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Judging by all the signs up in windows, many retailers (and pubs/restaurants) seem to be struggling to find staff right now, at least in London. There can’t be

Judging by all the signs up in windows, many retailers (and pubs/restaurants) seem to be struggling to find staff right now, at least in London. There can’t be that many retail workers still on the furlough scheme?

karlward 5y ago
That is partially (probably mostly) due to brexit - https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/may/17/uk-faces-labour-shortage-as-covid-and-brexit-fuel-exodus-of-overseas-workers https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/may/17/uk-faces-la... which is mostly being felt in hospitality and retail.
- bencollier49 5y ago
  Interesting problem - we're going to have to downgrade people's aspirations if we're not going to import people to do base-level jobs. Will cause social unrest.
  - Reason077 5y ago
    Not sure that anyone's aspirations need to be downgraded. Businesses may need to be more willing to invest in efficiency improvements and automation. They may need to take on and train lower-skilled employees that they might not have considered before. And pay higher wages to attract the skills/talent they need.
    - airpoint 5y ago
      …and they’ll be trying to get that investment back from the customer by charging £9+ for a glass of red wine, sigh
rich_sasha 5y ago
As of May, around 11.5m jobs are on furlough [1] with total labour force size of 35m [2]. This is slightly apples-to-oranges as one person can hold 2 jobs and be furloughed on both, but at face value it is about 1/3 of UK working population. I heard an interview with Angela Leadsom that it is very difficult to take people off furlough. Many people found another job while also getting furlough pay and are resisting going back to work. Under UK labour laws the employer needs to accommodate employee needs with regards to health and safety. So if an employee says they would come off furlough but feel unsafe about the working environment, it is hard to resolve that. [1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1116638/uk-number-of-people-on-furlough/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/1116638/uk-number-of-peo... [2] https://tradingeconomics.com/united-kingdom/labor-force-total-wb-data.html https://tradingeconomics.com/united-kingdom/labor-force-tota...
- toyg 5y ago
  Ah yes, obviously the problem is those pesky regulations protecting workers... /s A serious government would just end furlough. Businesses had more than a year to adapt their working conditions to be safe, while also having their wage bill paid by the taxpayer. It's time for them to take their responsibilities seriously.
- Reason077 5y ago
  The 11.5m is a cumulative figure, not the current number of jobs on furlough! That was 3.4m as of 30 April according to official statistics, and should be substantially lower by now: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-statistics-3-june-2021/coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-statistics-3-june-2021 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coronavirus-job-ret... This BBC article says there's currently 1.5m still on furlough: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57665735 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57665735
  - rich_sasha 5y ago
    Ah, shouldn't write comments before coffee! Good point
- ClumsyPilot 5y ago
  "employer needs to accommodate employee needs with regards to health and safety." Back when I was young, we'd loose a finger or three on occasional workshift and never complained! Just plaster over them and get back to work! That's after walking 13 miles to the factory, in a blizzard, uphill, both ways!
  - tonyedgecombe 5y ago
    I have little doubt that a lot of people are abusing furlough, both employees and employers. It was a good idea but it needs to end.

karlward 5y ago

That is partially (probably mostly) due to brexit - https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/may/17/uk-faces-labour-shortage-as-covid-and-brexit-fuel-exodus-of-overseas-workers https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/may/17/uk-faces-la... which is mostly being felt in hospitality and retail.

bencollier49 5y ago
Interesting problem - we're going to have to downgrade people's aspirations if we're not going to import people to do base-level jobs. Will cause social unrest.
- Reason077 5y ago
  Not sure that anyone's aspirations need to be downgraded. Businesses may need to be more willing to invest in efficiency improvements and automation. They may need to take on and train lower-skilled employees that they might not have considered before. And pay higher wages to attract the skills/talent they need.
  - airpoint 5y ago
    …and they’ll be trying to get that investment back from the customer by charging £9+ for a glass of red wine, sigh

rich_sasha 5y ago

As of May, around 11.5m jobs are on furlough [1] with total labour force size of 35m [2]. This is slightly apples-to-oranges as one person can hold 2 jobs and be furloughed on both, but at face value it is about 1/3 of UK working population. I heard an interview with Angela Leadsom that it is very difficult to take people off furlough. Many people found another job while also getting furlough pay and are resisting going back to work. Under UK labour laws the employer needs to accommodate employee needs with regards to health and safety. So if an employee says they would come off furlough but feel unsafe about the working environment, it is hard to resolve that. [1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1116638/uk-number-of-people-on-furlough/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/1116638/uk-number-of-peo... [2] https://tradingeconomics.com/united-kingdom/labor-force-total-wb-data.html https://tradingeconomics.com/united-kingdom/labor-force-tota...

toyg 5y ago
Ah yes, obviously the problem is those pesky regulations protecting workers... /s A serious government would just end furlough. Businesses had more than a year to adapt their working conditions to be safe, while also having their wage bill paid by the taxpayer. It's time for them to take their responsibilities seriously.
Reason077 5y ago
The 11.5m is a cumulative figure, not the current number of jobs on furlough! That was 3.4m as of 30 April according to official statistics, and should be substantially lower by now: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-statistics-3-june-2021/coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-statistics-3-june-2021 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coronavirus-job-ret... This BBC article says there's currently 1.5m still on furlough: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57665735 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57665735
- rich_sasha 5y ago
  Ah, shouldn't write comments before coffee! Good point
ClumsyPilot 5y ago
"employer needs to accommodate employee needs with regards to health and safety." Back when I was young, we'd loose a finger or three on occasional workshift and never complained! Just plaster over them and get back to work! That's after walking 13 miles to the factory, in a blizzard, uphill, both ways!
- tonyedgecombe 5y ago
  I have little doubt that a lot of people are abusing furlough, both employees and employers. It was a good idea but it needs to end.