CFAS Autumn 2021 Journal

Industry News and Services
Hybrid Working
October 2021. Who would have thought that 18 months
down the line, there would still be such intensity about
returning to the workplace or WFH or hybrid working
from Company spokespersons, the media and published
research. To join in the fun, we have some great articles,
each from a different angle, but all similarly ending at the
same junction – work life has fundamentally changed,
and those organisations who want to thrive as well as
survive need to provide solutions for themselves and their
workforce.
Interesting to read about the experience of a CFAS
member working and commuting in London. It would
be interesting to note if this is a regional anomaly or if it is
mirrored throughout the UK in other large cities.
Upon collating the journal, the fuel station shortage has
been at its height, with snaking queues causing mayhem,
fighting on forecourts and the social media full of pleas
for information on which stations have fuel. One wonders
if this is having an effect on city commuting, or a reversal
of #ReturnToTheOffice. Time will tell. Meanwhile, enjoy
our feature and please do send in your comments as we
would love to hear from you.
UNIVERSAL BUSINESS
INSTALLATIONS Ltd (UBI)
Working with manufacturers and dealers, UBI Ltd receive and
collate orders at our service centres ready for onward deliveries
throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe, shipping directly from our
depots. Our warehouse personnel carry out rigorous quality
control checks, securely wrapping each order ready for shipping.
Services
• Commercial Furniture Installation
• Delivery & Installation (Fully Managed Homeworker Delivery Services)
• Furniture Logistics, European Forwarding and Warehousing
• Specialist Installations and Relocations Acoustic Pods / Mobile Racking
• Store wall Installation and Relocations
• Project Management / Pre-Installation Surveys
• Move Management and Relocation Services
• Ethical Recycling & Waste Management
• Furniture Service & Health Inspections / Repairs
www.ubiltd.co.uk
Warrington | Belfast | Bromsgrove
general@ubiltd.co.uk
Comment from a CFAS
member, based in the
Clerkenwell area.
Reading about TWaTs is really amusing, especially when travelling
on the TFL around London Monday to Friday. Even with large
corporates stating they will not entertain hybrid
working as a norm, and want employees to be flexible
every day of the week, riding on the underground on
a Monday and Friday tells you a totally different story.
If September is indicative to the ‘new world’ then I
will be able to spread out across seats on a Monday,
cross my fingers on a Tuesday for a seat, hopefully
get standing space on a Wednesday and pray that the
game of sardines isn’t too bad on a Thursday. Then
Friday comes along and I’m wondering if a fresh pandemic has hit
and no one has told me!
It has been insightful over the last few months how people adapt
to growing freedom and how this freedom gets taken for granted,
or even abused. Months ago, if anyone was without
a mask on TFL, they wore the ‘exclusion’ lanyard.
Today, on average there are 20-25% of people without
a face mask (and that’s even on sardine Thursdays).
And you know what, I have not seen an exemption
lanyard for at least 4months!
If I worked for a company who encouraged hybrid
working, I know for definite that I would not be
travelling on a Wednesday and Thursday. Obviously
some prefer ‘long weekends’ rather than extended travel time and the
stress of commuting crowds! What would that make me, a MTAF?
4 | www.cfas.uk