maybe hybrid working ain't so bad

While in London this week my partner called to say that one of our boys has acquired another tic, and that the other has come down with a cold. Superstar partner that I have, he handled it all without disturbing me from the late nights that I was working. On Friday I was back home, and the sick little boy didn't want to go to nursery, so I had him join me in my office for the day. He was so good (mainly because he wasn't well enough to be bad) and I think it spread a little joy for some of my colleagues to see a toddler in their meeting.

Prior to Covid, if you worked from home no one would dare to have their children appear in a video conference call for fear of looking unprofessional. Remember the guy being interviewed on the BBC whose kids came running into his home office? I just don't think there would be the same level of embarrassment for him if that happened now. (BTW, that only happened 5 years ago.)

Covid changed many things for many people, and for us working parents the new hybrid ways of working have allowed us a new balance with our families. Having my son sit with me for a day has made little to no difference to my productivity and has probably been the reason my productivity hasn't been affected. I didn't have to find alternative childcare because he couldn't go to nursery. I didn't have to worry whether he was getting better or worse or staying the same. My son got the comfort and emotional support that he needed to get through his illness as quickly and as comfortably as possible.

I have to acknowledge that prior to Covid my red line was working with remote teams. I didn't think that I could effectively do my job, and I didn't think that teams could effectively work together. I have been proven wrong. There are definitely differences and I do miss the lack of serendipity that can happen when working in a shared location. Being in the office for a couple of days a week and trying to be there on the same days as everyone else does mean that the time spent in the office is more of a social nature, and the time spent at home is more of a hyper productive nature. If anything, it gives clearer boundaries on when someone is open to free form conversations and when they are looking for more focused time.

I personally long to be back in the office more than I am. I do like working at home more than I thought I would. I also like not having to catch the bus during rush hour if I so choose. Hybrid working does seem to have put a greater focus on the outcomes that people are having rather than the amount of time that they are spending in a particular business. I wonder how true this is for other people, and how people are finding that focus shift in management is affecting their personal and professional selves. If you have a story to tell, please leave a comment as I'd love to hear it.