So today I heard this phrase from a customer and I don't think she was expecting my answer. We were talking about 2020's summer furlough in the UK and how nice it was to have a break being paid 80% wages for having to do nothing. We both felt like it was taking extra (and needed) vacation days. Then she said the dreaded phrase, she felt that because people had been paid for doing nothing they didn't want to go back to work. Now, I had two choices here, put on the customer service and just nod along ooooor, tell her that actually people are less inclined to put up with the crap they have to for wages that don't allow them to live. She was a little taken aback until I told her that in retail and especially hospitality some customers behaved worse and more disrespectful to staff than they had before and people are running out of patience. Also when a company wants you to have total flexibility when they are offering a measly 12 hours a week at minimum wage! I don't know if she believed me or not but I really hate that phrase and I refuse to stay silent when it is mentioned.