'Our brief return to the office was oh, so sweet' - says Bradford business boss

As an Internet Service Provider, working remotely was never going to be a technical challenge for us or our team. So when we went into lockdown for a few weeks at the start of March – before the mandated Government one – we were not concerned with that side of things. However, the mental aspect for our teams, many of whom live alone, to be working and living in the same place day in, day out, was much harder than anyone could have expected. So the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday about new measures, including urging office workers who can work from home to do so again, will be a blow for many, even though it seems to be a necessary step. From the first week of lockdown we were planning our return to our head office in the city centre, in some form or another, although I don’t think any of us thought it would take as long as it did. But September 1 came around eventually and many of our staff were VERY eager to get back in. At the moment, we are each just working two days a week from the office, so our welcome return was always intended to be a gradual one. I cannot describe how happy I was to be back to my desk and how much every little thing made me glad to be there. Five months of being confined to my house showed how much difference coming into work – and seeing everyone again – really does make when it comes to your mental health. As a company, Exa Networks provides the UK’s fastest internet service (through our DarkLight product) so, more than almost anybody, we really should have been able to make the technical aspects of remote operation work for us. And, of course, we did – and we will again. But whilst, workwise, you can do many things remotely, it is those spontaneous chats, quick questions and conversations, that are so valuable for staff well-being and productivity. People need people. Face to face, we communicate better; bounce off each off other and spark creatively. So I’ve struggled to understand why some businesses have been considering never returning to the office and working remotely on a permanent basis. It was also great to get back into the city centre again and good to see that the BID had kept themselves busy with installing some gorgeous hanging baskets, as well as keeping up with their impressive street cleaning. And it was pleasing to see the likes of The Broadway driving home the social distancing message, whilst at the same time, welcoming us back. We very often take things for granted in life. Whether it is those little chats with colleagues, a walk round our city at lunchtime, enjoying its amazing architecture, or, more than anything, seeing people out and about. You only miss them when they are taken away so quickly, as they were earlier this year. Those little things give you a sense of some sort of return to normality. Now, sadly, circumstances dictate we must face those challenges all over again. But it was good to see Bradford was ready for us to return as much as we were ready to return to it. So here’s to the next time…