France and the Netherlands have signed a joint document in which they ask the European Union (EU) for a stricter regulatory framework to supervise large technology companies, such as Amazon , Facebook or Apple , and their operations in the Old Continent. In the statement, unveiled by CNBC , it is requested that an authority common to the Twenty-seven should control these companies.

If at the beginning of October it was the United States Congress that called for antitrust reforms to curb the power of big technology, now the EU could follow in its footsteps after the joint lawsuit of France and the Netherlands against the so-called Big Tech. be endorsed in Parliament but that “will guarantee the freedom of choice of consumers . “

This was expressed by the Secretary of State for the Digital Transition of France, Cédric O, who also made it clear through his social networks that the approach must “design a framework that is efficient enough to address the economic footprint of these actors in the European economy “.

The EU has intensified negotiations on Big Tech and the competitive landscape over the last 12 months, in addition to working on data protection rules through the Commission. It is expected that by the end of 2020 there will be a clear regulation to “comprehensively improve the functioning of digital markets through the use of information collected during these consultations.”

In the eyes of the French and Dutch governments, the EU should prevent these companies from favoring their own services to the detriment of other companies, as well as impose an obligation to share specific data.

“No ‘company hit list’ will be drawn up or drawn up. The Commission does not make legislation to target individual companies.”

However, the body led by Ursula von der Leyen has confirmed that it will not target specific companies with its work. “Let us clarify that no ‘list of company results’ will be drawn up or drawn up. We work based on criteria that will allow us to objectively define who the insurers are. The Commission does not make legislation to target individual companies,” it was expressed from the Commission to CNBC .

Wall Street Concerned About Big Tech Concentration Risks in the S&P 500

A simple glance at this year’s high-end mobiles is enough to realize that, on paper, the technical specifications of the new iPhones do not stand out at all. No cameras over 100 megapixels, no telephoto lenses with a 50 or 100x zoom, no double-digit RAM, or batteries with several thousand extra milliamps.

Quite contrary to the others, in fact, those from Cupertino do not even make public some of those figures .

On paper, we insist, it might seem that even the biggest of the new iPhones, the 12 Pro Max , is just one of many mid-range devices. Although, yes, with a price that does not lower than 1,200 euros in its cheapest version , which offers 128 GB of memory for storage, and that exceeds 1,600 euros in which it includes 512 GB.

Why then is the new Apple flagship considered not only high-end, but an iconic mobile, among the most desired of the moment? And how is it possible that with its bare-bones 12-megapixel cameras it is able to produce extraordinary images (better than most of its competition, in fact) and videos whose quality, stabilization, detail and sharpness no one has been able to beat until now?

How do you explain that despite its “little” RAM memory this terminal can run half a dozen applications at the same time without any problem, without any suffering or slowing down?

Normally, when analyzing a mobile phone, its different components (processor, memory, cameras, battery, etc.) are shelled to determine the solvency of each of them. But with an iPhone this exercise is misleading, since the final performance of the device is far superior to what could be expected from the simple sum of its parts.

The secret, in my opinion, lies in the exquisite balance that Apple is able to achieve between the software and all the components of its phones. 12 GB of RAM is not needed if with less than half, but well tuned and used, the same or even better results are achieved.

No 64 or 108 megapixel sensors are needed if our 12 megapixel cameras are perfectly “understood” and work together as one.

Of course, the Apple “secret” I’m referring to is an open secret. It’s called iOS, and it’s the brand’s exclusive operating system, which powers and “gives life” to all its mobiles and is now in version 14.

So, after several weeks regularly using an iPhone 12 Pro Max (the top of the range), this time I opted for what we could call a “holistic” analysis, based more on user experience than on user experience. technical characteristics. And I already anticipate that the experience has been ten.

In this model, as in the rest of the iPhone 12 family, Apple has opted for a “return to the classics . ” No more curved edges. The straight lines win the battle and the completely flat edges give the terminal a glass-clad monolith look that is both attractive and evocative.

We can almost imagine him planted among the rocks of a prehistoric world and surrounded by hominids throwing their crude tools into the air. Its slight overweight (228 g) and good grip already tell us, as soon as we pick it up, that we have a solid and well-finished product in hand.

All in all, the phone is somewhat smaller and thinner than the previous iPhone 11 Pro Max, and that’s despite the larger Super Retina XDR display at 6.7 inches.

With a resolution of 458 pixels per inch, images and videos are reproduced in high quality, even in bright sunlight. Apple’s color treatment achieves, once again, that what we see on the mobile really looks like the “real” world, without the fanfare and oversaturated tones that are common in other brands.

As for the cameras, they are undoubtedly the best mounted by Apple on a mobile until now. And the rest of the iPhone 12 this year are also included there. In the 12 Pro Max, in effect, we have three lenses, with 12-megapixel sensors in all cases: a main sensor, a wide-angle and a telephoto lens that allows a 2.5x optical zoom. At the front, the front camera is also 12 megapixels.

Without going into too much technical detail, the cameras perform really good in all lighting conditions, even at night, where previous models could lag. The larger pixel size of the main sensor, which is 1.7 nanometers, allows more light to be captured, resulting in excellent night images.

Of course, it has HDR, and we can record videos in 4K or in Dolby Vision. On this occasion, the front camera can also record in slow motion.

However, if there is one thing in which Apple places itself far above the rest, and that is where the differences are marked, it is in the way in which the processor, the new A14 Bionic , treats the images and monitors what they do. cameras at all times. In this way, and although it is possible to apply manual adjustments whenever we want, in automatic mode, that is, without having to do anything other than shoot, the result is exceptional. The processor manages the sensors to measure and correct colors, definition, movements … so that the result, which is the photo we have on the screen, will always be the best possible.

Comparing identical images made with an iPhone 12 Pro Max and practically with any other mobile with higher theoretical performance, the best result is always that of Apple. If we want to check it, we just have to play the photos and videos on a large screen TV (for example 65 inches). It seems incredible that these images were made with a mobile, and not with a professional camera.

As for the sound, just say that it is of high quality and in stereo, thanks to the two speakers located in the upper and lower areas of the screen. The clarity of the bass stands out, which is often the weak point of mobile audio systems.

But the power of the processor, along with the large screen, are very useful for what is perhaps the greatest value of this phone: the user experience, which is unbeatable thanks to the iOS 14 operating system.

It has never been easier (and fluid) go from one application to another, do several things at the same time or consult, with the simple touch of a finger, any document or image that we have saved on the computer.

Yes, that is also possible with other systems, but what we are talking about here is sensations. A utility car and a luxury saloon are cars, and they will take us, both, anywhere we want to go. But you can’t compare the “how” they take us …

In my particular case, I have two computers in two different cities, as well as an iPad Mini (my favorite) and an iPhone. From the phone I always have, and with a single touch, access to any document I have on any of the other devices.

This same article, for example, I started to write on a Mac, but if while on the street I had an idea to add, I just had to pick up the phone, open the text document (which is on the computer), and keep typing on the iPhone.

When returning to the Mac, all the changes and additions made with the mobile were already in the document, ready to continue … Carrying the iPhone in your pocket is like always carrying the office with you.

If your name is Aaron and you plan to use your name as a password for a social network, know that this year 90,256 users have thought and done the same and that cybercriminals would take only three hours to decrypt your password and access your profile.

If you then prefer to use a number combination from 1 to 6, you will fall into the trap again; These are usually decrypted in a second and are used by more than two million users on the Internet. Both are weak passwords and easy to crack. Using them is almost the same as not having a password. However, they are among the most popular in the world. Why?

Most Internet users prioritize convenience over security and voluntarily expose their accounts and data to be easily stolen. How? By using passwords such as 123456 or password to protect bank accounts, social networks or their profiles on sites to buy on the Internet, for example.

NordPass, a cybersecurity company, has produced a list of the 200 worst passwords of 2020 after examining a total of 275.7 million keys. Of the 200, 122 are the same as those of 2019 and 2018 and 78 are new additions, products of the year of the pandemic.

Now, in a world that telecommutes and increasingly depends on the Internet, protecting accounts from cybercriminals is more than an advantage, an obligation.

The table shows the 50 most popular and worst options for a passkey, according to cybersecurity experts. But why are these combinations a bad idea for a password? The NordPass team and antivirus developers Eset Cibersecurity explain that the problem is in the predictable combination and frequency of use.

For example, seven of the ten worst passwords on NordPass’s list are made up of various number combinations, with 123456 , 123456789, and 12345678 ranking first, second, and fifth, respectively. Third place is taken by picture1 , a new addition to the list, followed by password.

These first five keys bring together more than 4.5 million users and all together they have been exposed more than 38 million times in different data breaches.

In other words, anyone who proposed it could enter the bank or Instagram account of these users in seconds, according to the writer and cybersecurity technician Amer Owaida , on WeLiveSecurity, Eset’s cybersecurity blog.

Of the 78 new additions to the 2020 password list, the most popular are senha (Portuguese for password ), Million2 or aaron431 . Part of the last password is also the most popular name used as a password. The most popular feminine name for passwords is ashley .

Safe but easy to remember keys, utopia?
How to migrate to a strong password without forgetting it? Cybersecurity experts recommend that all passwords move from the general to the personal, from simplicity to complexity, and mix numeric and special characters with letters.

Passwords with more than 10 characters, upper and lower case and numbers, are the strongest. A password that includes all of the above could take years to crack, not seconds, according to Eset. If phrases are used instead of words, the terrain becomes even more difficult for attackers.

“Consider using a unique passphrase for each of your online accounts. If you do this right, it will be much more difficult or even impossible to crack and while you do, avoid falling into password reuse, ”suggests Owaida.

However, having ten different passwords for ten different accounts can be confusing for the user. That’s why NordPass recommends using a “password manager”, also known as a password manager .

This is an application designed to store access credentials in an encrypted vault that has the functionality of generating complex passwords for each of the user’s online accounts. Complex passwords are generated by the system and the user only has to remember a single master password in order to access them.

Eset also recommends enabling double factor authentication on all services that offer the option. This process is an extra security measure that requires a code obtained from an application, or an SMS message, as well as a password to access the service.

It is very popular in banking applications, but can also be enabled for use on many websites and social media applications, such as Twitter , Gmail, and Dropbox.

Faced with the rebound in COVID-19 cases, the Ministry of Health (Minsa) reiterates to the population that biosafety measures and the protocols established to combat the virus must be complied with .

Although the majority of the population is complying with biosecurity measures and protocols, there are still minority groups that insist on violating the rules, it was known in an official statement.

The Minister Luis Francisco Sucre regretted that some young people are participating in fiestas.Además there are businesses that violate the opening and selling liquor beyond what is allowed.

Minister Sucre reiterates that parties can not be held that represent crowds in which people often do not use the mask and do not keep the required physical distance.

Once again he reminded the population that meetings that involve festive activities, bullfights, cockfights, discos, dances and others cannot be held because of the risk it represents.

While the regional directorates of the Minsa throughout the country continue with the actions carried out by the Unified Traceability Teams (EUT). In the Bocas del Toro region, tests were carried out in several government institutions, the Accusatory Penal System (SPA), the Ministry of Social Development (MIDES) and the National Authority of Public Services (ASEP), in addition, in the communities of Los Campesinos and Rambala, teaching was given to raise awareness about the measures against COVID-19.

In Colón , an intervention was carried out in the township of Cativá, visiting 267 homes in which 757 people were attended, informational material was distributed and a 4-hour peripheral was performed.

For the Ngäbe region , traceability measures were carried out to detect positives, there is a cumulative 6,727 tests processed and a total of 142 communities intervened.

Los Santos carried out traceability in Tonosí and a score of community leaders from the San Lorenzo district in Chiriquí confirmed their attendance at the training session carried out by MINSA to reinforce knowledge about the prevention of COVID-19.

In East Panama , swabbing days were held in Tortí de Chepo, while in this district tests were applied in shops and the search for cases continued house by house in the communities with the highest number of cases, which were carried out in conjunction with local authorities, Senafront and other institutions.

Similar actions were carried out in Chiriquí, Bocas del Toro, Coclé, Colón, Chiriquí, Darién, Herrera, Panama (Metro, East, West and North), as well as in Veraguas.

On Monday, November 23, in Panama, 137,004 recovered patients were counted, 875 new positive cases , for a cumulative total of 155,658.

To date, 6,902 tests were applied , for a percentage of positivity of 12.7% and 16 new deaths have been registered, totaling 2,973 accumulated and a fatality of 1.9%.

After Guatemala lived through a weekend marked by citizen protests and clashes between protesters and police , the Congress of that country backed down on the approval of the budget for 2021.

Allan Rodríguez, president of Parliament , in the early hours of Monday on a national television channel justified the decision by saying that “in order to maintain the governance of the country and social peace, we have agreed to suspend the processing of the budget for income and expenditures of the State and the Legislative Body 2021 ”.

The nation’s budget for next year was approved by Parliament early last Wednesday.

Two days later, the vice president of Guatemala, Guillermo Castillo, asked President Alejandro Giammattei that both resign from their respective positions . Castillo also expressed dissatisfaction with the way the budget approval had been handled.

The President Alejandro Giammattei reported on Sunday that the protests sought to give a coup and, according to the agency The Associated Press , asked the Organization of American States (OAS) to intervene to achieve solve the crisis far more serious than his government.

According to information published by the AFP news agency , the discontent among different sectors of the citizenry is due to the fact that the Guatemalan government did not prioritize in the capital allocated to the nation’s expenditures “the fight against poverty, which affects 59 3% of the almost 17 million inhabitants ”-according to official figures- and left aside education and health, at a time when the pandemic has claimed more than 4,000 lives and almost 120,000 infections in the country.

However, it privileged the development of infrastructure.

After the announcement of the suspension, Guatemalan parliamentarians will have until November 30 to approve a new budget, adhering to the law of the country. Otherwise, the one that governed this year will remain in force, for about 10,390 million dollars.

For the President of Parliament, this situation will create a “space for discussion for the governance of the country.

The National Confederation of Independent Trade Union Unity ( Conusi) was formally invited, this Monday, November 23, by the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo Cohen , to participate in the Bicentennial Pact “Closing Gaps” , a process of citizen participation that seeks reach a consensus with all sectors of the country on proposals for solutions to the main problems afflicting the Panamanian nation.

“The objective of this meeting is to invite you to participate in a dialogue process called the Bicentennial Pact ‘Closing Gaps’. And the concept of closing gaps is handled by you better than many of us, we are talking about closing gaps from a social point of view, ”said Cortizo Cohen.

In addition, he asked the representatives of the Conusi to designate two of its members to integrate them to the Advisory Council that he will constitute to advise him on this issue.

The President specified that this is a different process from other dialogues , because it will grant a period of two months for the direct participation of people who wish to “contribute, propose solutions that are concrete and viable.”

He recalled that the other dialogues that have taken place in the country begin directly with the different tables in which the topics to be discussed are addressed.

This new modality will be feasible, added the President, through a simple and interactive platform called Ágora, and detailed to the leaders of the various unions attached to the Conusi that the Bicentennial Pact “Closing Gaps” will include 11 topics with their respective subtopics, and a twelfth point to include miscellaneous matters.

Cortizo Cohen indicated that the financial situation of the Disability, Old Age and Death program of the Social Security Fund (CSS) will be discussed in parallel to the agreement process of the Bicentennial Pact “Closing Gaps”.

The president stressed that in this process, “the concept of closing gaps cannot get out of our mind… It is the pact ‘Closing Gaps’ ; the bicentennial is a conjuncture, but closing gaps is the commitment, it is the mission, it is the process. We will lay the foundations for other governments, so closing gaps is the great mission ”.

Genaro López, general secretary of Conusi , said that the country has many problems to which solutions must be found.

“We believe that through dialogue they can be resolved, as long as that dialogue bears fruit, since in other dialogues in which we have participated they listen to us, but in the end they impose what the governments have had as their goal,” he said.

“That the proposals of the population be listened to and that they be implemented in order to solve their needs,” the union leader stressed.
Accompanying the president were: Paulina Franceshi, coordinator of the Bicentennial Pact “Closing Gaps”; Doris Zapata, Minister of Labor and Labor Development (Mitradel); and Rafael Mezquita, spokesman for the Presidency of the Republic.

Last Thursday, November 19, the president met with the leadership of the National Council of Organized Workers (Conato), a group made up of nine unions that bring together more than 200 thousand workers, in order to summon them to participate in the Pact of Bicentennial “Closing Gaps”.

The National Government set for this Thursday, November 26, the launch of the Bicentennial Pact “Closing Gaps” , a process of citizen participation in which issues of national interest will be addressed with all sectors of the country, (business, worker, political and governmental), in order to achieve consensus and agreements.

Technology has changed in a short time our way of understanding the world, the way we relate to others, the activity of companies, our working methods. Communication has broken down borders and distances, and has made globalization an unstoppable phenomenon.

Technological tools are present in our daily life, and through the small screen of the smartphone we can talk, work, inform ourselves, hire services, access our bank, close transactions, compare prices and products, buy …

For some time, Spanish consumers have demanded technologies that are useful and helpful when they approach physical stores, such as the cart price reader, mobile notifications about face-to-face promotions, as revealed by the II Mediapost Relationship Marketing Study , in collaboration with Ofertia and the Spanish Marketing Association.

This data shows that people are demanding new technological tools that facilitate their business transactions, and in turn save them time and money. This is another of the great advantages of technology, the savings it means for both companies and consumers.

Through simple applications (many of them, free) that we can install on our mobile, in just one click we control expenses, consumption and purchases. An example is the new EROSKI app,a free tool for EROSKI Club members that will help them save from the first purchase in an easy and fast way.

The tool offers from personalized offers and savings vouchers to prize games, video recipes with seasonal foods and even the possibility of scanning products to find out their nutritional information.

Eroski’s new free ‘app’, available to members, offers offers and prizes, personalized savings vouchers, video recipes or nutritional information on products.

Using the app is very simple. All you have to do is download the application and start enjoying the benefits of a sales channel highly valued by members, as the figures show. In one year, the number of digital accounts has grown by almost 34%. With the app, the activation of discount vouchers has also increased by 50% compared to the web.

EROSKI’s objective is to continue working to offer its customers increasingly digital solutions that facilitate a more efficient shopping experience and allow them to take advantage of greater benefits. Online shopping , Click & Drive and Click & Collect, and the EROSKI app are some examples.

In this new context marked by covid-19, the distribution chain will intensify in the coming months the launch of new innovative initiatives that will facilitate the lives of its customers, with digital proposals that we will know in the future. Innovation and digital transformation that translate into savings when buying in the establishments that EROSKI has throughout Spain.

The redesign of the new EROSKI Club application allows access to all the advantages of the supermarket from the palm of your hand. Its navigation is more agile and intuitive, and from the first screen the client can see at a first glance all the advantages that the tool offers.

Thus, personalized savings vouchers are available at all times. They can be easily activated from the app and are redeemed automatically when purchasing with the EROSKI club card. In addition, you can know in seconds which favorite products are on sale in the usual store, so as not to lose any discount.

The application also allows you to view and download purchase tickets, and forget about paper forever, with the environmental benefits that this implies. When paying, it is not necessary to show the physical EROSKI Club card, since the app allows the member to be identified.

The new app is packed with new features. One of them is Play and Win , a section that allows you to participate in a different game every month, and in which you can instantly win different prizes. To learn how to cook easy, healthy and inexpensive recipes, there is a section dedicated to video recipes.

Likewise, the brochures of the store can be consulted through the app at any time. If, in addition, someone wants to know complete information on all products, just scan the barcode and access their nutritional details and Nutriscore, as well as the ratings of the article by other users.

Other functionalities of the app are My shopping list , to know what products are on sale; My savings , to control at all times the money saved month by month in EROSKI and My balance , to take advantage of the accumulated balance on the EROSKI club card.

Not forgetting the promotions that allow you to save in more than 70 online stores of your favorite brands, and the possibility of consulting the total balance of Travel Club Points.

Black Friday 2020 is approaching, one of the most important dates on the calendar for millions of consumers around the world. In a short time, this tradition imported from the United States has conquered international markets and its impact on sales grows year after year, since a large part of Christmas shopping is ahead of that day.

The covid-19 pandemic will strongly influence this Black Friday, which is celebrated on November 27.

In a year marked by social distance, capacity limitations in physical stores and control of mobility, electronic commerce has multiplied its turnover.

And the forecasts suggest that this trend is already unstoppable. According to the Black Friday 2020 study, 51% of Spaniards will make their purchases through the Internet due to the coronavirus. In fact, the online channel will represent 89% of sales, and mobile will be the most used tool in transactions.

It is also expected that this year, spending will be higher. After months of containment in savings, a third of those surveyed say they will buy more than in 2019. Sales over 300 euros will also increase to 19%. All these projections suppose a certain oxygen balloon for small businesses, badly hit by the economic and social crisis of SARS-CoV-2.

My Electro bases its business concept on excellence in service and in helping businesses throughout life

The Spanish Confederation of Commerce has already warned of the critical situation that the sector is going through due to the weeks of confinement, the closure of non-essential activity and the fall in income and consumption.

The employer’s association estimates that some 67,500 establishments in Spain (15% of the total) have already lowered the blind forever due to the impact of the pandemic, with billing drops of more than 50%.

That is why, more than ever, this Black Friday is a magnificent occasion to support and collaborate with local businesses. Many people associate this date with large platforms and brands that bill millions of euros each year – some of them, moreover, are not even taxed in Spain.

Nothing is further from reality. Small businesses play an important role in this initiative, since many local stores offer special discounts during these days that are an important springboard for their annual sales.

Another characteristic of these neighborhood establishments is their close relationship with customers, who appreciate this proximity and advice throughout the purchase process. This is the case with the more than 350 stores associated with Mi Electro , which bases its business concept on excellence in service and in helping businesses throughout life.

In a socio-economic context as complicated as the one that many small neighborhood stores are going through this year, these establishments have had significant support through mielectro.es , the chain’s website where it is possible to buy household appliances and electronics for the home comfortably and safe.

When doing so, an order is generated to the neighborhood store as if it were one more sale of the establishment itself. This is important so that local businesses that cannot be on the Internet also receive orders through the online channel , and thus generate new customers. In addition, during the confinement, Mi Electro allowed many of these stores not to close their activity, since they received orders directly from the chain’s website.

The system assigns the sale to the establishment closest to the customer’s home. In this way, each transaction that is generated reports a direct economic benefit to the store that serves the order, which keeps almost all the margins of the operation.

Because the commitment of Mi Electro is that the online business does not subdue or harm small local businesses.

On the contrary, this formula can be very useful in the face of a horizon full of uncertainties and possible new closures. In other words, buying through Mi Electro has a direct impact on the economic support of all these proximity stores and the families that work in them.

In addition to reviving the local economy, this activity generates movement and business in the neighborhoods, since it encourages shopkeepers to continue with their deliveries and sales even in difficult circumstances such as this year. A work philosophy that has resulted in the generation of new customers and sales.

The idea of ​​Mi Electro is that when you place an order on their website, you feel the same as if you buy it in a local store. When you went to the store of your life to get a refrigerator, the grocer would serve it to you the next day or even a few hours with complete confidence.

And that same person you were talking to did it to you, generating a commitment and an important bond beyond the sale.

For this reason, mielectro.es tries to avoid the dehumanization caused by the Internet. Your purchase is served by your local store in 24 hours: buy in the store or online, the process is the same.

There are no agencies involved and you always have an establishment near you for after-sales service, where they will assist you quickly the moment something fails or any minor maintenance problem arises. As with the close and proximity trade.

This speed of delivery is another of the hallmarks of a brand whose priority is, above all, excellence with its customers.

The attention and service is provided by professionals in the sector with decades of experience, and this is reflected in the evaluations received by buyers, which highlight the warmth and speed of the entire shopping experience, including after-sales service.

During the delivery and installation of the merchandise, the store staff makes sure that the appliance is ready for use, and checks that everything is working properly. Once the new product is installed, they remove the used one to transport it to authorized recycling points within 24 hours.

Sustainability is another of Mi Electro’s hallmarks, since its commitment to maintaining the proximity business is its reason for being. On too many occasions, online sales redound to the benefit of department stores or multinationals operating through the Internet, companies that use sales tricks – sometimes debatable – to bill more and at all costs.

On the other hand, investing in local and nearby businesses is more sustainable with the environment and implies greater benefits for the economy of our country, since it has a direct impact on the survival of many families and traditional establishments.

Despite the alerts and requests from health entities to take care of themselves and not go out en masse amid the outbreak of COVID-19 in various parts of the country and the world, Americans are planning to travel during the Thanksgiving holiday.

According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the number of travelers is much lower than last year and it is estimated that more than two million people were screened on Friday and Saturday at US airports. However, in relation to the March figures, last Friday was the second time that the daily reviews passed one million people.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have asked Americans not to travel on Thanksgiving Day, or spend the holiday with people who do not live with them.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading infectious disease expert in the United States, said he was concerned about the saturation of travelers at airports, due to the holiday, as it could generate an increase in COVID-19 cases.

“We will get into more trouble even those who already have now , ” he said in the program “Face the Nation” on CBS, in which he said that weeks later the consequences will be, in the midst of holiday season and a colder weather.

According to John Breyault of the National Consumers League, Americans “should feel comfortable changing their plans and canceling their flights if they need to do so for health reasons.”

In addition, due to the current situation, airlines will not pay cash to refund a flight, but they have implemented policies that make it easier to waive fees and offer coupons.

Breyault told the AP agency that passengers should “familiarize themselves with the policies.”

According to Johns Hopkins University, the United States leads the list of infections and deaths from COVID-19, with a total of 12, 249,575 cases and 256,798 deaths.

In Denmark, working late makes a bad impression on bosses and colleagues, due to the deep-seated work-life balance. Can you imagine something like this in your country?

Danes work an average of 33 hours a week despite the fact that the statutory working hours are 37 hours, according to the OECD. This is one of the factors that makes the Danes one of the happiest people in the world.

However, in many cultures, such as North American and Latino, it is still well seen to have long hours of 8 or more hours a day. In fact, it is estimated that during the home-office period or in teleworking format, if it is not properly regulated by companies, an average of two more hours per day is worked.

And that’s the point to talk about productivity, that’s what it’s all about: are we productive because we work longer hours, or could we do the same, and even better in less time?

This specific case serves to illustrate: in August 2019, almost 2,500 Microsoft employees in Japan participated in an experiment to reduce working hours.

They worked only four days a week, with Fridays off. The result measured was that productivity increased by 39.9% and a balance between personal and professional life was favored.

Working eight hours a day comes from dividing the day into three parts of 8/8/8: eight hours to sleep, eight to work and the same for free time.

This scheme was originated in 1856. Further back, around 1825 in industrialized countries they worked about 82 hours a week from Monday to Saturday: it was a great advance compared to the 12 hours from Monday to Sunday that they used to work in the fields. In few cases, as in the Spain of 1595 with King Felipe II, it was accepted to work eight hours throughout the week.

So , does productivity increase or decrease by reducing the working day? What remains in evidence is that the eight-hour shift from Monday to Friday produced centuries ago a gradual improvement in hourly production, although it would not have been effective without the industrial revolution of that time, for example, the case of the powered loom. steam-originated in the mid-1750, and evolved in 1850 and then 1890-as a contribution to industrialized tasks.

Today, current world conditions will imply a new transformation, perhaps with shorter days or hours, more flexibility and the possibility of teleworking as a permanent or hybrid instance, combined with face-to-face.

We are seeing the emergence of what many envision as a fifth era in humanity, where many jobs are going to be automated and others, directly eliminated.

The possibility of continuing to produce and carry out work practices under new parameters will depend on the preparation and adaptability for new environments, both for companies, governments, organizations and workers. The world is transformed, and it is unthinkable to continue under the same schemes of centuries ago.

A first step in many countries is the implementation of the 32-hour workday; This topic is extensively investigated in different latitudes, since each one has its peculiarities and it might not be feasible to apply it in a generalized way.

Although there is consensus in going towards fewer hours, teleworking, face-to-face in a reduced and minimal format, and new skills of leaders to lead teams in totally different environments until recently.

The results of the experiences indicate that productivity increases because the worker feels happier and a certain release of excessive workload, without seeing his salary compromised.

Even other investigations speak of diminishing inequality. From a health perspective, working fewer hours produces less stress, improves sleep, primary bonds such as family and friends are solidified, and people are more rested and better predisposed.

For those who have permanent employment it may be a good idea. The problem is represented by the self-employed , those who earn their wages every day with their hours: if they don’t work, they don’t get paid. Worldwide it is estimated that a self-employed person works more than 9 hours a day, including in many cases on weekends.

In the public sector there was an experience in 2007 in Utah (United States) where the working day was reduced, although already in 2011 after the measurements, citizens received worse services, which would imply hiring more officials and technicians to fill these shortcomings.

That is to say that in the public sphere there is much to be analyzed, because, in short, the support of public employment is paid by all the private ones out of our own pockets.

Analyze the contexts and culture of the company and adapt it to the new format.

Thoroughly study the pros and cons of these measures, including the economic-financial variable, which will be the one that ends up defining their viability so that companies can sustain themselves.

Create internal regulatory frameworks for how these measures will be implemented, in what terms – generally gradual -.

Do test groups for, for example, three months in a row, with clear indicators to evaluate the evolution of the reduced working day.

Promote task automation and skills development for telecommuting and productivity with fewer hours worked, responsibility, commitment, and consistency; communication, interaction and complementarity.

Redesign the operating schemes of the companies, adapting them to the new forms that they implement. This includes that tasks will be completed on short-time hours, and overtime may no longer exist as a common measure for everyone.

Open permanent channels of dialogue in the company where voices from the different sectors participate, through mediated processes, to agree on best practices, internal regulations, measurement of results and permanent monitoring of the effectiveness of the measures to reduce working hours.

Know that it is a progressive process that cannot simply be executed by decree; rather, the final implementation will take a few years.

Detect new talent suitable for this work format; in addition, to work intergenerationally to fill the gaps that will arise between the old and new models.

By implementing shorter hours, leaders need to learn to trust and delegate more to their teams, focus on effectiveness and not just the bottom line, and definitely support work-life balance.