The Covid Pandemic was both lengthy and awful for most people, and without diminishing the clear devastation it left behind for many, there were other positive effects that has happened on the environment, economy and employment.

Since working in Financial Services, my time operating in it has been relatively short, yet it didn’t take me long to realise that Blue suits are for Mayfair and brown shoes can’t be worn in the City. What I’m saying is that there are unwritten rules, one’s that aren’t in contracts but are quite clearly obvious.  Not coming into the office 5 days a week post 2020 was unheard of, even frowned upon. So, whilst the Covid Pandemic was quite obviously awful for many of us, it has made a positive impact on the way employers now operate and view their employees.

When it comes to working flexibly, there isn’t an industry standard. Some employers have trialled different methods to get it right whilst other are still trying. However, having a flexible working policy, doesn’t mean that you are being flexible (and that counts for employees too).

The great resignation seems to be finally over, and whilst 2022 was an excellent year for salary increases and career opportunities, the landscape in 2023 is very different. There has been a real shift in candidate power, demands are no longer been met or exceeded. With this, the demand for fully remote working has been less catered for, and office facetime has been increased.

What we have found over the past year is that the majority of employees want flexibility, but that doesn’t always come in the form of set days. Employees want to be treated like adults, to be able to leave early for a child’s school assembly, but make the time up during other hours. This goes deeper than having it written in contract, it goes through the culture of the business. There is no point telling your employees they can leave early, for it only to be mentioned or ‘held over them’ another time.

It’s a difficult balance, and as I mentioned earlier, it goes both ways. Not coming in for a meeting because its your ‘working from home day’ doesn’t send the right message back to your employer either.

In conclusion, there are a lot of positives around how the Covid Pandemic changes our working patterns, and therefore balance of work vs home life. However, there is still much to be done and  perceptions to be changed, in order to finetune the nuances of ‘flexibility’ and what that looks like for both employers & employees.