Matt Philip, Strategy and Effectiveness Director
The clocks went back at the weekend, which means I’ve spent the entire British Summer Time mainly working from home.
I’ve tried all manner of workspaces. Some were more productive than others. I quickly got kicked off the kitchen table when my partner’s office shut. The sofa was an absolute no go. And everywhere was sold out of desks. A Frankenstein setup involving a garden table, bedside cabinet and ironing board seemed, for a brief moment, to be the answer – until I stumbled across a local office selling some of their excess furniture. So, my working space now pretty much resembles Bankside – which isn’t a bad thing.
It’s been busy. I must have met over 100 new clients via Zoom or Teams. While it’s a shame not to be able to build relationships face-to-face, it has had one upside. If, like me, you’re truly terrible at remembering people’s names it’s an absolute blessing.
Pitching has taken on some new dimensions. I miss the energy of getting everyone in the same room to solve an interesting brief. But we’ve been able to give a pretty good account of ourselves and create virtual chemistry with new clients. And collaborative decks have been a game changer.
Getting back to the office one day a week has been a breath of fresh air. The cycle’s long (and the weather increasingly damp) but seeing colleagues – actual real people! – is brilliant and a reminder that office life is more than just decks and meetings.
The rest of the time I feel like I’m still not getting out of the house enough (although the person who nicked my bike in the summer must cop some of the blame). But it has meant that my media consumption has hit epic levels.
Best pick-me-up: GBBO / The Repair Shop
Best binge watch: Better Things / Marvellous Mrs Maisel
Sound of lockdown: Michael Kiwanuka / The Durutti Column