Be that as it may, let us start with the obvious. This is the heat-related equivalent of that social media meme that had superhero sidekick Robin declaring that it is snowing outside and Batman slapping him across the face and shouting, “I know! I have a window!” So, for the record, let me assert that it is hot out there. And not just warm for the time of year, but positively tropical.
Point number two also serves as a comment on the occasional downside of home office. Employers who have been unsuccessfully casting around for ways to encourage colleagues back to the office on a regular basis may now be struggling for room, given that offices have air conditioning, but many homes do not.
The third factor is also climate-related and more empirical to boot. The weather app on my phone has moved from a “severe warning for high temperatures” to “extreme.” Although I haven’t lived in the United Kingdom for more than a quarter of a century, I was born and raised there, and I can tell you the word “extreme” is almost exclusively reserved for use with rain. And possibly wind, often in the same weather event. But never heat.
Not all the inputs to my “Is it hot?” algorithm are weather-based, however. A “health and safety” siting is also crucial, and we got one of those this week, with the government helpfully reminding employers they must provide outdoors workers with what they rather sweetly called a “protective” drink of the appropriate temperature and quantity. Deputy State Secretary for the Labor Market, Labor Protection and Employment Supervision Viktória Zöld-Nagy even more helpfully confirmed that it doesn’t have to be mineral water; tap water does count as a protective drink, but liquids with a high sugar content do not.
The final element is a detectable rise in the tetchiness of the authorities. You can tick that box, too. We have had both the Prime Minister (in between shuttle diplomacy trips to Kyiv, Moscow and Beijing) and Minister of National Economy Márton Nagy telling the motor fuel producers and retailers that, if they didn’t move prices under the average of our neighbors, the government would intervene. Nagy has even gone for a “tetchiness double-whammy,” meeting with HungaroControl to demand it takes “all steps” necessary to ensure air traffic is free of interruptions and calling for “immediate and coordinated” action to address an “intolerable” situation created by flight delays and cancellations during the peak travel season.
So, there you have it. I have checked my data and made my calculations, so you don’t have to, and I can officially confirm it is hot. You are welcome. Wait, is that Batman walking towards me?
Robin Marshall
Editor-in-chief
This editorial was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of July 12, 2024.
Producing journalism that is worthy of the name is a costly business. For over 30 years, the publishers, editors and reporters of the Budapest Business Journal have striven to bring you business news that works, information that you can trust, that is factual, accurate and presented without fear or favor.Newspaper organizations across the globe have struggled to find a business model that allows them to continue to excel, without compromising their ability to perform. Most recently, some have experimented with the idea of involving their most important stakeholders, their readers.
We would like to offer that same opportunity to our readers. We would like to invite you to help us deliver the quality business journalism you require. Hit our Support the BBJ button and you can choose the how much and how often you send us your contributions.
