The ugly truth about flex: learnings from lockdown

Many argue that lockdown has proved flexible working… works. But is it true?

HOURS

The pandemic has categorically not shown—in fact it has emphasised—that most employees are not able to put limits around their working hours and still be recognised as competent and ambitious.

And if you work in the information economy, managing your time is even harder. Your contract may say you don’t work on Fridays, but if your boss or client has no interest in the fact you’re not being paid, they may still expect a response. And you may provide it.

In fact, in the first lockdown, the National Bureau of Economic Research said that the average working day worldwide increased by around 48 minutes. The number of meetings also increased by 13%.

Data now shows that the U.K., Austria, Canada, and U.S. have seen an 2.5 hour increase.

So, where will it end?

WHAT TO DO

I discussed this with Dr Heejung Chung, Reader in Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Kent. We exploredthe core of problem* and what needs to change. (*Let’s not dwell on the reality that the only time that Heejung and I could find to talk, was after 8pm at night…)

Obviously it’s important to unwind after such an evening and while It’s a Sin (Channel 4) is as brilliant as its press, it’s not exactly mindless escapism. So, for anyone struggling to unwind, I can’t recommend enough Married at First Sight Australia (also Channel 4). It’s bloody terrible in precisely the right way.

See you next week.

-Christine x