Flexible working has been one of the greatest benefits for employees post-COVID, and I’m really happy that our Group has fully adopted it as the new norm. For me, it’s meant a much shorter commute from the suburbs of Milan, where I live with my family.

Most importantly, I’ve been able to ditch my scooter, which I used for years but always felt unsafe riding back and forth to the office.
It was such a relief – not just for me, but for my family as well – when I decided to get rid of it. Now, taking public transportation two or three times a week is much more convenient and a lot safer.

On top of that, this new way of working has allowed me to enjoy meals like breakfast, dinner, and sometimes even lunch with my wife and kids for the first time. It’s truly invaluable and has really deepened my connection with my family.

What I’ve found challenging about flexible working is establishing new routines. We went from a five-day-a-week in-office schedule to fully remote during COVID, and it’s been a slow process to come back together in person. Since then, I’ve struggled to find a good balance between highly efficient (but potentially isolating) remote work and very effective (but sometimes less productive) office work. After all, we’re human, and we thrive on personal connections.

It’s important to strike that balance between the two extremes so we can get the most out of each arrangement for our mental health and professional success. That’s why I’m actively encouraging team members who haven’t found their groove yet to develop new routines. I’m not imposing anything; it has to come from a genuine belief that this is the right path forward. We’re not there yet, but with time and the right focus, I’m confident we’ll improve in this area.

I’ve coined a motto: “Be at home when you want to work productively, and go to the office when you need to collaborate.” In this new way of working, home has become the ideal space for focusing and getting tasks done – tasks that were often left unfinished in the pre-COVID world. Meanwhile, the office has transformed into a place where people come to interact quickly and efficiently, leveraging tools we never had access to before. This fundamental shift encourages everyone to plan their time more intentionally, deciding how much of each week should be spent at home versus in the office.

In my opinion, it’s essential to:
Periodically review your calendar to ensure that internal meetings haven’t spiraled out of control. This is probably the biggest challenge of remote work. What used to be a simple question posed to a colleague in the office now requires a dedicated call, and over time, these can easily become recurring meetings. Before you know it, your calendar is filled with back-to-back calls on certain days, so it’s important to challenge this pattern to keep internal meetings within a manageable threshold.

Evaluate the duration and participants for each call. You’d be surprised at how many hours you could save each week, month, and year by ensuring that meetings don’t drag on longer than necessary and that only the essential people are invited. This adjustment can genuinely change everyone’s work life for the better!

Keep at least one full day or two half-days a week completely free from meetings to focus on your own tasks. This ties back to the previous point: if you want to succeed in delivering your work, you need to block out time on your calendar for it. Otherwise, someone else will fill that time without you even realizing it!

All of these tips are about managing your schedule effectively. Being or not being able to do it can either save or drain your life, trust me on this!