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Cruise worker shares what you should always take into a lifeboat

A cruise ship worker has shared the six essentials you should always take if you ever need to get into the lifeboat on a cruise. Lucy Southerton, who has worked on cruise ships for nine years, regularly shares cruising advice on social media to help travellers get the most out of their voyage. In her most recent video, Lucy shared invaluable advice on what items you should take on a lifeboat in the event of an emergency. While many people would instinctively leave all their belongings behind in an emergency, Lucy said there are six things you should always take. The first thing to bring in the event of an emergency is your documentation, such as a form of ID, such as a passport, driving licence or even a visa. The second thing may surprise some people, as Southerton recommends always having lip balm in case of emergencies. The cruise worker said, “[In a life-threatening situation] the body prioritises the distribution of water to essential organs such as the liver and the brain.” “Because of this, the lips receive no water so they are going to dehydrate faster, meaning they could crack. If you are in a lifeboat for a long period of time, your lips are going to be one of the first things that suffer so you should protect them at all costs.” Thirdly, Lucy recommends you should always have sunscreen, as you never know how long you will be exposed to the elements for. She said, “If you are sitting directly under the hatch or where they take the roof off to let the breeze in, you're going to want a hat or sun cream to protect yourself from the beating sun.” “This is not as much of a priority as lip balm, but if you can get hold of some sun cream before entering a lifeboat then you should.” Next up, the veteran cruise-ship worker said you should always take layers of clothes that you can easily take on and off in changing weather. Lucy's penultimate item that passengers should always take on a lifeboat might seem obvious but she warned that it is essential for those who take medication on a regular basis to bring it with them. However, she added, “What they don't tell you to take is stuff like paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin, Sudocrem and ointments.” “'While you may not need these types of medication, somebody else on your lifeboat might - it's better to have it and not need it than the reverse scenario. Just shove them in your pocket just in case.” Last but not least, Lucy said you should - as obvious and essential as it may seem - never forget to take water on board a lifeboat. She stressed that “there is only so much water you can fit in a lifeboat, so the water is going to be rationed out”. Lucy continued, “If you can take extra water on board with you, do it, even if it's just in the form of an extra water bottle. [Humans] cannot last long without water so make sure you grab some if you are able to.” Finishing up the video, Lucy reassured passengers that “getting into a lifeboat is the absolute last resort”, adding that it is more likely that anyone on board the ship is taken to an assembly station while emergency services on board attempt to fix any issues that could arise. Image credits: Instagram / Shutterstock

Cruising

11 polite habits cruise workers actually dislike – and what to do instead

Onboard etiquette At hotels and all-inclusive resorts, workers come and go over the course of your stay. That’s not the case on cruises, where cruise ship employees will be sailing with you throughout the entire voyage. Because of that, you get to know your stateroom attendant, preferred bartender and favourite performer in a different way, and you might want to go out of your way to be friendly and polite to them. But while your motivations may be good, the etiquette rules at sea aren’t necessarily the same as the ones on land. Some habits you think are polite don’t go over quite the way you’d expect. They may even affect cruise worker’s pay rate and the opportunity for them to be offered a future contract, according to Alissa M., a performer who’s worked on some of the world’s top cruise lines, including Holland America, Princess and Norwegian. And other seemingly kind gestures may actually be awkward or get in the way of an employee doing his or her job. So, what do you need to know before you embark on a cruise? We got the inside scoop from cruise ship directors, chefs, servers, entertainers, stateroom attendants and other employees to find out the missteps they wish you’d avoid – and what you should do instead. These cruise tips will make sure it’s smooth sailing for everyone, every time. Raving about your special-request dinner It’s wonderful when you have such a delicious meal that you want to compliment the chef and tell everyone at your dinner table about it. However, when the item in question is a special request – especially one that required advance notice for preparation – the chef won’t be able to replicate it right away, which may upset other guests who want it. “The problem is not when they share it but when everyone loves the dish and then wants it now. A special request cannot be mass-produced,” explains one chef on a small luxury cruise line who prefers to remain anonymous. “The other concern is that many people in the kitchen are now making dozens of special requests, and they’re being pulled away from preparing dishes from the regular menu.” Do this instead: tell your dinner mates that your special-request dish was excellent after they’re finished with their meals. That way, you’ve complimented the chef, but you’ve also given him and other chefs in the galley ample time to recreate the dish for more passengers. Sharing positive feedback about entertainers to the cruise director or guest services Guests may think they’re doing entertainers a favour when they compliment their performances to other employees on the ship, but that message isn’t going to the right people. “A lot of people assume that the cruise director is the ‘boss’ of the entertainers, but rarely are they the ones making hiring decisions,” explains Alissa. “Because my agent and corporate personnel are shoreside, they don’t see what happens onboard.” Do this instead: complete the surveys at the end of your cruise, and turn them in or submit them online. “The official feedback surveys are the only way positive messages get back to the decision makers who actually decide my bookings, pay rate and more,” Alissa explains. “If a worker really stands out to you on your cruise in any department, please mention them by name in the guest post-cruise survey. Telling the cruise director or guest services will do very little to benefit that employee who went above and beyond.” Helping to bring in the boat after an excursion or expedition It takes a lot of effort to get that Zodiac or tender boat back to where it needs to be after an excursion, and if you can help, why wouldn’t you? Well, because it’s not actually as helpful as you think it is. “Some guests grab the poles to ‘help’ when they are approaching the platform and returning to the ship, but this causes the boat to jerk, or the boat must pull away again from the ship because they have unsteadied it,” explains one expedition team leader on a small ship about this etiquette mistake. “Guests can also injure themselves by pulling too hard and straining a muscle, or they can hurt their hands and fingers.” Another problem? Sometimes people stand up in the boat, which causes a danger to the group, since the driver can’t see properly. Do this instead: stay seated in the boat, and hold on tightly to the ropes until the boat is secured by the expedition team and crew on the ship. The team will tell you when it’s safe to get up and how to leave the boat. Leave the navigation to the experts to keep you and everyone else safe. Offering to buy an entertainer a drink during the show If you’re enjoying the performances of a singer, dancer or piano player on your ship, you might want to buy them a drink to say thank you during the show. However, that’s not the best way to express your gratitude. Plus, it might not even be allowed. “I worked for some cruise lines where our contracts explicitly stated we could not have alcohol onstage or drink close to showtime,” explains Alissa. “In some instances, this is a fireable offense.” Plus, it can be awkward. “We don’t want to be rude,” she adds, “but we also cannot break our contract rules.” Beyond that, beverages are expensive for cruise-ship guests – but workers can buy their drinks at cost. “I feel bad accepting a $17 to $20 drink from a guest that would cost me $1.25 in the crew bar,” Alissa explains. Do this instead: show your appreciation for a worker by tipping them or purchasing a piece of merchandise. And remember: while you’re on holiday, they’re working, and there are certain lines you shouldn’t cross. Asking personal questions to be friendly It’s easy to get cosy with cruise ship employees. After all, you’re all at sea together for an extended period of time, and it’s their job to make sure you’re happy and comfortable. Since they’re seeing you with your family or hearing about your adventures, it seems rude not to reciprocate and ask them about themselves. While that’s certainly true to a degree, the problem comes when you forget that this is a professional relationship, not a friendship. “Guests ask very personal questions,” says Steve M.*, who’s been a cruise director for more than 15 years. “I am an open book, and I always say, ‘If you are ready for the answer, I will tell you the truth.’ Then you tell the truth and they either take offense or try to change you.” Think: relationships (like, why they aren’t married or chose not to have kids), religion and politics. Just like at the Christmas dinner table, these conversations can get uncomfortable quickly. Do this instead: say hello and definitely be cordial, but limit your conversations to casual small talk. And before posing any personal questions, ask yourself this: How would you feel if the tables were turned—especially if you were being asked these questions at work? *Steve M. is a pseudonym. Going to your stateroom as soon as you board the ship While you might think it’s polite to get out of the way of other passengers during the boarding process by heading straight to your cabin, you’ll actually be in the way of employees if your stateroom isn’t ready. Sometimes, especially on smaller vessels, guests are permitted to board the ship before the rooms have been completely turned over and refreshed from the prior passengers. “If you arrive at your room too early, it slows down the process,” says Steve. “Plus, the crew then must be polite and become engaged with guests, which is not helpful.” And let’s not forget about your luggage, which takes a while to actually get to your room and won’t be there when you are! Do this instead: if you board early, wait until the ship’s personnel announce when the staterooms are ready. (Or board later for less of an issue – and to skip the boarding rush.) While you wait, have lunch at the buffet restaurant, check out the cruise ship’s hidden features or chill out by the pool. Just remember to pack your bathing suit in your carry-on so you have access to it right away! Stacking plates for your sever It seems like stacking the plates would make it easier for your server to pick up dirty dishes, but this can actually cause all sorts of problems. “It really messes up removing the plates, especially if the standard in the restaurant is not to stack plates but take them away one or two at a time,” explains one restaurant employee with a small cruise line. “And it actually makes it more difficult to clear and wash the plates for the dishwashers.” The latter is especially true when the passengers haven’t eaten everything on their plates. This causes an uneven stack, which makes it difficult for the server to carry the stack back to the dishwasher … who also has to deal with a huge mess, since the bottoms of the plates are now covered in goop from the plates above them. Do this instead: let the servers do their jobs. They have been trained in the ship’s preferred plate-removal method, and they’ll get those items to the back in the most efficient, least messy way possible. Tipping your server on the restaurant check If you’re dining at a specialty restaurant and you’ve had excellent service, you’ll want to leave a tip. But here’s what you probably don’t realise: “Passengers may think they are generously tipping a crew member by writing in a tip on the receipt, but it sadly doesn’t go to that crew member,” says one server with a large cruise line. “My understanding is that it goes into the ship’s account, and that’s how the ship pays for the ‘gratuities paid for’ incentives you see when you book your trip. It’s kind of distributed between all the crew … and maybe not even that.” Do this instead: “It is way better to tip a crew member directly with cash,” she says. “That way, you are sure that member got the tip you think they deserved – and that you really wanted them to have. [But] the crew are not allowed to tell passengers that.” Complimenting an entertainer's looks or appearance Sure, compliments can be lovely, but they can also be super awkward when they’re from someone you barely know. “A big thing that bothers me is when passengers comment on my looks or my body, thinking it’s polite and a compliment,” explains Madeline D., a production singer on some of the larger cruise ships. “One time I had a guest, who was a repeat cruiser, tell me I looked like I lost weight.” There are many things wrong with a statement like that, starting with the fact that it’s an assumption and an inherent judgement, not to mention a backhanded compliment. It also implies that the guest is staring at her body and looking at it in an inappropriate way. Depending on the situation, it could also border on flirting, which crosses a line too. Do this instead: save comments about appearances for friends and family – and honestly, maybe not even that. If you want to say something nice to a performer on the ship, tell them you enjoyed their performance that evening. Telling the piano player how much you're enjoying the song Cruise directors are also singers and entertainers, so they’re interacting with passengers in those roles as well while on board. According to Steve, some passengers love a performance so much that they want to tell the performer right away – even in the middle of said performance. “Guests will come to talk to you in the middle of a song to tell you how much they are enjoying your music, but then it’s sometimes difficult to remember where you were, and you can lose the song,” he says. “While it’s nice that people appreciate your talent, there are other ways of showing it.” Do this instead: wait until the performance is over so you don’t accidentally trip up the performer. You’ll enjoy the song more this way, anyway – and so will your fellow cruisers! Not letting the crew know when there's a problem You may not want to bother employees or say anything negative while on your cruise, but this is a mistake. The crew is there to make sure you have an incredible experience, and they really want to help you make the most of it. Plus, your unhappiness will eventually seep out. “Guests will say they love everything while on board, and then in their survey, they’ll nitpick about very small things, and by the end of the review, they are unhappy,” says Steve. Do this instead: if you’re not happy about something, let guest services know as soon as possible. And if you’re not happy with your meal, let the maître d’ know so they can bring you something more satisfactory. Remember: the ship’s staff and crew can’t fix something that they don’t know is wrong; let them know what’s going on, give them a chance to make it right and turn this into the best cruise you’ve ever taken. As mentioned earlier, the guest surveys are taken seriously – and used to determine staffing and pay rates – so it truly doesn’t help anyone when you’re complaining after the fact. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/travel/11-polite-habits-cruise-workers-actually-dislike-and-what-to-do-instead?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Cruising

I’ve worked on cruise ships for 10 years – these are the mistakes every traveller should avoid

Cruise tips for the perfect trip For more than a decade, I have worked on some of the best cruise lines, and for the last six years, I’ve been a cruise director. It’s a dream job: I am the face and voice of a 3,600-person-capacity ship, organising entertainment around the clock for guests, creating the master schedules, coordinating excursions, hosting special events and so much more. I’ve been on hundreds of cruises and live on a ship for most of the year, so it’s safe to say that I know a few cruise tips you’ll find useful. I also know a thing or two about the mistakes people make when it comes to cruises, whether they’re first-time cruisers or regulars. From creating a smart cruise packing list to finding the best deals at sea, these insider cruise tips will ensure that you have the best trip possible. Booking too late It is true that if you’re very flexible with your travel plans and/or you live near a popular port-of-call, you can get some great bargains on cruises by booking at the last minute. But those opportunities are harder to come by these days, thanks to sophisticated computer algorithms that do a great job of adjusting prices to fill bookings earlier. What to do instead: If you’re sure you want to book a particular cruise or your travel plans aren’t flexible, book as early as possible – as in, the date bookings open. Prices will be at their lowest then, but if for some reason they do drop, you can ask customer service to match the new lower price. Just be aware that price adjustments need to be made before the “final booking window,” when all rates are locked in, usually one to three months before departure. Not asking for an upgrade Post-pandemic, a lot of ships are sailing at low capacity, so there are often plenty of open rooms. People are often nervous to ask for an upgrade, but those rooms will just be left empty if they’re not filled by departure time. We love making guests happy, and as long as you’re polite and phrase it as a question, not a demand, we’ll do our best! What to do instead: When you arrive, talk to any of the employees greeting guests about rooms available for upgrades. Different cruise lines have different policies, and the employees will know how to help you. And in case you were wondering, you can ask for an upgrade regardless of how you purchased your tickets. If you’re there for a special event, like a milestone anniversary or a honeymoon, definitely mention it – even if you can’t get an upgrade, they will find other ways to make your cruise special. Some cruises also allow you to “bid” for an upgrade, meaning that you can offer an extra amount of money for that nicer cabin. This is still a good deal, since even with the extra fee, it’s still cheaper than if you had paid the original rate for that room. Not packing a carry-on bag This is one of those cruise tips you’ll really be glad you know before your next trip. Many people overpack their main luggage and don’t give enough thought to what they’re toting in their carry-ons. Remember: It takes several hours minimum to get your luggage to you. Luggage times can range from a couple of hours to half a day, depending on staffing levels and your cabin location. This is why it’s essential to have a day pack with anything you’ll need right away – and don’t forget the fun stuff! What to do instead: Pack a roomy carry-on with medication, contact solution, a change of clothing, a swimsuit, sunscreen, sunglasses, sandals or other items you’ll want to have immediate access to. Being rude or cold to the crew We’re here to help you, but we’re not slaves. I’ve seen passengers have full meltdowns over everything from not being able to get prescription medication from the first-aid station, to the buffet not having a dish they ate on a different cruise line, to their towels being folded instead of shaped, like they saw on Instagram. Regardless of your demeanour with us, we’ll always do our best to help you, but we won’t be motivated to go above and beyond for you. Keep in mind that some events, such as dinner with the captain, are by invitation only or are not advertised, and having a crew member to help you get your name on the golden ticket could make your cruise experience something out of this world. What to do instead: Be polite and kind to the crew. To be clear: You’re allowed to complain, and we definitely want to know if something isn’t right or if it could be better, but just remember that we’re people too – often operating on very little sleep. Not taking advantage of flash deals During booking or before boarding, many cruises offer limited amounts of “flash deals” for things like entertainment shows or drink packages. Many people wait, thinking they can just decide once they’re on board, but you won’t find those same deals on the ship. And these deals are worth it: Purchasing a flash deal ahead of time could get you half-off discounts for food and alcoholic beverages, a VIP excursion or priority seating at shows. Talk about an easy way to get perks and save some serious money! What to do instead: If they’re offering something you know you’ll use, it’s almost always cheaper to purchase it through a flash deal. Flash deals are publicised through a cruise’s site and via email, but the fastest way to be alerted is by installing the app for your cruise line and registering your trip. And be sure to purchase quickly, since many deals are available only for a short time and/or in limited quantities. Using the internet a lot Internet on cruise ships can be overpriced and unreliable. This is because ocean-going ships have to use satellite systems for internet, and they are slower and tend to lose service more easily. And expect to pay for the privilege of slower service – older ships still sell internet by the minute (50 to 75 cents), while state-of-the-art ships offer day passes. Day passes average about $US25 per device, per day. This can add up faster than you realise. So while it’s technologically possible to stream a Netflix movie to your cabin, it may not be the best use of your time or money. What to do instead: See it as a gift! My advice would be to switch off completely while at sea and save your money. Cruise ships are equipped for maximum entertainment, and you should take advantage of all the fun we have on board. (Plus, in a cruise tip that doubles as a life tip, it’s good for you to do a mini digital detox and take a break from social media every once in a while.) If you do need to use the internet – say, to check your work emails or contact family – it will be cheapest and fastest to wait until you’re at port and find a Wi-Fi hot spot. Otherwise, just plan to use the ship’s internet strategically; have a plan before logging on rather than just surfing. Not signing up for the free loyalty program All major cruise lines have loyalty programs that offer real perks, including discounts on tickets, free meals, free internet, priority embarkation and disembarkation, and even free cruises. If you don’t sign up, you’re missing out. While the perks will depend on what “tier” of the loyalty program you sign up for, top-tier loyalty programs are the best deal for serious cruisers. That’s where you’ll be treated like royalty, with upgrades, special events, free or heavily discounted tickets, priority booking and lots of other extras. What to do instead: The base programs are free to sign up, and you’ll want to register for them as soon as possible because you can start earning points immediately. Higher-tier programs are fee-based, but they can be a great deal depending on what amenities you want and how often you plan to cruise. You will be offered the chance to sign up or upgrade during the booking process, but if you miss it, you can sign up at check-in or at any point during the cruise – even when disembarking. Depending on the package and loyalty tier, some of your points will be available immediately for use on your current cruise. Some major cruise lines, like Royal Caribbean, have partnerships with major credit cards that allow you to use your card to rack up loyalty points throughout the year. Sticking to the buffets Yes, buffets are fantastic because they offer a wide variety of popular foods, and it’s all-you-can-eat around the clock. But if you’re only eating at the buffets, you’re missing some of the best food on the cruise! The restaurants are designed to give you a full dining experience and offer regional or specialty cuisines that can’t be found on the buffet. Plus, you can order according to your taste and special-order dishes if you have particular dietary concerns. Many restaurants offer extras like dining with the chef, watching the food be prepared or special entertainment events. What to do instead: Ask your host about special dining events, like the chef’s table, or to help you get reservations for a specialty meal – for instance, a Brazilian steakhouse meal or a five-course tasting with wine pairings. These dining experiences usually cost extra, but they’re totally worth it. Try to book two or three if you can. Not using room service enough When you’re staying at a hotel, you might forgo room service because it can get pricey – or because you can’t order whatever you want, whenever you want it. That’s not necessarily the case on a cruise. Post-pandemic, you can order anything off the menu through room service, 24/7… But not all the food is free. You may have to pay extra for that cheeseburger at 3am. What to do instead: While what’s included in room service varies from cruise line to cruise line, as well as what package you’ve booked, breakfast will likely be free – no matter what. Make the most of this cruise ship secret, and you never have to leave your room for breakfast again if you don’t want to! One etiquette-based cruise tip, though: While tipping isn’t necessary, if you do order room service in the middle of the night, consider tipping the staff a few dollars when they bring it. Not reading the ship's insurance policy If you enjoy doing adventurous activities like ziplining and surfing, make sure you know the risks and what you are covered for in case of an emergency. The ship’s insurance policy covers only the very basic things – those that are directly the cruise line’s responsibility, like cancelled cruises or lost luggage. But anything related to your health or other travel issues won’t be covered, so you’ll need to rely on personal policies. What to do instead: Make sure to read through the insurance policy and ask your cruise host or travel agent if you have questions. Check with your personal insurance provider to see exactly what they cover for cruises and/or out-of-country trips. And it’s never a bad idea to purchase separate travel insurance. Going to Medical for sea sickness Cruises are required to have a certified doctor on the ship, but it costs money to get medical care onboard. Doctors bill an hourly rate – often around $US100 per hour – plus fees for any services or extra supplies. Cruise-ship medical bills can range from $US50 to thousands of dollars if you end up needing to be helicoptered out. However, many medical items are available for free through the customer concierge, so save those medical trips for illnesses or injuries that really require a doctor’s attention. What to do instead: Seasickness pills and other over-the-counter meds, such as ibuprofen and Tylenol, are free through guest services, as well as things like adhesive bandages, heating pads and wraps. Stop by the host station, ask any staff member or call directly from your cabin. Pro tip: If you’re prone to seasickness, ask for a cabin on a low deck and mid-ship, since they pitch the least in relation to the rest of the ship. Taking sketchy DIY excursions This really depends on the location, but in lesser-known areas, it is generally wise to stick to the ship-sponsored excursions as opposed to relying on sales pitches from locals, taking internet advice or just winging it. After all, you want to make sure you don’t get taken advantage of, you’re safe and the ship doesn’t leave without you if the excursion runs late! What to do instead: Stick to reputable excursions. Your cruise director will have a list of ship-sponsored excursions and will also be able to advise you on local companies that the cruise line has worked with. It also never hurts to do research before setting sail, looking up your particular ports-of-call and seeing what excursions you might want to ask about. Going too far from the ship It’s fine to go ashore independently and find your own adventures, but I’ve seen too many guests end up losing track of time or distance, and then end up waving the ship goodbye from shore. If this happens, you’ll have to find your own travel to the cruise ship’s next port of call. What to do instead: Instead of driving yourself, find a local taxi driver who knows the area well. Just be sure to negotiate the price and time before hopping in. If you do decide to go it alone, stay fairly close to port, watch the clock and build in extra time for things like traffic jams. Make sure to get back to the boat at least 30 minutes before boarding time. Underestimating how windy it gets at sea Anytime you’re outside on the ship, make sure to secure all your belongings. Hold on tightly if you’re walking around, and if you’re putting your items down, place them in a zippered bag attached to a chair or table, or tether larger items (like blankets) to furniture. It doesn’t take much wind to launch your mobile phone, hat or glasses into the ocean. This happens far more often than you might think! What to do instead: I recommend that guests always bring towel clips for securing towels, clothing, thongs and other flighty items. Your ship may come equipped with some anti-wind protections like special shelters by the pool, lockers or wind breaks. Not honouring cruise traditions Ships, cruise lines and even cruising culture in general have their own traditions. The most popular one on all cruise lines is the “Cruising Duck.” Never heard of it? Guests bring a rubber duck and hide it around the ship to be discovered by others. But there are many more traditions based on individual cruise lines, travel routes or themes (say, a Disney cruise), and part of the fun is getting to discover them. You can read up about them on online forums or just wait to be surprised. What to do instead: Participating in these little traditions will make it more fun for you on your trip, and it’s a great way to integrate yourself into the cruising community. It’s especially fun if you’re doing a themed cruise. Not following current health protocols Health protocols change often, especially post-pandemic. For instance, most cruise ships now require proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Some are still doing rapid tests before boarding. Most prefer (but don’t require) you to wear a mask if you develop any symptoms of illness while aboard. If you test positive for an infectious illness, you’ll be quarantined. And remember, it’s not just COVID they’re concerned about: Outbreaks of norovirus and influenza are common in the close quarters of cruise ships. What to do instead: Stay up to date on the current rules, and do your best to follow them. This information should be given to you the week before your cruise, via email or your online portal. You can also check the website, call customer service or talk to a host during the boarding process. But please don’t argue with us – we don’t make the rules. If you need clarification or an exception, speak to the ship’s doctor. Not booking your next cruise while you're still on the ship This may sound crazy, but it’s one of the smartest cruise tips. Booking your next cruise while on your current cruise is a terrific way to make the most of free onboard credit and loyalty points. Once you leave the ship, the deals they’re offering will be gone. What to do instead: Ask your host about what deals they are offering before you disembark. This is the best time to get a great deal on your favourite cruises – and ones that won’t be available at a later date. Cruise lines really want you to book your next cruise while you’re still there and excited, so they may offer you a cheaper upgrade to a higher tier of the loyalty program and/or nicer perks on your next cruise. If you can book at this time, you definitely should. Image credits: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/travel/cruising/ive-worked-on-cruise-ships-for-10-years-these-are-the-mistakes-every-traveller-should-avoid?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Cruising

"That's what it's all about": Bunnings worker praised for act of kindness

A Bunnings worker has been praised after his wholesome interaction with an elderly customer went viral. The employee, who at the time was on shift at Rothwell Bunnings in Queensland’s Moreton Bay Region, was applauded for his kind act as he helped a woman back to her car. He was spotted slowly guiding an elderly woman across the road while having a “lovely conversation”. The sweet moment was later shared to social media where it has since attracted a huge reaction. “I wanted to share a photo that makes my heart sing,” the woman behind the post to Facebook wrote. “A worker from Bunnings at Rothwell accompanying an older lady to her car. They were having a lovely conversation and he didn’t seem to mind that it took her a bit longer.” She went on to praise the worker on his patience and kindness, and called for his employer to share their recognition of the young man. “Well done to this young man for his kindness and compassion, he should be very proud of the person that he is. “I would also like to say to Bunnings Warehouse Australia that this staff member’s a superstar and should be acknowledged because his humanity and kindness also reflects well on Bunnings.” Dozens of people flocked to the comments to agree with the post, singing their praises for the young worker. “It’s great to see employees going out of their way to help their customers. Bunnings is one company where this is not a rarity. Well done to the employee, it warms the heart to see this happening nowadays,” one comment read. “He is amazing. I hope Bunnings realise how valuable he is,” someone else wrote. “Well done, what a caring young man. I hope you have a lot of happiness in your life. You deserve only the best,” a third wrote. Others agreed gestures of this nature made a significant difference in the community. “And that’s what it’s all about, helping elderly people in the community. It all makes a difference to them and they appreciate it very much,” one remarked. Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook

Caring

Office worker sent home for “distracting” outfit

An office worker has claimed she was sent home from work for wearing a “distracting” dress. US woman Marie Dee wore a black figure-hugging dress with a high neckline to her office on a standard work day, but a human resources employee allegedly deemed her outfit inappropriate. The mother-of-two secretly filmed herself being confronted by the “HR girl” who dubbed her dress “way too revealing and distracting” for the office. “Guys it happened again, I’m getting sent home for my outfit,” Marie said in the viral TikTok video. “This is getting ridiculous.” The footage shows Marie walking over to the HR employee’s office to ask what was wrong with her outfit. “I’m sorry you still can’t wear that. It’s way too revealing and distracting,” the HR woman can be heard saying. Confused, Marie responded, “It’s distracting?” to which the HR staff member replied, “Very.” The video has been viewed more than 20 million times, with thousands of commenters jumping to Marie’s defence. “I’m an HR leader and I think your outfit is professional and polished,” one said. Another wrote, “You look very professional, I think the HR girl is a bit jealous that you are so beautiful.” One suggested, “I’m an HR manager and I would wear that myself!” Another added, “You look great and very professional... I don’t understand. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Another person said, “HR seems to be overstepping here. I don’t think anything is wrong here.” Image credits: TikTok

Beauty & Style

Mining workers win $53 million jackpot after “spur of the moment” purchase

It’s said lightning doesn’t strike twice but apparently the lottery does, after a group of miners from Kalgoorlie-Boulder won a share of the $160 million ($NZD 176 millioin) Powerball jackpot - the second time a winning ticket has come from the West Australian mining town. The group of 20 workers had formed a lottery syndicate, chipping in $100 ($NZD 110) each and walking away with a slice of $53 million ($NZD 58 million) in division one winnings on Thursday. With each worker pocketing about $2.65 million ($NZD 2.92 million), the win has come as a shock to them and their boss, who quipped that he would “run after them” and steal their ticket if they didn’t come back to work. Peter, one of the lucky winners, told <a href="https://www.6pr.com.au/exclusive-record-powerball-winner-says-goldfield-syndicate-had-never-played-lotto-before/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6PR Radio</a> that the win was “still sinking in”. “I only thought we’d won the second division,” he said. “This was a one-off because it was a big draw … it was a spur of the moment thing. “I couldn’t believe it, I checked the ticket about 10 times.” He went on to tell 9News that it had been “life changing” for all of them and that nobody believed he had won since he’s “a bit of a joker”. Chris Wood, the miners’ boss, said he was still in disbelief at the news too. “They’re great workers; it is my best shift,” Mr Wood told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-28/second-goldfields-powerball-winner/101591758" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. “I’m ecstatic. I’m very happy for each of them. I expect I might lose them, though.” Despite his concerns, one of the miners has already confirmed she would be sticking around after the win. “‘You know how they say, one Powerball and I’m out of here? Well, it ain’t true,” she said in a video shared on Facebook. “I’ve known since the start of my shift and I’m still loading trucks.” “So yeah, there’s 18 at my work who are now millionaires.” The group, colloquially referring to themselves as the “We Outta Here” Syndicate, pinned their winning tickets on the workplace pinboard, having purchased the winning ticket from a newsagency in Boulder, 600km east of Perth. They aren’t the first to rake in a massive lotto win in the town either, after 250 Kalgoorlie residents pooled their tickets to claim the $63 million ($NZD 69 million) jackpot in February. As for the remainder of the $160 million Powerball jackpot, it was split between two winners - a NSW dad and a man from Clyde, Victoria, who cried “tears of joy” upon hearing the news. “Oh my god, oh my god. I can’t believe this!” he cried. “Holy s**t! Far out! I’m absolutely speechless. “I never thought I’d get this phone call. This has changed my life!” The winning numbers for Thursday’s Powerball draw were 10, 4, 12, 18, 2, 34, and 7, with 7 being the Powerball number. Images: Getty Images / 7News

Money & Banking

Cruise worker shares behind-the-scenes look at cruise ship

A cruise employee has given the world a look at the areas strictly for crew members aboard the world’s biggest cruise ship. Bryan James, who works as a musician on board the Royal Caribbean vessel Wonder of the Seas, has shared clips of spaces off-limits to passengers below deck, including shops, bedrooms and areas to socialise away from cruise goers, per The Sun. In one TikTok video, James shows viewers a “secret hang out” located inside the ship’s funnel, explaining that it is a perfect spot to watch sunsets. “I just discovered a new place yesterday,” James said. “It’s like a secret hangout that’s by the funnel of the ship. “And not even by the funnel. I mean, it’s in the funnel and it’s so pretty to be up here and to see the sunset.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/cruise-secrets1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The cruise shop is off-limits to cruise passengers and was vital for workers stuck on ships during the pandemic according to Bryan James. Images: @bryanjames.music (TikTok) Another area James gave a behind-the-scenes look at was the crew shop, which is located below deck and only staff members can visit. He explained that the shop, which is where you can get “pretty much anything” you need, became crucial during the eight-month period during the pandemic where workers weren’t allowed to leave the ship to visit ports. “There was a time when crew weren’t allowed off the ship for eight months,” he recalled. “It was like Christmas morning every single time the store got restocked, there was such a long line.” James also showed off his quarters, described as the “world’s smallest cruise ship cabin”. He demonstrated how he could touch all four of his bedroom walls at the same time, despite a single bed, TV, sink and cupboards somehow being squeezed in. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/cruise-secrets2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Bryan James described his bedroom as the “world’s smallest cruise ship cabin”, complete with an equally small bathroom that he shares with another cabin. Images: @bryanjames.music (TikTok) The musician has an equally tiny bathroom, including a shower that he has to duck under in order to use. To make matters even more cramped, James revealed he shares his bathroom with another cabin. As for what staff eat, James said it was pretty similar to the buffets passengers are treated to during their stays. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/cruise-secrets3.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The tasty buffets passengers enjoyed are a shared experience for cruise employees, with a menu that often changes. Images: @bryanjames.music (TikTok) He added that the food changes frequently for staff, but that there was always a salad bar. In the clip, he also showed the vast array of desserts available, including a crepe station, as well as the meats and cheeses staff members have access to during meal times. Images: Getty Images / @bryanjames.music (TikTok)

Cruising

Hotel worker busted going through traveller’s luggage

A traveller has shared a hotel story from hell, revealing he secretly filmed a hotel worker going through his possessions after he checked in and unpacked. The guest captured the footage of a housekeeper appearing to sift through his belongings and look in his safe, after he utilised the hidden webcam on his laptop. Sharing the video on TikTok, the traveller issued a warning to his followers, with the caption, “Pro travel tip: you can turn your laptop into a security camera.” The video then shows the housekeeper helping himself to a beverage out of the mini fridge, before starting to rummage through the wardrobe. “Be careful when you’re travelling. This was the first time I set up a camera and caught this.” Luckily, the housekeeper didn’t take any belongings from the savvy traveller, although they still reported the incident to hotel management. They said the hotel “managed the situation professionally”, and the housekeeper was fired “on the spot”. The guest said when booking the hotel, they noticed a series of reviews mentioning thefts but weren’t able to find any proof, hence they felt the need to set up the camera. The video has racked up over 170,000 likes, with many people in the comment section saying they rely on similar technology to keep their belongings secure. One nervous traveller commented, “This is exactly why I barely take anything out of my suitcase, always keep my lock on it and always travel with the keys.” Image credits: TikTok

Travel Tips

Woolies worker seriously stabbed while stacking shelves

A Woolworths worker who was allegedly randomly stabbed with a 40cm has opened up about the terrifying ordeal. Donna Grocott was stacking shelves in the pet aisle at Woolworths in Ellenbrook Central in northeast Perth when she was allegedly stabbed in the back of her hip by Cassandra Hickling on August 16. The 44-year-old worker was rushed to hospital with the 40cm knife still lodged in her back and required seven staples after it was removed. She also suffered injuries to her fingers but says she is lucky to be alive after the knife failed to puncture any major organs. “I feel very fortunate that my injuries were not worse,” Ms Grocott said. “I’d like to thank the people who helped me at the store and the emergency responders and the hospital staff for taking care of me.” Hickling, 35, was arrested at her home and charged with attempted murder. She remains behind bars awaiting her court appearance at the end of the month. Midland Police Detective Sergeant Tania Mackenzie confirmed the women did not know each other and that Hickling purchased the knife from a different shop. “(It is) something I’ve never heard of happening before in my career,” she said. “It was just someone going about their day-to-day work, stacking shelves in the shopping centre. “There’s been no one else in the aisle and she’s been approached by the suspect who has (allegedly) stabbed her with a filleting knife.” Woolworths is offering counselling to staff. Images: 7News/Facebook

Caring

Mortuary worker reveals secrets of the job you've always wanted to know

A woman who works in a mortuary has shared some little known facts about her morbid job. Emma Yates, an anatomical pathology technician from London, also debunked some of the myths about death on her TikTok page, which has left many people amazed. According to Emma, one of the most common myths about death is that dead bodies are always stiff, however she revealed that this only occurs for around 36 hours after death before bodies return to being limp. Another common myth about death suggests that a body's nails and hair can still grow after death. Emma says this is not true but more of an optical illusion, as the skin tends to shrink from dehydration, giving the impression these parts are still growing. Her video titled "Mr Dibbs (Emma's cat) and I bust your myths about dead bodies" racked up nearly 15,000 views and thousands of comments from curious viewers wanting to know more. She also revealed that people tend to think there is no blood in the body because it's dead, but that isn't the case. She explained, "When you do post-mortems, the blood will pull to the base of the body so if you're lying on your back it will pull to the back of your body." Another common misconception is that dead bodies can randomly sit up but Emma assured that "dead bodies do not sit up on the post-mortem table." She said, "Sometimes there is gas left in the body so the muscles will twitch a little bit but you'll need a lot of muscle to sit up and dead bodies don't have that." One person commented, "I work in a hospital and I always hope the dead are treated with respect, but humour must be essential in a mortuary." Emma replied to the healthcare worker, "We always treat them with respect just as you would a living patient. Humour helps you get through the worst days." Image credits: TikTok / Getty Images

Body

Moral injury: what happens when exhausted health workers can no longer provide the care they want for their patients

Healthcare workers in New Zealand already face life-and-death decisions daily. But as multiple winter illnesses add pressure to a system already stretched by COVID, staff now also have to deal with <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/300534812/covid19-union-and-frontline-worker-say-staff-at-middlemore-hospital-facing-increasing-abuse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">daily abuse</a>, acute <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/05/christchurch-hospital-cancels-surgeries-as-it-hits-112-pct-capacity.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">staff shortages</a> and <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/06/17/dhb-clashes-with-union-over-stretched-palmerston-north-ed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unsafe working conditions</a>. At times, they cannot provide the care they would like for their patients. The impact on health workers is often described as <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/great-minds-health-workers-on-covid-19-frontlines-burnt-and-bled-by-two-years-of-virus/T7JXOXGXEKKCICUNOMUJYT4QWM/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stress and burnout</a>. The consequences of this prolonged pressure can be seen in the number of <a href="https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/undoctored/acem-welcomes-111b-health-nz-budget-urges-fixes-health-workforce-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">doctors</a>, <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/nursing-shortage-nurses-broken-while-sector-faces-thousands-of-vacancies/L7NUXOPG4AB472OKXOH5QJSUMU/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nurses</a> and other <a href="https://capsulenz.com/be/therapist-shortage-nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">health professionals</a> leaving their jobs for overseas positions and the private sector, or being lost to their professions completely. Many of these healthcare workers may well be suffering from a more serious form of psychological distress than burnout: moral injury. <a href="https://www.phoenixaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Moral-Stress-Healthcare-Workers-COVID-19-Guide-to-Moral-Injury.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moral injury</a> refers to the psychological, social and spiritual impact of events on a person who holds strong values (such as caring for patients) and operates in high-stakes situations (hospital emergency care), but has to act in a way inconsistent with those values. Examples include having to turn patients away despite them being in pain or discomfort; being unable to provide adequate care due to staff shortages; having to care for a dying patient isolated from their loved ones while wearing full protective gear. Symptoms of moral injury can include strong feelings of guilt and shame (about not being able to uphold healthcare values, for example) as well as high levels of anger and contempt towards the system that prevents proper care. High levels of self-criticism, loss of trust in people and organisations and a weakening of personal relationships are further <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(21)00113-9/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">symptoms</a> of moral injury. It can be viewed as a <a href="https://www.afta.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Physicians-aren%E2%80%99t-%E2%80%98burning-out.%E2%80%99-They%E2%80%99re-suffering-from-moral-injury..pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more severe form of burnout</a>. But while burnout can happen in most workplaces, moral injury requires the three core components listed above. From war to the operating table The term moral injury arose in <a href="https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/cooccurring/moral_injury.asp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">military psychology</a> to refer to situations where, for example, soldiers were unable to intervene to save lives in case they risked breaching the rules of engagement. More recently, the term has been adapted to apply to healthcare. Viewing the experiences of health workers through this lens can help us understand why they may experience a seesawing emotional state and the confusing conflict of simultaneously wanting to be at work while wishing they were anywhere but. For healthcare workers, understanding the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6752815/#:%7E:text=Over%20time%2C%20these%20repetitive%20insults,is%20in%20some%20way%20deficient" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concept of moral injury</a> may help reframe it as something that is happening to them rather than because they don’t have the skills to cope. The latter can sometimes be a mistaken implication of the term burnout. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Exhausted nurse" /><figcaption>Staff shortages can take health workers beyond exhaustion and burnout. Getty Images</figcaption></figure> While healthcare workers are largely at the mercy of the organisations they work for, there are some steps individuals can take to alleviate moral injury. Firstly, simply recognising they may be suffering from this condition can reduce confusion and validate their experiences. Secondly, reconnecting back to an individual’s values and beliefs can help refocus and re-energise, at least temporarily. Reminding themselves why they got into this job in the first place is a useful place to start. Organisational responses Organisations and businesses must play a lead role in preventing and treating moral injury. Many of the factors leading to it (lack of resources or staff, a pandemic or peak flu season) are outside the control of individuals. Most modern businesses will be aware they have a legal responsibility under the 2015 <a href="https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2015/0070/latest/DLM5976660.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Health and Safety at Work Act</a> to look after their employees’ mental and physical well-being. At a high level, organisations can advocate for systemic change and increases in funding and resourcing, where needed. But these higher-level changes take time to achieve. In the meantime, it is important healthcare workers are protected and supported. Broad steps an organisation can take to prevent or reduce moral injury include removing the burden of difficult ethical decisions from frontline workers and instead adopting evidence-based policies to guide an organisation-wide response. Where possible, rotating staff between high and low-stress environments may help. Providing funding for workers to access professional psychological supervision is another practical step businesses can consider. At a team level, it can be helpful to have leaders who are visible, validating and can help make sense of the moral conflict. Leaders can also play a role in keeping alive professional values and modelling their own struggles with the situation. The general public also has a role to play in supporting healthcare workers. Any steps we can take to protect our own health and thereby reduce pressure on the system can have a cumulative effect on the well-being of doctors, nurses and allied health clinicians. The health of our nation rests with those who work in this field and it is in all our interest that their health is protected and prioritised.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185485/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dougal-sutherland-747623" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dougal Sutherland</a>, Clinical Psychologist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/te-herenga-waka-victoria-university-of-wellington-1200" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/moral-injury-what-happens-when-exhausted-health-workers-can-no-longer-provide-the-care-they-want-for-their-patients-185485" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Caring

Top CEOs make workers’ yearly salaries in just FOUR days

Leaders of some of the UK’s biggest companies will have made more money by 9am local time (10pm NZDT) on January 7 than the average UK worker earns in a year. A new <a rel="noopener" href="https://highpaycentre.org/high-pay-day-2022/" target="_blank">analysis</a> from the High Pay Centre, a UK think-tank that campaigns for fair pay for workers, suggests that a FTSE 100 chief executive (working at any of the 100 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange) will have earned more than an average full-time UK worker’s annual salary. The High Pay Centre’s calculations are based on government statistics relating to pay levels across the economy, as well as previous analyses of CEO pay disclosures in annual reports. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Today the median FTSE100 CEO's earnings for 2022 will surpass the median annual wage for a full-time worker in the UK Such extreme inequality is immoral, unacceptable & unsustainable. Wealth in this country has to be shared more fairly & more evenly<a href="https://twitter.com/HighPayCentre?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HighPayCentre</a> — Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) <a href="https://twitter.com/CarolineLucas/status/1479354617167110145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2022</a></blockquote> This year marks the first in the last ten years of reporting by the High Pay Centre where CEOs have made the same amount as average UK workers within the first four working days of the year. In previous reports, CEOs have typically surpassed the average yearly wage by January 6. According to data from 2020 - the latest full-year figures - FTSE100 CEOs were paid £2.7 million ($NZD 5.43 million) on average that year, which is nearly 86 times the average salary of £31, 285 ($NZD 62,948), as reported by <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jan/07/ftse-bosses-pay-average-9am" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>. The 2020 financial year saw the average wage for CEOs fall, with many bosses taking wage cuts and cancelling their bonuses during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Today is <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HighPayDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HighPayDay</a>. Just prior to 9am today, CEOs' earnings for 2022 will surpass the median UK full time salary. As key workers face a cost of living crisis, we need urgent action to ensure wealth is shared more fairly in our society. <a href="https://t.co/RC5ah2daxs">https://t.co/RC5ah2daxs</a> — High Pay Centre (@HighPayCentre) <a href="https://twitter.com/HighPayCentre/status/1479347068330123269?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2022</a></blockquote> Though most companies are yet to release figures for the financial year ending in 2021, the High Pay Centre’s report found that 57 percent of those who have done so have recorded increased wages for CEOs. The country’s biggest unions have said the disparity between bosses and ordinary workers was “disgraceful”, demanding that companies be forced to appoint a frontline worker to executive pay committees. “The pandemic has shown us all who keeps the country going during a crisis,” Frances O’Grady, the general secretary of the Trade Union Congress, said. “There are millions of hardworking people in Britain - from carers, to delivery drivers, to shop floor staff - who give more than they get back, but greedy executives are taking home millions while ordinary workers face yet another year of pay squeezes. “As we emerge from the pandemic we need to redesign the economy to make it fair, and that means big reforms to bring CEO pay back down to earth.” Ms O’Grady said committees that set CEO pay must be “required to include workforce representatives who can speak up for a fairer balance of pay with ordinary workers”. “Incentive schemes for company directors should be replaced by profit-share schemes that include the whole workforce,” she added. “Too much wealth is being hoarded at the top.” Top earners in the UK included Pascal Soriot, the CEO of vaccine-maker AstraZeneca, who received £15.5 million ($NZD 31.2 million), Berkeley’s Rob Perrins, who collected £8 million ($NZD 16 million), and Experian’s Brian Cassin, who earned £10.3 million ($NZD 20.7 million). Meanwhile in Australia, the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/leaders/revealed-australia-s-50-highest-paid-ceos-20211117-p599rf" target="_blank">Australian Financial Review</a> found that the paychecks of the country’s top bosses increased on average by 24 percent in the 2020-21 financial year, with Macquarie Group CEO Shemara Wikramanayake topping the list of high-earners with a reported pay of $15.97 million ($NZD 16.93 million). As for New Zealand, a survey conducted by <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/126432044/bosses-of-our-biggest-companies-can-earn-nearly-40-times-more-than-their-workers" target="_blank">Stuff</a> found that Kiwi CEOs received between 16 and 36 times worker pay, and that only half of the country’s 20 biggest companies were willing to disclose their median pay. According to the publication, Fletcher Building CEO Ross Taylor was the country’s highest earner, receiving $7 million. Though the company refused to disclose its workers’ median pay, Mr Taylor made nearly 90 times that of his workers if they received the survey’s mean pay of $80,000. Sharon Graham, the general secretary of Unite the Union, took to twitter to criticise the continued heft of CEO salaries despite the pandemic. “Is it the nurse in an intensive care unit saving the lives of those struck by Covid, or an elite investment banker making millions, who contributes most to society?” she wrote on Twitter. “Which of them stood up for all of us during the pandemic?” Image: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Cheater called out by jewellery store worker

A jewellery store worker has exposed a man’s supposed affair after she sold him two rings - one for his girlfriend and one for his “side-piece”. The woman shared the story on Tiktok in the hope of warning his girlfriend. In <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ferreiroroche/video/6962974389264583941?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhoney.nine.com.au%2F&referer_video_id=6963270190087949574&refer=embed&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1">the video</a>, she details the story while wearing a face mask and a Pandora lanyard, with the interior of the jewellery store she works in visible in the background. “If your boyfriend’s name is Jake and he lives in MTL (Montreal, Canada), he just bought two rings for his ‘girl and his sidepiece’”, she wrote in a caption during the video. She then showed the two rings the man allegedly bought: one with a small heart set with a red stone, and the other with a large clear stone in the centre. <img style="width: 360px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841388/https___prodstatic9net-2.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6edc15a3d7104580bda26d4b0f673a87" /> “You deserve better!” she wrote over the clip, adding in the caption: “Gotta support my girls.” Commenters flocked to the video, praising the woman for calling out the “cheater” and exposing him for shopping for both his partner and the “other woman” at the same store. Some expressed concern for the woman, saying that filming the clip instore could get her in trouble, depending on company policy. “I really hope you don’t get in trouble for this because he needs to be exposed!” one wrote. But, the woman released a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ferreiroroche/video/6963270190087949574?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6950773562416301570&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0">follow-up video</a> revealing that her followers didn’t need to worry as she no longer worked at that store. “I actually quit last week and waited for my last shift to expose this cheater,” she wrote in the video. The trend of “exposing cheaters” has become hugely popular on the platform, but has drawn some criticism. These kinds of clips can jeopardise a person’s employment and can draw accusations that the stories are faked in order to earn internet fame. Image credit: ferreiroroche / Tiktok

Relationships

Man charged after "coughing" on co-workers and giving them COVID-19

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> A 40-year-old man from Majorca has been arrested on assault charges after allegedly infecting more than 22 people with coronavirus. The man refused to isolate himself at the requests of his colleagues and continued to work out at the gym while displaying COVID-19 symptoms. An investigation by police into the man's behaviour began at the end of January. "Days before the outbreak was revealed, the worker began to present symptoms compatible with the disease, so his colleagues began to worry as they observed that he was not well," a police statement said. Police allege that the man was "coughing loudly all over the place" and lowering his mask at work. "I'm going to give you all the coronavirus," the man allegedly said to his colleagues. The man was tested for coronavirus but decided to go to his gym and workplace instead of isolating, resulting in the infection of eight people. The people directly infected from the man, which were five at his workplace and three at the gym, then passed the disease onto their loved ones. This includes three babies being infected with COVID-19. "The worker was arrested as the alleged perpetrator of a crime of injuries and yesterday he was placed at the disposal of the Judicial Authority," the police said. None of the people infected by the man have been admitted to hospital. </div> </div> </div>

Body

Charity worker finds huge bundle of cash in donated clothes

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Andrea Lessing got the surprise of her life when she was working at a charity shop after finding $55,000 in donated clothes. She initially didn't believe it was real and found the large sum while sorting through clothes and making sure they were in a decent condition to be sold. Lessing decided that instead of keeping the money for herself, she'd hand it over. “I have a daughter, I love her very much and you can’t put a price on my daughter,” she told KFOR. “I know what could be risked stealing that money and I do believe in karma. I do believe that if you do something good, something good will come back to you.” The anonymous donor was reunited with her money and gifted Lessing $1,300 as a reward. “Normally we have no way of knowing who the money belongs to,” Frank Holland, Vice President of Donated Goods at Goodwill, told KFOR. “Even if we wanted to try to give it back to someone, there was no way to find who that person was.” Photo credits: <a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/charity-workers-55-k-find-while-sorting-donated-clothes-075138129.html" target="_blank">Yahoo! News</a> </div> </div> </div>

Money & Banking

50% of Australians are prepared to pay more tax to improve aged care workers’ pay, survey shows

The final report from the aged care royal commission this week was damning. Speaking of a system in crisis, it calls for an urgent overhaul. The Morrison government has been facing difficult questions regarding which of the 148 recommendations it will adopt. It also needs to grapple with how to pay for the much-needed changes. On this question, the royal commissioners disagree. Commissioner Lynelle Briggs calls for a levy of 1% of taxable personal income, while commissioner Tony Pagone recommends the Productivity Commission investigate an aged care levy. A 1% levy could cost the median person who already pays the medicare levy about $610 a year, while boosting funds for the aged care sector by almost $8 billion a year. So far, the government has played down the idea of new taxes. There is a view this would be hard sell for a Coalition elected, at least in part, to lower taxation. But as debate continues about how to make the changes we need to aged care (and not just talk about it), our research suggests many Australians support a levy to improve the quality and sustainability of our aged care system. Our research In September 2020, we surveyed over 1,000 Australians aged 18 to 87 years, representative by age, gender and state. We wanted to find out how the pandemic influenced attitudes to health, well-being and caring for others. Our findings indicated overwhelming public support for aged care reform, to ensure all older Australians are treated with dignity. The vast majority of our respondents (86%) either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” Australia needed more skilled and trained aged care workers. On top of this, 80% thought aged care workers should be paid more for the work that they did. More than 80% also either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that nurses working in aged care should be paid at an equivalent rate to nurses working in the health system. Currently, nurses working in aged care are paid, on average, about 10-15% less. The crunch point Importantly, 50% of our respondents showed a willingness to pay additional tax to fund better pay and conditions for aged care workers. Of those willing to pay more tax, 70% were willing to pay 1% or more per year. This finding supports previous larger-scale research we undertook for the royal commission, before the pandemic. Here we found similar levels of public support for increased income tax contributions to support system-wide improvements. This suggests politicians seem to underestimate the public appetite for improvements to the system, and people’s willingness to contribute to achieve this. Changing ideas about economic ‘success’ Our survey findings also highlighted a growing recognition among Australians of the importance of a broader range of social and economic goals. For some time, economists, academics, organisations and peak bodies have been calling for a move away from traditional economic indicators (such as economic growth and expanding gross domestic product) at any cost, towards a broader definition of success. This would see governments focus on policies that promote a more equal distribution of wealth and well-being, where the fundamentals of community cohesion are highly valued and our natural resources are protected. We asked our survey respondents to rank the relative importance of seven key areas of public policy in framing Australia’s pathway to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including: <ul> <li>dignity (people have enough to live in comfort, safety and happiness)</li> <li>nature and climate (a restored natural world which supports life into the future)</li> <li>social connection (a sense of community belonging and institutions that serve the common good)</li> <li>fairness (equal opportunity for all Australians and the gap between the richest and the poorest greatly reduced)</li> <li>participation (having as much control over your daily life as you would want)</li> <li>economic growth (an increase in the amount of goods and services produced in Australia), and</li> <li>economic prosperity (full employment and low inflation levels). The criteria ranked most important by the largest proportion of our survey respondents were dignity (20.1%) and fairness (19.3%).</li> </ul> Traditional economic indicators were not the highest priorities for the Australians we surveyed. Instead, economic growth and prosperity were only ranked as a top priority by 15.3% and 15.2% of our respondents respectively. This suggests the general public recognises the importance of moving beyond the traditional markers of a successful society. What Australians want Our research shows significant aged care reform is entirely consistent with the current priorities of the Australian public. The burning question now is whether the Morrison government will step up to the challenge. Written by Rachel Milte and Julie Ratcliffe. This article first appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/50-of-australians-are-prepared-to-pay-more-tax-to-improve-aged-care-workers-pay-survey-shows-156299">The Conversation</a>.

Retirement Income

Starbucks worker under fire for writing 'ISIS' on Muslim customer's coffee order

A Muslim advocacy group is demanding an employee of Starbuck’s he fired after they were caught writing “ISIS” on a customer’s coffee cup. The incident took place at a store in St Paul, Minneapolis in early July. According to a Muslim customer, she told the employee her name when first asked but the employee chose to label the cup “ISIS” before she was finished. ISIS is a commonly-known acronym for terrorist organisation Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The employee has claimed they misheard the woman’s name, which is Aishah. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836845/isis-starbucks.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e5f19eff67ae4c23b3452d0a9f7f65a3" /> The Council on American-Islamic Relations, however, believe the incident is a result of Islamophobia and is demanding the worker be fired. “After noticing the writing on the cup, she asked the employee why ‘ISIS’ was written on the cup,” it said in a statement. “The employee claimed that she had not heard her name correctly. “Later, a supervisor told the Muslim customer that ‘mistakes’ sometimes happen with customers’ names, suggesting that this is not the first incident.” The Starbucks, which is operated by a Target store in Minneapolis, have since apologised for the incident. According to local outlet Pioneer Press, it says the incident was “not a deliberate act but an unfortunate mistake”. “We are very sorry for this guest’s experience at our store and immediately apologised to her when she made our store leaders aware of the situation,” a spokesperson told the publication.

Travel Trouble

New Madeleine McCann suspect allegedly tipped off by hotel worker

The latest man suspected of abducting three-year-old Madeleine McCann in 2007 was allegedly alerted to the empty hotel room by a worker at the hotel the family were staying at. Christian Brueckner, a 43-year-old convicted German sex offender, was allegedly told by an employee of the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz that the McCann parents would be out for dinner and their apartment would be easy to break into. A receptionist for the holiday complex left a note at the staff register about the family’s dinner reservation, which is something that Madeleine’s mother Kate remembered in horror a year after the horrific abduction. “It wasn’t until a year later, when I was combing through the Portuguese files, that I discovered that the note requesting our block booking was written in a staff message book, which sat on a desk at the pool reception for most of the day,” she wrote in her book titled Madeleine. “To my horror I saw that, no doubt in all innocence and to explain why she was bending the rules a bit, the receptionist had written the reason for our request. “We wanted to eat close to our apartments as we were leaving our young children alone there and checking on them intermittently.” A friend of Brueckner is suspected of seeing the note and letting him know about the unsupervised apartment. Police have since identified the employee who is believed to pass on the information, who also had Brueckner’s number in his mobile contacts. Brueckner received a half hour phone call in Praia da Luz around an hour before Madeleine went missing. It’s alleged that Brueckner went to raid the holiday accommodation and found Madeleine sleeping next to her younger brother, twins Sean and sister Amelie. Brueckner is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old American woman in 2005 and also has criminal records for the distribution of child pornography, sexual abuse of children and violations of the Narcotics Act, according to German media. Hans Christian Wolters, a spokesman for the Braunschweig Public Prosecutor’s Office, told journalists “we are assuming that the girl is dead”. “In connection with the disappearance of the three-year-old British girl Madeleine McCann on May 3, 2007 from an apartment complex in Praia da Luz, in Portugal, the Braunschweig prosecution is investigating against a 43-year-old German on suspicion of murder. “With the suspect, we are talking about a sexual predator who has already been convicted of crimes against little girls and he’s already serving a long sentence.” German authorities are now appealing for more information. “The hard evidence we don’t have, we don’t have the crucial evidence of Madeleine McCann’s body,” he told Sky News. “We expect that she is dead, but we don’t have enough evidence that we can get a warrant for our suspect in Germany for the murder of Madeleine McCann. “At the moment, we also don’t have enough proof for a trial at court, but we have some evidence that the suspect has done the deed. “That’s why we need more information from people, especially places he has lived, so we can target these places especially and search there for Madeleine.”

News

Why Prince William warns not to call healthcare workers “heroes”

Prince William has cautioned against calling health care workers “heroes” amid the coronavirus outbreak, saying it might put undue pressure on those working on the frontline to appear “strong” and deter them from seeking support. In an appearance on the BBC’s One Show, the Duke of Cambridge said some hospital staff and care workers he chatted with through video calls found it difficult to talk about their problems. “I think we’ve got to be very careful with the language that we use,” William said. “[Healthcare workers] should rightly be hailed as superstars, and brave, and wonderful staff – but I’m very conscious from a mental health point of view that we don’t alienate some of them.” The “hero” label might lead healthcare staff to believe they have to be “this strong pillar of strength” and prevent them from asking for mental health support, the duke said. He urged the United Kingdom’s National Health Service workers to look after themselves so that they could emerge from the pandemic “in one piece”. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CAvkP3oFEMq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CAvkP3oFEMq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@kensingtonroyal)</a> on May 28, 2020 at 12:26pm PDT </div> </blockquote> William’s comments came ahead of the airing of the documentary Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health, where the royal discussed why “it’s OK to not be OK”.

Caring

Kmart worker spills three secrets that’ll save you cash

A Kmart worker has spilled three shopping “secrets” she claims will get you better discounts and treatment in store. Georgia Cook from Sydney shared three tips on TikTok, where it received a lot of attention from bargain hunters. The 23-year-old answered questions from those who wanted to know more, much to the delight of bargain hunters. “We give a 20 per cent or more if something is damaged, just ask,” Georgia said in the video, which was her first tip. She went on to say that “half the workers don’t know where stuff is either”, which is the second tip. The third and final tip was the one that delighted bargain hunters the most, with Georgia saying that “if you ask us if something is out of stock, we will say yes if you’re rude and annoying”. One woman was quick to dispute Georgia’s claims, saying that she was only given a 5 percent discount for her damaged goods. “All Kmarts are different for damaged items, that’s what we do with ours. It’s more if you accidentally bring a damaged item up and you still want it, you can ask for a discount,” Georgia replied. Not everyone was happy with the tips, saying that it was “your job” to show people where items are, even if they were unkind. “I worked retail and even if someone was rude I’d check because that’s what I was getting paid to do,” one said. Others warned she could “lose her job over this” to which she replied: “I didn’t expect it to blow up.” Georgia’s TikTok is now on private and it is unknown if she has lost her job due to the popularity of the video.

Money & Banking

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