Thinking, behaving and succeeding as a team when we can’t spend time together doesn’t have to be a problem.

The coming of autumn normally heralds a period of change: we see leaves turn shades of gold and red, we start to wear coats again after the long summer, and we cast our eyes forward to the end of the year – with those who like to be prepared even making a start on their festive planning. This year, though, the biggest change is the chance to spend time again with our colleagues – and indeed our friends – in the workplace.

Unfortunately, the challenge of reconciling social distancing with office layout remains. We may want to reunite all our teams and to gather with people from across the business, but we must accept that this is not practical for most companies, given the typical office environment and the number of people it must accommodate.

Manifold solutions have been proffered: red and blue days, a fixed day for each team, drop-in space booked through an app, added capacity in the form of short-term leased or flexible office space; all are worthy in their own right and as a collective solution. This does not, however, get us past the fact that there will be some days when the person you want to see will be working remotely or there won’t be a space large enough to accommodate everyone who wants to attend a meeting or to spend time collaborating.