Resting at home during the work day is not lazy - some of the best work can be done from a laptop in bed

A Gen-Z CEO has hit back at ex-Asda boss Lord Stuart Rose - saying some of the best work can be done “from a laptop in bed”.

Lord Rose, the former boss of Marks and Spencer and Asda, 75, told BBC's Panorama that working from home is creating a generation who are “not doing proper work".

But Vicky Owens, 24, from Manchester, who owns social media agency Socially Speaking, says “suffering through a long commute to the office" is not related to productivity.

She says her eight employees are more productive thanks to hybrid working, and "resting" at home during the work day is not "lazy".

She thinks allowing her employees to work from home makes her a more approachable boss, and never forces anyone to come into the office if they don't want to.

Vicky, a social media strategist for brands like Netflix, Vogue and TikTok, said: “I’m not sure why older generations think suffering through a long commute will make you more productive - I can’t believe anyone would say hybrid working is making us lazy.

“Taking the opportunity to rest during work is beneficial - but don’t get that confused with laziness.

“We’re recognising, as the new generation, what’s going to make the team more productive. For that, we have to think smarter, not harder - and being mindful of employees’ wellbeing is the top priority.”

After going through her own struggles with anxiety and panic disorder during her teenage years, Vicky says it enabled her to recognise when an employee might need help.

She said: “When I initially wasn’t well with panic attacks and anxiety, it was good to have the option not to leave the house. Being aware of other people who might struggle with that has been a benefit.

“Profit numbers have shown, if you give people that flexibility, time and space - productivity gets higher. As a good leader, you have to think about what’s going to make the team more productive; for some people, there’s too much going on in the office and they’d rather work from home.”

Even as the founder of the company, Vicky says some of her best work has been done from her laptop in bed. While it isn’t “all the time”, she says it’s important to rest her body and reenergise for the days she works in the office.

Vicky's advice for other CEOs

1. Stop assuming social media can't be used effectively for work.

2. Just because your employee wants to work from home twice a week, it doesn't make them lazy.

3. Check in on your employees' wellbeing - and offer them work-from-home days if needed.

4. Offer flexible hours for employees with longer commutes - like six hours in-house, two from home.

5. Ask hybrid workers to write up a memo of the work they've completed at home.