‘I need to work where and when I feel inspired’

Gavin Bell, 24, is from Shetland but lives in Edinburgh, where he runs a Facebook advertising firm, Blue Cliff Media.

He said: “I’m self-employed so I work when and where it suits me. I like to get up early and often start work around 8am. Sometimes I work from home, or there are a few cafes I like to pitch up in. If I’ve been feeling a bit lonely on my own, I might rent a desk in a co-working space for a while. I just do what suits me.

“I’ve just taken on my first employee and we agreed to work broadly 9am to 5pm for the first few weeks so we’d be working at the same time and I could help if he had issues.

“But now we’re moving to an outcome-based model where he has set tasks to do each day and I don’t mind when he does them. He’s based in Glasgow while I’m in Edinburgh.

“But the fact we’re not sat next to each other doesn’t bother me either. There’s still a culture that work means 9am to 5pm in an office. But technology is making it easier than ever to work more flexibly. Particularly among young people, there’s a great want and need for freedom in how and where we work. Having to work 9am to 5pm in an office in a suit feels so outdated.

“If an amazing job opportunity came up but it was office-based 9am to 5pm, I’d say ‘No!’ I need to work when and where I feel inspired. So long as I have wifi and a laptop, I can work any time or place.”