Travel Headaches = Not Always Working 9 to 5

Transport is a major issue for most staff at The Right Agency and countless others right now.

All but one of our team live outside Leeds – within 10-25 miles – but a combination of terrible traffic and ridiculously unreliable trains mean none of us (even those that live closest to the city centre) can guarantee how long our journey to work will take – and therefore if we can be in the office for 9am. Let alone what time we’ll get home…

I was considering making this blog a rant about the effect badly managed roads, train strikes and timetable changes are having on our business and working lives – and believe me, I could rant about it for hours. But, despite the frustration and wasted hours, and the fact it is having severe financial impacts on many businesses, I realised that for The Right Agency it isn’t the end of the world.

Having worked at agencies where being in early, leaving late, constantly checking emails and being available 24/7 was expected, despite what the staff handbook said, we were always determined that would not be the case when we established The Right Agency. We wanted to build a successful business, provide excellent B2B PR services and enjoy our time at work but most importantly still have lives.

Eight and a half years later, it has taken Northern Rail, Transpennine Express, the A647 Stanningley Road ‘two-plus’ lane and my daily travel moans to make me revisit those targets.

And I’m happy with what we have achieved. We have a strong business; longstanding, happy clients and have created a good atmosphere and great working conditions. And we don’t clock watch or work unsociable hours. Which means that, as long as the work is done and the clients are happy, arriving a few minutes after 9am or having to leave a few minutes early to catch the last train on strike days (cheers Northern Rail) is not the end of the world. No-one is going to tap their watch at us when we arrive. No-one is going to frown and expect us to make up the time. Because we are a content, motivated and responsible workforce that do great work and, in the scheme of things, a few minutes are not that important.

Not that we will stop ranting, tweeting and probably swearing about our journeys to work…

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