[David9694]

The same businesses that keep saying “we must have cars outside”, etc is it, Dame Carolyn?

Coronavirus: Civil servants ‘must get back to offices quickly’ (BBC news)

“The government has launched a campaign to encourage people back to the workplace after business leaders, including the head of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), warned that city centres could become “ghost towns”.

Thousands of businesses that rely on passing trade are suffering while offices stand empty, Dame Carolyn Fairbairn from the CBI has said.” (my emphasis)

also:

“Writing in the Daily Mail, Dame Carolyn said the UK’s offices were “vital drivers” of the economy, supporting thousands of local firms, from dry cleaners to sandwich bars. 

“The costs of office closure are becoming clearer by the day. Some of our busiest city centres resemble ghost towns, missing the usual bustle of passing trade.””

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53925917

I agree about bustle : How about sorting out cycling infra to enable that to happen?

Topic

[David9694]

Work expands to fill the time

Work expands to fill the time available. 

[Anonymous]

I haven’t had a day off since

I haven’t had a day off since the lockdown started, nor enjoyed any of this WFH either.

It surprises me how many businesses think that they will either ride out a pandemic that could last for years, or that their businesses are vital to the national economy. Perhaps, instead of bleating that they need more footfall in city centres, these entrepreneurial types could pivot into something that needs doing now.

I’m in the last mile/first mile logistics sector, business is through the roof, but no-one, bar a few hardy souls seems interested. I think a hell of a lot of small businesses will fold over the next year as their owners are too keen to stick to their easy lifestyles, then find themselves left behind as the money men pile into new business models away from city centres, retail, coffee shops and beauty salons.

I’m hoping to start building my own brand of cargobikes here in the UK by the New Year, say a 1000 a year to facilitate growth, such is the demand, but business people don’t like the idea of working outside in all weathers.

I wonder how much they’ll enjoy living on Universal Credit. Office workers aren’t going to return to the drudgery of the daily commute any time soon, if ever. It’s now down to the business owners to move with the times, or get left behind.

[TheBillder]

We get the trade deal when
We get the trade deal when the DFS sale ends. So do not hold your breath.

[TheBillder]

I tried that but couldn’t
I tried that but couldn’t remember the line after the one about the fascist regime. So only a short wash, sadly.

[hawkinspeter]

Organon wrote:

Organon wrote:

The Broken Window fallacy; I’ve never come across this term before. However I am familiar with the concept as demonstrated by Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg.

Super green!

[Organon]

The Broken Window fallacy; I

The Broken Window fallacy; I’ve never come across this term before. However I am familiar with the concept as demonstrated by Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg.

[David9694]

Land of Hope and Glory is

Land of Hope and Glory is very cleansing. 

[Hirsute]

We do have the highest unpaid

We do have the highest unpaid overtime in Europe so that has to come in to it (until we get the trade deal 😉 ).

 

[brooksby]

Or, from the ‘Over the Hedge’

Or, from the ‘Over the Hedge’ version of Ben Folds’ song ‘Rockin the Suburbs’:

“We drive our cars to work each day,

a hundred miles or more each way;

so we can earn just enough to pay

to drive our cars to work each day.”

[Sriracha]

Or the somewhat shorter story
Or the somewhat shorter story about how the other half had to go out to work, to make enough to pay for the childcare and a second car.

[Legin]

Working from home only works
Working from home only works if there is a suitable environment to work in. For many that is not and never will be the case. I’ve not seen the latest stats but 5-6 years ago the UK was delivering the smallest Msq home space in Europe. Little boxes… as the song used to go.

A poor working environment leads to poor outcomes both in terms of health to the employee and profit/efficiency to the employer. Despite those of us with the space and the corporate cost accountants thinking WFH is the new normal, the reality is that for many it cannot and won’t be a viable option.

[hawkinspeter]

Sriracha wrote:

Sriracha wrote:

This is the economic mystery I have never fathomed, why all this progress and automation never yields its dividend in terms of increased me-time. By now we should be enjoying working a three day week.

One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.

A businessman came walking down the beach, trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why he was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family.

“You aren’t going to catch many fish that way,” said the businessman, “You should be working rather than lying on the beach!”

The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied: “And what will my reward be?”

“Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!” the businessman answered.

“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman, still smiling.

The businessman replied: “You will make money and you’ll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!”

“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman again.

The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman’s questions. “You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!” he said.

“And then what will my reward be?” repeated the fisherman.

The businessman was getting angry. He replied: “Don’t you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!”

Once again the fisherman asked: “And then what will my reward be?”

The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman: “Don’t you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won’t have a care in the world!”

The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said: “And what do you think I’m doing right now?”

[Steve K]

A year ago it was “you’d be

A year ago it was “you’d be able to afford a house if you just stopped buying £3 cups of coffee”.

Now it’s “For the love of god, buy £3 cups of coffee to save the economy”

[wycombewheeler]

Sriracha wrote:

Sriracha wrote:

This is the economic mystery I have never fathomed, why all this progress and automation never yields its dividend in terms of increased me-time. By now we should be enjoying working a three day week.

1) people think they want stuff

2) legions of people are employed to make people want stuff

3) the finances of the country depend on a large GDP, the majority of what taxes pay for is directly related to population and not economic activity

4) owners of businesses and land do not want to see their income cut

[Sriracha]

This is the economic mystery
This is the economic mystery I have never fathomed, why all this progress and automation never yields its dividend in terms of increased me-time. By now we should be enjoying working a three day week.

[Author]

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