, England, whose adorable son Riley Baxter – who suffers from Down’s syndrome – has just landed a modelling job!The 4-year-old will be the face of a Mothercare advert, with his infectious smile and charm to be showcased to the masses.Riley’s dad, Stuart, a sales manager, told Caters News: “We have called him ‘Smiley Riley’ from a young age, because he makes people really happy and seeing his smile gives people a pick-me-up on a bad day.”Riley might have Down’s syndrome, but he’s simply not prepared to let that stop him in life. For his parents Stuart and Kirsty his confidence has come as a relief – they didn’t always think it would be so.The couple were initially daunted knowing that they would be raising a child with Down’s syndrome. They were concerned he would be a target for bullies, or might be denied opportunities others were granted.However, they’ve since come to learn that’s not the case, and they’ve enjoyed watching him overcome the various obstacles life has thrown at him. Riley, who is mostly non-verbal, has proved a fighter every step of the way, and he’s making huge strides in learning sign language.<h3>Big steps forward</h3>“Now he has such a repertoire of signs it’s unbelievable, it’s to the point where other children are learning it from him,” Stuart said.Even so, things haven’t been easy for little Riley. Due to his weak muscles, he needed a walker until he was 3-years-old, and as his dad explains, it took him twice the effort to get about.“With his walking, he has to work twice as hard as anyone else to do what they are doing.”“When he walks a mile it’s like walking two for anyone else, but his determination to keep going is the one thing we constantly see.”What’s more, Riley’s ‘never say die’ attitude has resulted in some pretty good things coming his way. He was once suggested to try his hand at modelling, and so learned how to pose for photoshoots via Zebedee Management. It turns out his smile really is something special, for he landed a modelling contract with Mothercare advert in the Jools Oliver Little Bird range.“Now he’s modeling with Zebedee, he loves the camera, you say pose and he will make this little pout followed by sticking his tongue out,” Stuart said.“After we were told he had Down Syndrome I cried, not for the case that I would love him any less but just knowing how cruel the world can be. That was the first thing that went through my mind but obviously my perceptions were wrong, and wow how wrong I was.“Riley is getting so much out of life and whenever he accomplishes something it seems that little bit extra special knowing how much harder he had to work for it.”<a href="https://en.newsner.com/family/4-year-old-boy-with-downs-syndrome-captures-hearts-with-his-charming-smile-only-to-land-modelling-job/">Original source here.</a>

Boy with Down’s Syndrome nicknamed ‘Smiley Riley’ lands modelling job

Director & Chief Biscuit Dunker

Sean Breen

An Ohio salon owner has become a viral sensation over her controversial shop name - but community members claim that its offensive and needs to be changed. Dawn Moon, owner of Hand Jobs Nails &amp; Spa in Sandusky, knew she&#39;d hit marketing gold when her store&#39;s risque title began going viral on social media. &#39;You don&#39;t want something that they can&#39;t remember or that they can&#39;t pronounce or say,&#39; the nail technician explained to ABC 13. &#39;In less than a week, I think the whole country knows about us. You can&#39;t pay for that kind of advertising.&#39; Moon asserts that Hand Job is perfect for her shop&#39;s name because it can be taken quite literally. The nail technician added: &#39;If you go in and get your nose done, it&#39;s called a nose job right? Well you come in and get your hands done it&#39;s a hand job!&#39; But Moon does have a few haters in the small town who aren&#39;t fans of the shop&#39;s name. There have been some complains made to the local zoning board, according to Perkins Township Zoning DIrector Megan Sherland. &#39;Signs should not be text or graphics not be indecent or obscene in nature,&#39; Sherlund explained . &#39;We have no stance on it other than we have to take into consideration the entire feel and community of Perkins Township.&#39; By the end of the week, Moon will be notified about whether the sign meets zoning restriction. Moon is adamant that she plans on fighting to keep the name.  Original Source <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6726535/Ohio-nail-shop-called-HAND-JOB-fire-controversial-name.html">here.</a>

Ohio nail salon called 'Hand Jobs' is causing a frenzy in the US

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

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

If you&#39;re always stuck trying to come up an outfit to wear for work, this job may be for you.
A London-based company are looking for new part-time workers who are willing to take care of household chores - but there&#39;s a catch.
Naturist Cleaners is looking for people to work part-time, cleaning people&#39;s houses wearing no clothes.
The company is looking for flexible, responsible cleaners of all shapes and sizes.
Naturist Cleaners&#39;s website states: &quot;Naturist Cleaners are always looking for new part-time people to work for us as naturist cleaners.
&quot;A principal role is to do general cleaning in nudist private houses wearing no clothes.
&quot;We are looking for flexible, responsible cleaners no matter your age or figure.
&quot;We would contact you once we have the need for new cleaners in your area.
&quot;Due to a big number of applications please allow at least two weeks until you hear from our team.&quot;
For a one hour general domestic service, the pay is £45, which works out to about €51.
However, if you&#39;re not so keen to get your kit off, a fully clothed service pays £25 an hour, or about €28.50.
According to Naturist Cleaners, it is against their professional policies for an occupant to touch the cleaners, whether they are nude or fully clothed.
They said: &quot;It is strictly against our professional policies to touch your cleaning service provider. You cannot touch our nude cleaners or our fully clothed cleaners at all.
&quot;We take the safety of our cleaners very seriously and is our number one priority.&quot;
However, they do say that the cleaners won’t get upset and will understand your reaction to a nude female’s body &#39;if the customer gets a bit too excited&quot;.
They stress that they do not represent or provide sexual services and their nude and full-clothes cleaning services should not be treated as a sexual experience. Source: <a href="https://www.buzz.ie/news/company-hunt-people-sign-naked-cleaners-e51-hour-316550">Buzz.ie</a>

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