[herghost]

Speaking as a worker this seems like a positive move.

Stepping outside that though - how is this going to impact the wider economy? The UK is in a tough spot. Partially self-inflicted, partially political, partially just the way things are now.

Will this improve things? Will it help or hinder?

[yurishimo]

Personally, I don’t see how it helps in their current political climate. Inflation and energy costs are a huge problem in the UK right now and that would lead to the assumption that people need to earn more. Going to a 4 day work week seems counter to the idea of earning more. Perhaps at the very high end (corporate management, etc) where companies can afford keep salaries the same without expecting more output, but at the low end of the workforce, there’s no way in hell that employers will pay employees for “unworked” days.

So some people might have an extra day off, but if they can’t pay their rent, it doesn’t really help anything. Those workers will pick up a 3rd or 4th job and nothing will change.

Unfortunate, but I think the UK has still a ways to sink before it comes to grips with the current reality and starts to climb out of it.

[varispeed]

There is also aspect of having 1 extra day and no money to do anything meaningful with it.

UK wages are already poor and cost of living is insane.

Are you going to spend that day in your sorry mould ridden flat with other housemates also skint with nothing else to do?

Where do you even go? Shops are dead, public transport is unaffordable and state of it resembles soviet union near its collapse, entertainment, attractions out of reach. Sure there are some free things, but how many times you will go there before it is boring?

So I don't know, 4 days at main employer and 1 day doing Deliveroo? Selling weed? Only Fans?

You can tell UK is going downhill fast.

[ojhughes]

This is a bit dramatic, sure some people have to share a mouldy flat but most software engineers I know are doing ok

[varispeed]

"doing ok" or "barely keeping head above water". Is not a good look, when you have people doing demanding engineering jobs that require skill and years of education, that they have to keep themselves up to date learning past 9-5. I know married senior developer with two kids, 20 years of experience, still saving for deposit for a flat (as house is now out of reach). Rents are going up and so the property prices so they can't catch up. His wife can't work full time, because of children and nursery etc is unaffordable. They have not been on holidays since Covid and employer is talking about downsizing. Man is 40 and looks like 50 due to stress. I know a couple of developers who are single, yes they do "okay", but they are nowhere near in a position to start a family. It's grim. Then you have wage compression where really doing warehouse job doesn't get you much worse living standard than typical developer. You will have shittier flat, maybe extra housemate and you will shop in Aldi instead of Waitrose. That's very much the difference right now.

[eastbound]

> how is this going to impact the wider economy? The UK is in a tough spot. Partially self-inflicted

Well, take example from France, if you ever do. In 1936, the glorious Leon Blum signed the first national paid leave of the world (Congés Payés). We have literal photos of us going to the beach by train in 1936.

Meanwhile the Germans were working in factories for countless hours building bombs. Congés Payés cost us an alarming defeat. What a chance we were at the beach before those hard times.

(I confirm this comment is a tribute to all the English and US youths who had to save us from our sins).