Annie Auerbach

Well before the Covid-19 pandemic, Annie had identified both the demand, and the opportunity, for greater flexibility in the way we work. Social and demographic changes, as well as the acceleration in technology meant that increasingly people wanted a greater say in how they worked. This came alongside an awareness of the impact of long working hours on wellbeing and relationships. These trends were accelerated by the pandemic and flexibility in where, when and how we work became both an opportunity and challenge for employers and workers alike.

As in her book Flex, Annie examines the pros and cons of working remotely, from the impact on social lives and collaboration to the advantages for those with caring responsibilities. She explores the role work has in our lives and how work has shaped society, creating and reinforcing biases, unhealthy expectations and pressures. It is increasingly important for businesses to reconsider long-standing, industrial-age models of work and working hours. She examines what has held organisations back from redesigning work and why they’ve been so quick to dismiss the cost, productivity, engagement and diversity benefits of flexible working.

Critically, she explores what flexible working actually is and what it means for individuals and their employers, highlighting that it isn’t just working from home, and that flexible working policies and processes aren’t one-size-fits-all concepts.