I’m working from home today. That statement would never have left my lips 3 years ago. In fact in all of the 30 plus years prior to this, to have said that may have led to me getting a disciplinary hearing letter or worse still a don’t come back conversation!

Working in an office has been part of my DNA for so long. I come from a generation of starting work early in the office and being the last to leave in many cases. Not because I felt that I had to be present, but because it was the culture – for everyone.

Fast forward to 2020 and working from home was forced upon me (and most other office workers). I found it quite stressful at first. I remember looking out of my home office window, thinking, what do I do next? Indeed, Tales from the Wendy House started because of the times I suddenly felt a bit lost. The need to verbalise what I was thinking about on this very platform was borne out of needing to speak, when there was no one sitting next to me to speak to.

When people say that they can’t change because they’re old school, it can mean that they’re scared of change. Today I have a wonderful balance of home working and office working. I love the vibe in the office, the laughs, the 4D environment, even the different level of brew making. We are humans – we need interaction. I also love the time to concentrate and get things finished off in silence at home.

I see so many posts on here criticising home working/office working or hybrid working. As a business leader, you have to find out what works for your organisation, be flexible and understand that one size really doesn’t fit all.

Photo – October 2020