Ways of Working

Last Updated: 25th May 2026

If you work with me, there are a few things I would like you to know.

Why I'm Sharing This
Over the years I’ve learned that how I work, how my health fluctuates, and how I communicate are a little different from what people sometimes expect. Having this written down is my way of being as transparent and fair as I can be. It helps colleagues understand what they can rely on from me, what I may find difficult, and what I will and won’t tolerate in how people are treated. Clear expectations and boundaries mean we can get on with doing good work together, with fewer misunderstandings and less stress for everyone.

Working Pattern & Availability
I work a nine-day-fortnight; so, every other Friday is a non-working day for me. My usual working hours on the days I do work are 0830 – 1730; mostly, working from home. If we’re planning work around Fridays, I’m very happy to agree expectations in advance so nothing falls between the gaps. Currently, I also travel extensively in conjunction with my Trade Union responsibilities, which does take away from time when I am available to colleagues.

Neurodiversity
I have autistic traits and symptoms of Complex PTSD with a history of trauma. The most noticeable aspect of this is high levels of anxiety around several areas of my life. I also identify strongly with a particular aspect of autism known as ‘Persistent Demand for Autonomy’, or PDA. This all adds up to have a substantial, long-term impact on my life, including how I access the workplace. While I am still working through the impacts of this, and what 'good' looks like for me in work; there are simple things you can do which do help.

Health / Disability
Not all disabilities or medical conditions are visible, including mine, and my capacity can vary significantly from day to day. If I say I cannot do something, I am not being difficult or uncooperative; I am pacing myself so that I can continue to be at work and contribute reliably over time. If you have questions about what is or isn’t realistic for me, I’m happy to discuss it directly and agree a plan.

Unacceptable Behaviour / Bullying
Unacceptable behaviours include criticising individuals rather than their work (for example, insults, mocking or questioning personal competence), shouting, swearing or using an aggressive tone, and repeatedly interrupting, talking over or dismissing someone. These behaviours are bullying and are not acceptable in a professional environment. I will challenge them where I can, and if necessary I will raise concerns through the appropriate channels.

Please do, appropriately, challenge me if you ever believe my behaviour has fallen short of standards or expectations.

Email / Teams
Because of my Prospect and Trade Union Side roles, I receive a very large volume of email (often 750+ messages in a typical week). If you need to contact me quickly, email is unlikely to be the most effective route; Microsoft Teams chat or a call is usually better. If something is genuinely urgent or time‑sensitive, please feel free to follow up a Teams message with a short call.

Be Explicit
I don't 'read between the lines' well. Something may seem obvious, or common sense, to others; but, I can be entirely oblivious of it. It's important you make what you want from me absolutely explicit (e.g., software requirements, contents of a report, etc.) or you're not likely to get the results that you want.

Recording Meetings
I record many non-sensitive meetings so I can focus on the discussion rather than on detailed note‑taking, and then use Copilot (or similar) to generate a summary. I delete the recording as soon as the summary has been produced, or it is automatically deleted after the retention period set by our administrators. If you have any concerns about recordings for a particular meeting, please let me know in advance so we can agree how best to handle it.