Helen Wright
Moving on up...

The post-maternity-leave return to work is not an experience which is widely known for its relaxing qualities. I mean, it's true that I spent the last two weeks of my own maternity leave joking to my friends that the workplace would feel like a spa weekend in comparison to looking after a small child 24/7…

Moving on up...
Helen Wright
(Un)natural Selection

Last Spring, I went to the gorgeous, glorious wedding of a friend who works in AI.  The bride was radiant, the groom beaming, and the vicar performed a heart-warming service.  In many ways, it was a very traditional occasion. But when we came to the wedding breakfast, the Best Man's speech had a very modern twist.  It had been written by ChatGPT.

(Un)natural Selection
Helen Wright
Inspiration

This week, for the first time, we realised that it was light when we awoke.   It's funny how such a small thing can lift your heart so much, isn't it?  And in our newly-cheery state, we've noticed other tentative suggestions that winter might finally be drawing to a close.  The cherry blossom at the school gate is cutting a dash through the grey afternoons.  When the sun does come out, the March sky is so intensely blue - so sharp and crisp - that it almost hurts to look at it.  They're tiny, incremental steps, but every day feels a little brighter here at 9-2-3 HQ.  We're looking forward with renewed excitement to the months to come.

Inspiration
Helen Wright
Child's Play

Leaving your children for the first time is a big step - there's just no getting around it.  Whether you're re-joining the workforce after a career break or your maternity leave is coming to an end, the return to work can be nerve wracking.

Child's Play
Helen Wright
Is it just January blues, or have I fallen out ...

Michael Georgiou from Aligned Career Coaching, helps professionals who have fallen out of love with the work they do find careers that both fulfil them and bring them joy. We asked Michael what falling out of love with a career might look like, and what professionals can do to start the process of finding a job they love…

Is it just January blues, or have I fallen out of love with my career?

dogs at work

Hot Dogs - The rise of the pet-friendly office

Hot Dogs - The rise of the pet-friendly office

Hot Dogs - The rise of the pet-friendly office?

We’ve spent many a happy hour writing about flexible working over the years. We’ve pondered the leaving of offices, the return to offices and the commute to offices. We’ve written about family-friendly offices, environmentally-friendly offices, returner-friendly offices and bottom-line-friendly offices. But we’ve never yet written about pet-friendly offices. This is a new horizon for us too, but one which seems to be gaining increasing traction in workplaces across the globe.