German supermarket’s Australian hiring blitz, why long work days could be dangerous, and more top news

The news Australian professionals are talking about now, curated by LinkedIn’s editors. Join the conversation in the comments below.

Documents lodged last week with the corporate regulator show German supermarket giant Kauf-land has been on an Australian hiring blitz. The launch of its first Australian store is still more than a year away, but it had 123 local staff by the time its financial year ended in February. The Australian reports that it has hired key supermarket executives, store managers and other administrative staff. This comes as retailers such as Kauf-land’s rival Aldi have put increasing pressure on Coles and Woolworths. Here’s what people are saying.

A new study has shown that work days of ten hours or more increase our risk of stroke, adding another black mark to the list of issues already associated with failing to switch off. Australia is in the bottom third of OECD countries when it comes to long hours —13% of workers clock up 50 hours or more per week. According to assistant professor of organisational behaviour at Bond University Libby Sander, concerns around automation, slow wage growth, and increasing underemployment are some of the reasons we are putting in more hours. Here’s what people are saying.

There hasn't been much good news for Australia's brick-and-mortar retail sector of late. But Singapore's largest pawnbroker and luxury goods reseller thinks it can buck the trend. According to the Australian Financial Review, Maxi-Cash, a listed Singaporean company, will open its first Australian retail store on Melbourne's Swanston Street and has plans to open up to half a dozen more on the east coast. Among the items for sale will be "pre-loved'' Rolex watches, Gucci and Louis Vuitton bags and Mont Blanc pens. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

Leading chefs are frustrated by Australia's working visa rules, which mean it can take months to hire talented cooks and restaurant managers from overseas. According to the Australian Financial Review, chefs and restauranteurs such as Luke Mangan have welcomed a government pledge to cut bureaucratic red tape, as they often need to fill vacant roles in a hurry. Other industries also have frustrations with working visa rules, but the hospitality industry is dealing with a shortage of Australian chefs and waitstaff, particularly in regional areas. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

Researchers at the University of the Valley of Atemajac in Mexico have developed a form of plastic derived from juicing and processing the leaves of the prickly pear cactus. Unlike plastic formed via fossil fuels, the cactus variety can break down more rapidly and is nontoxic if consumed, Fast Company reports. (Some context: The average human ingests 50,000 plastic particles a year.) And, unlike corn-based plastics, the cactus-derived version does not require fertilizer and would not need to use land that would otherwise be used to grow food. Here’s what people are saying. 

Idea of the Day: We often end up being our harshest, and least forgiving, critics. Musician Trey Anastasio — whose band, Phish, has a legendary, devoted following — knows this well. Anastasio recently explained to the New York Times’ David Marchese how, at a certain point, he had to learn to cut himself some slack. 

“When the [audience] response, in my mind, outweighed what we deserved, that contributed to a lot of turbulence. I would beat myself up about the whole thing. I don’t say, ‘Was that good?’ anymore. It’s irrelevant. I do as much preparation as I can, but once everybody gets in the room, I let go.”

What's your take on today’s stories? Share your thoughts in the comments.

—Ben Collins