New research from Ibec, published yesterday, shows that flexible or hybrid working arrangements remain a critical factor for employee workplace wellness. The survey of more than 1,000 people found that 68% of employees highlighted hybrid or flexible work as key to their wellbeing, with 35% saying they would be willing to leave a high-paying job for one offering hybrid working.

Meanwhile, 'one of the country's largest office developers' has expressed concerns to the Government about "the uncertainty caused by work-from-home strategies and the “significant” cost of building amenities to encourage staff back to the office." 

Elsewhere, a group of Irish writers have launched a legal action against Meta, accusing it of the “unauthorised reproduction, manipulation and commercial use” of original work to train its artificial intelligence (AI) system.

Finally, the big orange gobshite is still there, stinking the place up, as we learn that the US will seek to force the European Union "to choose between the US and China on trade," according to briefings circulated to senior ministers and officials after Tánaiste Simon Harris’s meeting in Washington last week. 

Zen 

While still recovering from some sort of nasty lurgy last week I had the good fortune to watch the acclaimed film Perfect Days by German director Wim Wenders (Paris Texas, Wings of Desire). It features Kōji Yakusho as Hirayama and focuses largely on his daily routine, as he services and cleans a range of public toilets in Tokyo's affluent Shibuya district. The film reflects on what it is to be present in the moment, the joy of nature - and of labour. It's available to stream on Mubi.

Have a perfect day. 

Niall Shanahan