{"id":5057,"date":"2020-05-17T13:22:58","date_gmt":"2020-05-17T13:22:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportsnewsforyou.com\/?p=5057"},"modified":"2020-05-17T13:22:58","modified_gmt":"2020-05-17T13:22:58","slug":"how-european-workers-are-reinventing-themselves-during-lockdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/?p=5057","title":{"rendered":"How European workers are reinventing themselves during lockdown"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"art\"><figcaption>\n<p>Twenty-eight percent of Europeans said they had lost their jobs temporarily or for good since the start of the crisis<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<header>\n<h1>How European workers are reinventing themselves during lockdown<\/h1>\n<p class=\"subhead\">The coronavirus has forced many furloughed or unemployed workers to take on odd jobs to make ends meet.<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<footer class=\"meta\">\n<p>\n\t\t\tBy\t\t\t<span class=\"byline\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"vcard\">Melissa Heikkil\u00e4<\/span>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"timestamp\"><time datetime=\"2020-05-16T12:00:06+02:00\">5\/16\/20, 12:00 PM CET<\/time><\/p>\n<p class=\"updated\">Updated <time datetime=\"2020-05-17T05:39:08+02:00\">5\/17\/20, 5:39 AM CET<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<p>While the lockdown has bunkered white-collar workers to their makeshift home offices, it has pushed some workers \u2014 often involuntarily \u2014 to take a break from their careers and perform odd jobs.<\/p>\n<p>Twenty-eight percent of Europeans said they had lost their jobs temporarily or for good since the start of the crisis, according to a survey by Eurofound. The situation is only getting more dire, as countries brace for a spike in unemployment. Spain, for example, estimates 19 percent of its working population will be out of a job this year. Unemployment in Europe could nearly double in 2020, and up to 59 million jobs are at risk, shows an analysis by consultancy McKinsey.<\/p>\n<p>The coronavirus crisis will usher in changes in the labor market, according to Anna Thomas, director of the Institute for the Future of Work.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is going to be an increase of online work, but it won\u2019t all be of good quality and with enough protection, especially not in times of shock,\u201d said Thomas.<\/p>\n<p>Some workers have already started looking for ways to make a quick buck. AppJobs, a gig work platform, saw an increase of 300 percent in jobseekers on its site globally in March.<\/p>\n<p>Others have been forced to think outside the box about how to reinvent themselves professionally.<\/p>\n<p>The European Commission is in the process of setting up a pan-European unemployment reinsurance scheme worth as much as \u20ac100 billion. But until then, people will still need to make ends meet.<\/p>\n<p>POLITICO spoke to people around Europe about the ways they are branching out in order to stay active and keep revenue flowing.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Johannah Jolson \u2014 musician<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>When the coronavirus hit, Johannah Jolson was stuck on a cruise ship. Jolson and her partner work as musicians, often spending long stretches of the year performing at sea. As the coronavirus crisis progressed, gigs and bookings on land and further cruise ship residencies were canceled.<\/p>\n<p>Jolson is in the process of buying a house, and wanted to find money to help cover costs. She got lucky at her local Tesco five minutes down the road from her house in Devon, U.K. The supermarket was in desperate need of temporary workers to fill in for workers having to self-isolate.<\/p>\n<p>Jolson took a job as an online order picker, at the height of panic buying. \u201cIf you had told me a year ago that I would be working in Tesco, I would have said \u2018absolutely not,\u2019\u201d Jolson said.<\/p>\n<p>The experience has been a positive eye-opener.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTesco has a lot of similarities to ship life. It\u2019s a large store, there are different departments, I\u2019ve enjoyed it a lot more than I thought,\u201d Jolson said. \u201cWhat this has taught me is that here\u2019s something really lovely to be able to serve your community and be in one place,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>When lockdowns are lifted, Jolson thinks people have a lot of power to help keep the cultural sector alive. \u201cChoose to go to the pub that has live music, choose to see a live concert rather than seeing a movie at home. We need the communities to choose to spend their time and money supporting live music.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Instability is part of being a musician, Jolson said. \u201cWhen I chose my career, I didn\u2019t choose it for an economic reason, but because of a passion,\u201d she said. If things don\u2019t go back to normal anytime soon, Jolson is hoping to extend her contract past June.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not too proud to make a living,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Henri Alen \u2014 chef<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>Finnish chef Henri Alen has been cooking up a storm. Alen has five fine-dining restaurants in Helsinki. As lockdown hit and restaurants were only allowed to serve food as takeaway, Alen had to shutter three of his restaurants and furlough half of his staff. The other half were recruited to transform the restaurant Finnj\u00e4vel into a cloud kitchen, meaning one that caters to food-delivery apps exclusively.<\/p>\n<p>Finnj\u00e4vel has changed its menu from fancy sustainable meals to traditional home-cooked meals, such as macaroni casserole, salmon soup and karelian pies. \u201cDuring a crisis people want peace of mind and comfort food,\u201d Alen said.<\/p>\n<p>The restaurant made its debut on food-delivery apps Wolt and Foodora, and restaurant staff also deliver food beyond central Helsinki. The restaurant has revamped all its routines, creating a new website and online order system on WhatsApp.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have been hunting for takeaway packages all over town,\u201d Alen said.<\/p>\n<p>Alen has been deeply disappointed in the government\u2019s attitude toward restaurant culture, and how this reflects on the country&#8217;s lockdown policy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you compare us to Belgium, Germany or Italy \u2014 restaurants are not considered culture here. People cannot see their connection to agriculture and tourism,\u201d Alen said.<\/p>\n<p>Takeaway meals might keep Alen&#8217;s eatery afloat temporarily, but it is not sustainable in the long run \u2014 especially as Finnish restaurants are not allowed to sell alcohol as takeaway. \u201cIn Finland, alcohol is seen as the devil,\u201d Alen said.<\/p>\n<p>Alen wants clear guidance on how restaurants can open and when. He suggests allowing alcohol sales in takeaway orders.<\/p>\n<p>Unless the government acts soon, Alen fears the repercussions could be devastating. \u201cThe restaurant industry is the first job for many. It\u2019s a low-paid industry. The damage will be extreme if we don\u2019t get support,\u201d Alen said.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Tomas Lutuli Brickhill \u2014 filmmaker<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Tomas Lutuli Brickhill was in the final stages of preparing his debut feature film &#8220;Cook Off&#8221; for release when the severity of the coronavirus dawned on him. Brickhill lives in Zimbabwe, but decided to join his girlfriend in the U.K. for lockdown.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the film industry everyone is a freelancer and it\u2019s very easy for companies to stop producing stuff,\u201d Brickhill said. His feature film is also a feel-good romantic comedy, and pushing it out during an unprecedented global public health crisis felt tone-deaf in the beginning, Brickhill said. Now the timing feels more right, and Brickhill\u2019s film will be released on Netflix. It will still be months before any money from the film will start trickling in.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI desperately needed to do some work and earn money. Of the jobs that were available during lockdown, delivery driving or fruit picking were on my list of potential jobs,&#8221; Brickhill said.<\/p>\n<p>The director of photography of his film was also in London, and has found work as a gardener. Luckily, the gardening company was looking for a driver and Brickhill got the job. The duo spend their days weeding and mowing the lawns of parks, schools and other properties across London.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe wear masks to protect each other, and because we know each other well there\u2019s this extra layer of trust,\u201d Brickhill said. To pass time, the pair pretend their job is a film set.<\/p>\n<p>Brickhill sees the current crisis as an opportunity for societies to rethink how they are run. \u201cThe worldwide move to deregulate everything and let companies maximise profits at the expense of workers\u2019 protections, that\u2019s a problem,\u201d Brickhill said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople are pushed into temporary contract work, which is fine at the time, but when something happens there are regulations in place for a reason,\u201d Brickhill said.<\/p>\n<p>The coronavirus crisis has brought one perk, though.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m getting quite fit, so there\u2019s that,\u201d Brickhill said.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Theodros Solomon \u2014 air freight worker<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>Theodros Solomon has been furloughed from his job at an air freight company in Frankfurt, and he has seen his income drop by a quarter. Solomon has recently joined TaskRabbit, an American gig work platform that matches customers with workers willing to do odd jobs such as assembling furniture, mounting shelves or cleaning.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was searching for any kind of job on the internet, and by chance I found TaskRabbit. It seemed like a smart way to get quick money,\u201d Solomon said.<\/p>\n<p>TaskRabbit is owned by furniture giant Ikea. During Germany\u2019s lockdown, Solomon has gone around town assembling large Ikea wardrobes, but he is willing to do pretty much anything from painting to deliveries. There&#8217;s been a steady stream of work.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI like it. I meet a lot of people, and I like to build furniture,\u201d Solomon said.<\/p>\n<p>The coronavirus is present in every gig. Solomon takes a risk every time he enters someone\u2019s house to assemble furniture. He takes extra precautions by wearing masks and gloves, and carries hand sanitizer with him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI live with my family and I have to take care of myself to avoid infecting them. I keep my distance from customers, and only stay in the area that I am building the furniture in,\u201d Solomon said.<\/p>\n<p>The extra income provides a nice buffer, especially as Solomon thinks it is unlikely he will have a job to return to once the coronavirus crisis is over. Sporadic gigs alone are not be enough to financially support his family, but Solomon said they work as a good way to supplement his income on the side. \u201cIf there is some possibility to keep doing this job on TaskRabbit, or maybe start my own business, I will do it,\u201d Solomon said.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Veli-Pekka Syv\u00e4oja \u2014 hairdresser<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>The coronavirus crisis has also given people space to recalibrate their lives. Veli-Pekka Syv\u00e4oja was working in Spain as a hairdresser when the pandemic started, and hairdressers worldwide were forced to holster their scissors. Syv\u00e4oja flew back home to Finland. He spent three weeks in a cottage in quarantine thinking about what he wants to do in the future.<\/p>\n<p>One thing became clear: It will not be hair.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are too many hair salons, and many live hand to mouth,\u201d Syv\u00e4oja said. He says business bailouts should focus on companies with healthy spreadsheets. \u201cGovernments should help businesses that have the capacity to employ people,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>One of the Finnish government\u2019s relief measures has been to grant entrepreneurs unemployment benefits. Syv\u00e4oja has taken full advantage of the pause in business and has started developing new business ideas. He has worked as a business consultant helping companies find partnerships, and has also signed up as a volunteer at a children\u2019s shelter with SOS Children&#8217;s Villages.\u00a0But most importantly for Syv\u00e4oja, the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the value of nature. This realization has inspired him to set up a travel business in the Finnish coastal town of Kalajoki. \u201cPeople will think twice about flying to go on a beach holiday, and maybe choose a local beach instead,\u201d Syv\u00e4oja said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe coronavirus has given me the kick to do the things I actually want to do,\u201d Syv\u00e4oja said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<footer class=\"content-credits\">\n<h6>Authors:<\/h6>\n<dl class=\"vcard\">\n<dt class=\"credits-author\"><span class=\"vcard\">Melissa Heikkil\u00e4<\/span>&nbsp;<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/footer>\n<p>Click Here: <a href='https:\/\/www.storeafl.com\/brisbane-lions-mens-home-guernsey-2019.html' title='brisbane lions guernsey 2019'>brisbane lions guernsey 2019<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Twenty-eight percent of Europeans said they had lost their jobs temporarily or for good since the start of the crisis How European workers are reinventing themselves during lockdown The coronavirus has forced many furloughed or unemployed workers to take on odd jobs to make ends meet. By Melissa Heikkil\u00e4 5\/16\/20, 12:00 PM CET Updated 5\/17\/20,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5057","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5057","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5057"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5057\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5057"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5057"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5057"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}