Have you seen salaries in the UK? You have white collar professionals making 30-40k pounds, and meanwhile London, where most of those jobs are located is similar in COL to NYC or SF, except food is cheaper. I have never understood how it works.
Well we saw a lot of that happen in US during covid. Why work at all if i can collect $X more not working? Its rational not to work more for less so i dont blame them.
I think this is also happening in USA long term, lots of "low income" americans who are knowledgeable of navigating welfare programs earn more than middle class workers if you factor in their entitlements.
Pay and expenses are, globally, highly unusual. We also get "tricked" by the Anglophone similarities of Canada the UK into thinking we're all sort of the same place. But the reality is the the US generates more revenue, and thus pays more, and protects its tech sector better than anywhere else in the Anglosphere. Great paying jobs in the US, that might make $180k USD make $50k USD in central Europe.
As much as Americans think of the UK as a sort of second status foreign overseas territory, and as much as the UK think they're an extra special independent peanut, they're just as much a part of the European pay and expense scheme as anybody else in the mainland is.
Globally, tech workers are worth $40-95k USD. It sucks, but that's what it is.
If there's a spot on the planet where NIMBYism is more powerful than in anyplace in the US, even the Bay Area, it's the London metro area. The "skyline" of London is London City, which is an entire history lesson itself. London itself is a bizarre snarl of roads and <ten story buildings that would make any American suburban sprawl proud.
If it weren't for the fact that a few generations of smart thinkers happened to put a subway in the middle of the mess, London is hopelessly unable to process being a global metropolitan capitol city. As a native English speaker from a top-10 urban Native English speaking area, I've never felt an area more alien to me than Urban London England -- and I've been across Asia, the Middle East, Central American, Mainland Europe, and a few other places...London was utterly bizarre and foreign.
It's clear that London is a tech and cultural hub because:
1 - It's a financial hub
2 - It's a political hub
3 - Rival France is so centrally focused on Paris
If I were a citizen of Britain, I would rapidly be looking elsewhere in the Kingdom to establish a tech hub. Almost anywhere else. Do a reboot, plan a proper city (maybe around the Chunnel in Dover), and let the politicians rot in London.
The impression I get (from friends, I’ve never lived there myself) is that London is great if you are rich (discretionary money/time) or young snd single (discretionary time with low expenses). For those in the middle, workers with families, its a slog with low enjoyment.
Again, just what I've heard.
Not the same thing as those mentioned in the article, but I went self employed because it became increasingly difficult to find any salary progression in full time employment in the UK.
Several years on and I make in 3 days a week what similar senior London based full time employees make in 5. There’s no work scarcity either.
It’s like the the money is there, but workers in the UK are just used to being underpaid and so they put up with continually just getting by.
17 comments
[ 3.0 ms ] story [ 54.3 ms ] threadI think this is also happening in USA long term, lots of "low income" americans who are knowledgeable of navigating welfare programs earn more than middle class workers if you factor in their entitlements.
That said, the US has a different problem. People saving money and flying to cheaper countries instead of working in the US.
As much as Americans think of the UK as a sort of second status foreign overseas territory, and as much as the UK think they're an extra special independent peanut, they're just as much a part of the European pay and expense scheme as anybody else in the mainland is.
Globally, tech workers are worth $40-95k USD. It sucks, but that's what it is.
Maybe for the average pay, but for outliers on the high end, the ceiling is higher in London than what you can make in most other Mainland capitals.
A German guy I know maxed out his TC locally then doubled it when moving to London as nobody in Germany would pay anywhere near that.
If it weren't for the fact that a few generations of smart thinkers happened to put a subway in the middle of the mess, London is hopelessly unable to process being a global metropolitan capitol city. As a native English speaker from a top-10 urban Native English speaking area, I've never felt an area more alien to me than Urban London England -- and I've been across Asia, the Middle East, Central American, Mainland Europe, and a few other places...London was utterly bizarre and foreign.
It's clear that London is a tech and cultural hub because:
1 - It's a financial hub
2 - It's a political hub
3 - Rival France is so centrally focused on Paris
If I were a citizen of Britain, I would rapidly be looking elsewhere in the Kingdom to establish a tech hub. Almost anywhere else. Do a reboot, plan a proper city (maybe around the Chunnel in Dover), and let the politicians rot in London.
Several years on and I make in 3 days a week what similar senior London based full time employees make in 5. There’s no work scarcity either.
It’s like the the money is there, but workers in the UK are just used to being underpaid and so they put up with continually just getting by.