IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE UK GOVERNMENT

Robyn Gravestock

Digital PR consultant

On resuming her regular commute into London on the Stansted Express, Robyn Gravestock says she wasn’t “particularly worried” about returning to the office.

That’s largely because the 25-year-old, who works for Builtvisible, a digital marketing agency in Old Street, had seen the trains weren’t too busy and her company had kept her regularly updated on the work being done to ensure the safety of returning employees.

Desks have been reduced in number and spaced apart, while automated hand sanitiser dispensers have been installed. Her firm also showed a flexible attitude.

“Coming back to the office was very much led by the team in terms of who wanted to and how often,” she says. “Now we use a calendar ‘booking’ system that allows those keen to return the opportunity to do so safely.”

“I think the main reason people wanted to go back was because we all just missed each other and the office environment,” she adds. “The best thing about being back is being able to turn to the person next to you and talk to them.”

The office environment also helps her feel motivated: “I can get stuck in and feel like

I’ve accomplished more within the time.”

Tamsin Chislett

CEO of Onloan

Working in a large workspace has meant the return to the office has been fairly straightforward for Tamsin Chislett, CEO of Onloan, a fashion rental subscription service based in Dalston.

She has found the arrangement of socially-distanced desks “all very simple to do” and owing to the nature of clothing rentals, there was already a strong emphasis on hygiene at Onloan, with handwashing stations and disinfectant facilities in place before the pandemic. While her team members are free to come back in when they feel comfortable, Chislett, 34, prefers to be in the office five days a week. “I find it incredibly helpful to be alongside my colleagues,” she says. She also likes “having the separation” between work and home life: “I like the mindset shift between work and home. I have two small kids and it’s quite important for me to keep a different frame of mind when I’m at work.”

One benefit Chislett has noticed compared to home working is being near “the tangible side” of the business. “Even when you’re thinking up marketing concepts, or things that in theory you could do at home, it’s easier to do with the physical clothing product in front of you,” she explains.

And put simply, she likes the office environment: “Iit’s fun, fast-paced and exciting – and less stressful and lonely.”