The landscape of work has undergone a seismic shift in recent years, with Flexible working becoming a central theme in terms of productivity, job satisfaction and work-life balance.

For working mothers, in particular, flexible working arrangements have been transformative, offering a new paradigm in which professional aspirations and family responsibilities can coexist more harmoniously. Being a working mother is a juggling act and traditional work structures make navigating school drop offs and the general unpredictability of being a parent more challenging.

Flexible working has redefined how work is approached, whether through remote work, flexible hours or compressed work weeks. I can be a working professional whilst also meeting the demands of being a parent and running a business.

One significant issue with flexible working is the potential for blurred boundaries between work and home life. Without the clear demarcation of an office environment, it is sometimes difficult to switch off from work. There are days/evenings when I am not supposed to be working, but I find myself catching up with work. I also thrive on meeting people and being part of a team.

Working remotely means you can lose out on the invaluable experience of regularly interacting face to face with your team. This means one has to work even harder to maintain a connection with colleagues when you do meet.

Establish clear expectations and maintain regular communication with your team. This will ensure that flexible working arrangements meet both the team’s needs and your capabilities. The team I work in has weekly 121 meetings and is generally considerate to each other’s work patterns. Both of these help the effectiveness of flexible working.

Define your work hours. Even within a flexible framework, setting defined work hours is important for productivity and for maintaining the boundaries between work and family life.

Go into the office when you can. It is very important to achieve a balance between working from home and working from the office. I time my attendance in the office with my team so that we can connect and catch up face to face. There is something inspiring and motivating about the energy and buzz of an office environment and being with your colleagues.

I am incredibly appreciative of being able to work within a flexible working framework. I realise this allows all parts of my life, whether it be my family or my business, to run harmoniously alongside each other. This motivates me to be fully committed to my work and to work even harder to ensure that I do my job well.

NextEnergy Group is incredibly supportive of its employees and their needs. This makes it a company which fosters talent, a sense of commitment and a desire to perform well in its employees. The working environment is being redefined and companies such as NextEnergy Group is leading the way.