This week, Working It is a bit different. It turns out our most read stories so far this year have been about hybrid working, a term that describes working weeks split between the office and working from home. Not only do readers binge on the topic, they also have very strong views, so we thought we’d open up the debate here, too. Isabel talks to FT experts Camilla Cavendish and Pilita Clark, who have both written columns on hybrid work that went viral.

Camilla and Pilita point out that the progressive view on hybrid work is that employers need to be flexible and allow more homeworking, even after the pandemic ends. But the reality is that many business leaders are afraid to say to their staff that there are many benefits to being in the office. We talk about loneliness, mental health, collaboration and what the future of hybrid work will look like.

Isabel also shares what some of the FT readers think. Why is hybrid so polarising? Because it’s so personal.

Want to read more?

These are the columns we discuss in this podcast:

Camilla Cavendish - ‘It’s Time to Admit That Hybrid is Not Working’

https://www.ft.com/content/d0df2f1b-2f83-4188-b236-83ca3f0313df

Pilita Clark - ‘If You Thought Hybrid Working was Hard, Wait Until 2022’

https://www.ft.com/content/006e0751-21ee-4ab0-8bd2-0b954c7132df

We love to hear from you. What do you like (or not)? What topics should we tackle in 2022? Email the team at workingit@ft.com or Isabel directly at isabel.berwick@ft.com. Follow @isabelberwick on Twitter

Subscribe to Working It wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cholera Epidemic That Changed Britain Forever