Inside Holyrood: More people should set and respect work boundaries so all workers, including elected representatives, should feel confident in creating a work environment in which they can thrive rather than burn out

Bringing in the New Year has prompted me to reflect on the past year and all the ups and downs that have come along with it. Shortly before Christmas, I wrote my annual report and couldn’t help but feel emotional when looking back at all the places I’ve visited and all the people I met in 2021.

My first year in office didn’t exactly go the way I envisioned; spending the first months on trains to Holyrood and connecting with my staff in the office and then the latter readjusting to remote working.

I see and hear a lot of discussions on when we can ‘return to normal’ working practices, and while I can understand that many people miss co-working spaces or hate the stress that comes with trying to navigate Microsoft Teams calls, I think we will be missing out if we don’t keep some of the greater accessibility we have created.

I hope any return to normal considers that, for many people living in rural or island communities, a long commute can be tiring- and expensive! For those of us further away from Edinburgh, virtual debates and voting in Parliament give more time to carry out regional visits and meet with constituents, learning about the things I need to know in order to properly represent the Highlands and Islands.

The last thing I want is to get used to being stuck in Edinburgh – every time I head out for a week to meet constituents, organisations and voluntary groups, I am reminded of just how much work there is for me to do.

I also hope that if the past two years of restrictions have taught us anything, it’s the importance of inclusion and accessibility in the workplace. I’ve heard stories of young disabled people completing remote degrees that would not have been possible for them before, and new parents who have been able to spend their lunchtimes bonding with their baby.

As a disabled person myself, having the option to participate in duties remotely means I can spend more time focusing on the things that really matter to me rather than using so much of my energy travelling up and down the country on trains.

Last week, a disabled Scottish Government minister was criticised for requesting two days off in fourteen and a limit on the number of meetings in one working day. Moving forward, I would like to see more people setting and respecting work boundaries like this. All workers, including elected representatives, should feel confident creating a work environment in which they can thrive rather than burn out.

I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to meet so many of my constituents in person this past year and am truly looking forward to getting back into that soon. My surgeries over the last couple of months had to be put on hold due to Omicron, however, I’m excited to hold more this year. Let’s hope it treats us all far better than the last!

For more political news click here

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.