Nige - you ok hun?

Our very own Julie and Trish - flexing it like absolute badasses on the South Bank in London

Everyone’s favourite (I use the word extraordinarily loosely) right-wing, US-based, Clacton MP (truly, the full bingo card), Big Nige Farage, is back in the headlines again - this time for “vowing to crack down on remote working” in Reform-run local councils. Sigh.

As the always-on-point Anna Whitehouse (aka Mother Pukka) has noticed, it’s funny how the loudest calls for a “full return to the office” seem to come from a very particular crowd – older white blokes. Which kind of makes sense, when you think about it. Statistically speaking, they’re the least likely to have caring responsibilities, the least likely to need flexibility, and the most likely to think that productivity is directly proportional to how visible you are at your desk.

But here’s the deal: when you insist on a rigid, 9–5, five-days-a-week office setup, you're not just making a cultural choice - you’re slamming the door shut on a whole load of brilliant, capable, experienced people. Let's break it down...

Who You’re Leaving Behind

• Working parents trying to juggle school runs, poorly kids, and sports days.

• People with eldercare responsibilities, who need to be nearby for when, not if, something happens.

• Carers of disabled children or adults, whose support needs rarely respect a tidy 9–5.

• Neurodivergent folks who don’t thrive in noisy, bright, peak-time commutes and offices.

• People with mobility challenges, trying to navigate transport systems that weren’t built with them in mind.

• Anyone not earning ‘a gazillion dollar bucks’ (hi, fellow Bluey parents) – because daily commutes are not cheap.

In other words, a pretty significant chunk of the population. And when we exclude them from the workplace? We lose diversity, fresh perspectives, and the kind of insight that helps businesses avoid face-palm moments - like some of those recent ad campaigns that flopped hard (see our recent blog on the Heinz debacle) .

What the Research Says (aka “It’s not just vibes”)

Let’s look at the facts:

• 87% of UK full-time employees either work flexibly already or want to.

• 90% believe it makes them more productive, and 81% actually are.

• A UK study found 75% of hybrid workers feel less stressed and fatigued, 74% say they're more productive, and 86% love not commuting daily.

• 45% of workers would literally take a pay cut to keep their flexible working arrangements.

• Managers agree too: 76.5% say parents are more productive when they can work flexibly, and 54% say it's helped them hire better talent.

Oh—and diverse teams? They perform up to 36% better. Just saying.

So Why Are We Still Having This Conversation?

Even Reform’s own job listings are hybrid. It’s almost like the anti-flex brigade knows that rigid working patterns don’t actually work—but there’s just something comforting about seeing a full office, even if half the people are scrolling LinkedIn and waiting for the clock to hit 5.

Let’s be real: some of us do our best thinking while walking the dog. Others thrive in cafés, home offices, or co-working spaces. Very few of us come alive creatively under strip lighting at 9am with a lukewarm Pret. That doesn’t mean we don’t work hard. It means we work smart and like ACTUAL human beings.

In Summary

If your workplace culture says “bums on seats or bust,” here’s who you’re losing:

✅ Parents

✅ Carers

✅ Neurodivergent thinkers

✅ People with disabilities

✅ Anyone on a budget

✅ People with lives, basically

Flexible working isn’t a fluffy extra. It’s good business. It’s common sense. And it’s what makes your workplace actually work.

We've helped dozens of organisations put in place the things which make flexibility work - why not get in touch and find out how - hello@anewnormal.co