January 2nd 2025.
It was a normal morning, just like any other work day. I arrived at the office, ready to tackle my tasks and meet with my team. Little did I know, my day was about to take a sharp turn. I was called into a meeting with my manager and before I knew it, I was handed a settlement package and asked to leave. Shocked and confused, I didn't even have a chance to collect my belongings from my desk before being escorted out. As I sat on a bench outside of my ex-employer's office, tears streamed down my face. I was now an unemployed person, with no warning or explanation.
You see, all of this happened because I had put in a formal request to work from home one day a week. I have been living with an autoimmune condition since I was 18, which causes painful swelling in my joints and severe itching. Unfortunately, my condition worsened when I started my job at an investment bank. Although it was my dream job, the long commute and inflexible hours were taking a toll on my health. The swelling in my joints became so severe that I was unable to walk at times.
When I found out that my employer was open to flexible working requests, I was overjoyed. This was back in 2017, before the pandemic made remote or hybrid working a common practice. I saw this as an opportunity to save my health and continue thriving in my career. I remember thinking that if I could work from home just one day a week, it would make a significant difference during times when my symptoms flared up. My employer even sent me to an occupational health therapist who recommended that I register as disabled for protection against discrimination. Little did I know, this was just the beginning of a series of disappointments.
Only 10 days after my request for flexible working, I was called into that fateful meeting. It was then that I realized my employer's openness to flexible working was not genuine. As I sat on that bench, feeling like a failure, I knew I had to make a change. I needed to find an employer who not only claimed to be open to flexible working, but one who truly embraced it in their culture and attitudes.
My now-husband, Maurice, and I were discussing this over a pint at the pub when we decided that we wanted to change the status quo for all workers. However, it wasn't an easy task. Finding an employer who catered to my needs felt more like detective work than a job hunt. I spent hours scouring company websites, LinkedIn pages, and employer review sites, trying to find a company where I could work hard and build a successful career while also protecting my health. But unfortunately, the information I needed was not readily available.
After some time, I did find an employer who claimed to be flexible. However, that turned out to be far from the truth. Despite their promises of accommodating my needs, my employer was taken aback when I actually worked from home more than once. I encountered a similar situation at another company, where I was made to feel like the odd one out for working remotely while my team worked in the office. I felt the need to prove my dedication by working extra hours and even resorted to sending pictures of myself in the hospital to justify my inability to come into the office.
Looking back, being fired and receiving a settlement from my employer turned out to be a blessing in disguise. After a couple of years of struggling, I realized that the problem wasn't going to fix itself. If I wanted a real solution, I needed to make a change.
As I walked into the office that morning, I had no idea that it would be the start of a life-changing day. Like any other work day, I settled in at my desk and began tackling my tasks. Little did I know, I would soon be called into a meeting with my manager that would turn my world upside down.
Sitting on a bench outside of my ex-employer's office, I couldn't hold back the tears. I had been handed a settlement package and asked to leave the company. I wasn't even given the chance to return to my desk to gather my belongings. It all happened so fast, and now I was sitting there, sobbing to myself as a newly unemployed person.
All of this because I had put in a formal request to work from home one day a week. I have been living with an autoimmune condition since I was 18, which causes painful swelling in my joints and severe itching. But things had gotten worse when I started my job in investment banking.
On paper, it was a dream job. I wanted a fast-paced environment where I could work hard and advance quickly. However, the long commute and inflexible hours were taking a toll on my health. My joint swelling had become so severe that I was unable to walk at times.
When my employer mentioned that they were open to flexible working requests, I was thrilled. This was back in 2017, before remote or hybrid working became common, so it was a big deal. I saw it as an opportunity to improve my health and continue my career.
I remember thinking that if I could work from home one day a week, it could make a huge difference when my symptoms flared up. But it quickly became apparent that my employer's openness to flexible working was not genuine. They sent me to an occupational health therapist, who recommended that I register as disabled to protect myself from discrimination.
Looking back, that should have been a red flag, but at the time, I was optimistic and naive. I truly believed that my employer was open to accommodating my needs. So, you can imagine my shock when just 10 days later, I was called into a meeting and let go.
Sitting on that bench, feeling like a failure, I realized that I needed to find an employer who not only claimed to be "open to flexible working requests" but one who genuinely embraced flexibility in their culture and attitudes. Over a drink with my now-husband, Maurice, we decided that we wanted to change the status quo for all workers.
Unfortunately, this turned out to be easier said than done. I spent countless hours searching for companies that catered to my needs, where I could thrive in my career while also protecting my health. But the information I needed was hard to come by.
Eventually, I found an employer who advertised themselves as flexible. However, this was not the case. They were surprised when I actually needed to work from home, despite claiming to be open to it. And it was the same story with another company that promised flexibility. I always felt like the odd one out for working remotely, and I even felt pressured to work extra hours to prove my commitment to the job. It got to the point where I had to send pictures of myself in the hospital to my manager just to justify why I couldn't come into the office.
Looking back, being let go from my previous job and receiving a settlement turned out to be a blessing in disguise. After a few years of struggling to find a solution, I realized that I needed to take matters into my own hands and find a way to make a change. It was then that I decided to actively seek out a company that truly embraced flexibility and inclusivity for all employees. And I'm happy to say that I finally found a company where I can thrive in my career while also taking care of my health.
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