BBC.com look at remote workspace interviews Amanda Thomson

After the pandemic, many of us who have spent months confined to home working spaces are re-emerging and travelling back into the office. But a considerable number of colleagues remain absent form the office and are continuing to WFH.

BBC.com talked to Amanda Thomson, CEO and founder of Thomson & Scott, which produces Noughty alcohol-free wine.

Here's an extract:

Amanda Thomson, founder of Noughty alcohol-free wines, has certainly experienced a loss of connection with some colleagues. Before the pandemic, she interacted constantly with colleagues and contacts, either in the company office in London or at industry events. “There was a huge amount of communication, and I was with people all the time,” she says. As an extrovert, spending time with others gave her a buzz; she would often finish the workday inspired by her interactions.

When the pandemic forced an abrupt switch to full-time remote work, connections with colleagues were very different. The shift came as the company prepared for a global launch, meaning the workload was intense. Instead of being a joy, long virtual meetings with external contacts left Thomson drained. Interactions with colleagues were reduced to daily 15-minute check-ins, as opposed to the casual chats she used to have on and off all day.

“It was pretty productive, but there wasn't any downtime at all,” she says. The opportunity to chat, to joke or to have spontaneous conversations had been squeezed out. Contact with some of her indirect colleagues and work contacts – such as freelancers and fellow founders – stopped altogether, shrinking her social circle at work. “For those of us who are more extrovert, a lot was lost,” she says.

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