A green dot on Teams tells you someone is online. It doesn't tell you whether their work is going well, or whether they're overwhelmed.
Fiona Yensen helped bring flexible working into the Civil Service. In this piece she argues managers should judge the work, not who's online. When people got a say over where, when and how they worked, fewer of them left, and the work still got done.
Her practical suggestions for managers:
Set clear outcomes, and talk about progress in regular one-to-ones
Ask about workload and wellbeing, not just delivery
Give people the authority to sort out problems themselves
If something isn't working, agree support with that person rather than taking flexibility away from the whole team
She's also clear that not every role can be done remotely, and that some people prefer the office. The point is choice and trust, not one rule for everyone.
If you'd like to build this into your own workplace, our free self-study course, Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace, covers the practical foundations at your own pace:
