A seven day economy

lostinrates

Listening to the proposals for the seven day NHS and finding my self nodding (despite missing Sunday closing) I feel the cat is out of the bag for community days of with Sunday closing hours and with economically active weekends in many spheres maybe we should extend this to all areas of the economy?

Instead of expecting five day working weeks, working practise could be more flexible over time, offering four and three days as standard, with all the currently existing shifts and more to cater for other options to fully cover the seven day period and aim for better balance and provide more employment.

As well as bringing NHs in to the active fold, courts, economic market, banks, etc etc could all come into the seven day active scheme.


Is this the model for the future?

cells

for much of the economy it is the present

princeofpounds

Well it makes sense wherever there are assets that can be more efficiently exploited by higher utilisation.


For example, many factories work almost 7/365, with any breaks in production arising only as a result of maintenance.


Many even operate on two shifts or even three (24hrs), if the economics stack up.


In a non-industrial setting, you see it with pubs and restaurants offering breakfast as well as lunch and dinner, and opening 7 days a weeks.


The public sector does do this perfectly well in some settings, like hospitals. In others, like courts perhaps, it doesn't. Although I know there have been some weekend courts pilot programs.


7 days NHS really means 7 days GPs, and that makes a world of sense. There is something rather absurd about having to register near your home, which means that a simple ten minute appointment can mean a half day or even more off work, especially when surgeries open to appointments late or close early.


I'm not saying GPs should work more (I don't have a particular view on that, I think they do work quite hard from what I have seen*). But I think 7 day operations makes sense as an aspiration.


* my one big gripe with medicine is that it effectively operates on a guild system, which keeps wages artificially high. There are many, many applicants who don't get into med school as the govt/BMA/NHS decides on a quota (as if they know how many are needed).


Many of these applicants would probably be perfectly acceptable doctors, and many would be happy to work for 20% less I am sure.

Sapphire

Many freelancers already often work seven days a week (I know from experience).

Generali

lostinrates wrote: »

Listening to the proposals for the seven day NHS and finding my self nodding (despite missing Sunday closing) I feel the cat is out of the bag for community days of with Sunday closing hours and with economically active weekends in many spheres maybe we should extend this to all areas of the economy?

Instead of expecting five day working weeks, working practise could be more flexible over time, offering four and three days as standard, with all the currently existing shifts and more to cater for other options to fully cover the seven day period and aim for better balance and provide more employment.

As well as bringing NHs in to the active fold, courts, economic market, banks, etc etc could all come into the seven day active scheme.


Is this the model for the future?

OTC trading is already available 24/7 if you want it (that is trading outside of markets).

There are technical reasons for which it is very helpful to have markets close but there is no real reason for them not to reopen. I do wonder how much liquidity there would be in the Polish Stock Exchange at 11pm on a Saturday.

I kinda have mixed feelings about this. 7 day working normally means shift work and that plays havoc with childcare for example.

Having said that, things like non-urgent medical care are a complete PITA to deal with in the day in the week. Late night opening once a week might not be so terrible.

lostinrates

Sapphire wrote: »

Many freelancers already often work seven days a week (I know from experience).

Realistically, so do some employed people. Pills know both self employment and 24/7 contracted employment from personal experience. So I was thinking ....why not accept the boundaries for the employed at least can be better drawn and perhaps improve both output and work life balance?

ToasterScheme

No-one's mentioned schools yet. What shall we do with those?

kabayiri

ToasterScheme wrote: »

No-one's mentioned schools yet. What shall we do with those?

Easy.

Increasingly, the 21st century student will log on remotely on a Sunday evening, to be taught by an Indian professor of something.

Oh, someone will be along shortly telling me that we can outsource sales and IT and support functions but not education - it's "special"...

I don't believe it somehow. The need to control costs will prevail.

bugslet

Haulage already runs at the weekend, though on a Sunday around 90% of the UKs fleet is parked up.

Would an increase in seven day working weeks lead to an increase in weekend working for trucks? There is plenty of support for a weekend ban, be it partial or all weekend, for trucks.

IveSeenTheLight

Will the markets be moving to this model?
Why close at the weekend?
Why finish at 17:00?

It would seem that the markets are only 23.8% effective

Seriously though, I understand the call for NHS 24/7 to be improved, health does not only work Monday - Friday during normal daytime, but you have to watch for the whole economy working that way.

I used to work shift and sometimes it was great to be off through the seek and get other things done, but at times, you were off when your friends and family were working and working when friends and family were off, so there are both pro's and cons

IveSeenTheLight

bugslet wrote: »

Haulage already runs at the weekend, though on a Sunday around 90% of the UKs fleet is parked up.

Would an increase in seven day working weeks lead to an increase in weekend working for trucks? There is plenty of support for a weekend ban, be it partial or all weekend, for trucks.

Weekend ban!!!!!!!!

I'd be looking at the opposite and restricting heavy goods during peak times to ease up congestion.

Far better for the traffic flow to be managed to mediate the peaks / troughs