Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Pandemic life...lingering

This is a good article about the 40 hr/5 day a week work week. How it started, where it's going.

https://www.npr.org/2021/10/04/1043145165/four-day-work-week

I'm not that person anymore, who works 40 hrs and comes home and does a second shift, but I can sure appreciate what that means and can remember how hard that was. I can certainly remember when just one extra day off during the week, to myself, was a godsend.  And practically yesterday, I was teleworking 2 days a week and it was awesome! In SO many ways. Less commuter stress; less commuter time - an hour and a half to two hours a day; less gas in the car - = more $$ for me and cleaner air for the world!; more sleep; less $$ on lunches, shoes, clothing; better working conditions - temperature control, clean bathroom, no idle chatter from people I don't care about; AND more time with the love of my life. I mean, even though we didn't interact so much while I was busy, I was there when he wanted to ask me something or just talk to me for a minute. There's a lot to be said for teleworking and/or a shorter workweek. The pandemic brought that to light.

Along those lines, here's another good article about workers not putting up with crappy jobs anymore!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/09/30/during-great-resignation-workers-refuse-accept-unacceptable/

Also brought about by the pandemic. Interesting to think that we're being forced into less consumerism - by worker shortages and inflation. Will that last? Will it ever be the same as it was in 2019? Or will we adjust to the "new normal?"

And this is a great article about the labor shortage;

https://www.wsj.com/articles/labor-shortage-missing-workers-jobs-pay-raises-economy-11634224519

4.3 million people quit their jobs las August. There were a myriad of reasons. In general, people should be talking about this and how it's going to affect all of us. I'm hopeful.


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