The Great Re-Evaluation is Here

London. 19 July 2022

Hello from a blisteringly sunny London Living Room (mine). It’s a heatwave, and even the managers most resistant to WFH are suggesting people do not travel but instead take advantage of the billions spent on tech to enable exactly this. I have had one Zoom already and shall be on a Teams call this afternoon.

But this is old news. No-one wants the commute any more anyway. That much is abundantly clear. Later this week, as the weather is due to break, I will venture out in London to participate in an event with King’s College London’s Policy Centre and Business School to discuss their fascinating data on just how widespread the rejection of the commute has become: for instance, only 16% feel working more days in the Capital is good, compared to 58% who don’t.

It’s taking place on Thursday 21st July in the evening (London) You can join in person or online.

But let me be equally clear: Frontline workers who need to be physically present to (for instance) teach, care, work machinery or be present in settings requiring in-situ presence cannot enjoy the benefits of hybrid at all: The heatwaves underscore the inequality of Hybrid Haves and Hybrid Have-Nots. One of my kids is a sous-chef in a restaurant. He gets the sweltering bus because he has to. Another is a part-time carer. He gets on the tube…