Is the four-day workweek finally within our grasp?

Re:Is the four-day workweek finally within our grasp? by willheis on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @12:41PM (#29406697)

This happened to everything it could at least 10 years ago. It turns out that if you want software that works (at all), you need to pay people well, regardless of where they are in the world. Stop reenforcing this notion that leads to massive overwork and burnout in the US (+ Canada). Germany, the UK, Sweden, etc all have much, much better working conditions for software devs and their jobs aren't going away

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Re:Is the four-day workweek finally within our grasp? by giantg2 on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @01:09PM (#29407051)

I hear that many of the European countries have lower dev salaries than the US. So maybe better conditions, but possibly lower pay.

Our company just started outsourcing IT 5 years ago. It's still expanding that policy.

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Re:Is the four-day workweek finally within our grasp? by dukeyukey on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @01:16PM (#29407145)

> I hear that many of the European countries have lower dev salaries than the US. So maybe better conditions, but possibly lower pay.

While arguably true, it's almost definitely not better conditions to blame. A more likely source is the massive and relatively homogenous US market, a culture open to immigration, and the huge reserves of capital sloshing about the country.

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Re:Is the four-day workweek finally within our grasp? by giantg2 on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @02:21PM (#29407967)

Yeah, I'm not saying they are related. Just saying it can be a trade-off between higher pay and fewer hours and there are many variables to consider when comparing internationally.

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Re:Is the four-day workweek finally within our grasp? by skeeter2020 on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @01:51PM (#29407568)

the significantly higher direct and indirect taxes are definitely related though

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Re:Is the four-day workweek finally within our grasp? by dukeyukey on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @02:37PM (#29408155)

You'd be surprised.

Like, if we take taxes as a percentage of GDP as a figure, the US scores pretty well at about 27%. But Australia is at 28%, Canada at 32%, and even the UK at 33%. The differences aren't massive here. He'll, Ireland comes in at 23%.

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Re:Is the four-day workweek finally within our grasp? by Manouchehri on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @05:10PM (#29409786)

My average personal income tax rate was well over 40% during my last year in Canada. (The marginal rate is/was 53.53%.)

Even a high tax state like California would have a five figure amount less owed in taxes than Ontario at certain income levels.

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Re:Is the four-day workweek finally within our grasp? by skeeter2020 on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @01:50PM (#29407562)

This is not my experience. Overseas devs have only gotten better and more tightly aligned with the west in the past 10 years. The idea of throwing your work over then fence to the cheapest jurisidiction may have died but there are significant cost savings in going overseas, especially as westerners get more expensive and remote work grows

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Re:Is the four-day workweek finally within our grasp? by Daishiman on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @02:31PM (#29408099)

And good overseas devs have gotten far, far more expensive.

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