Joanna York

Jordan Lever, 33, was a veteran stage manager for blockbuster shows when the pandemic hit. Without work, he decided to retrain as an undertaker because he saw similarities with his old job. He tells his story to journalist Joanna York for Insider.

The Indochine concert in Paris was a medical trial to test whether large-scale indoor events can be held safely. I was among the 5,000 attendees to experience the historical event

The lines between work and home may be blurring, but many of us still see our jobs as a key part of our identity. So what happens when the job is no longer there? We find out how three people coped with losing jobs they loved .

UK charity Beat, which helps those with eating disorders, has reported a 175% increase in demand for its services since the first lockdown. At the same time, working from home has been positive for others. I spoke to three people whose relationship with food has changed—for better or for worse—since the pandemic began.

Rest, exercise and therapy are all touted as treatments for professional burnout, a condition that can have significant and long-lasting effects on our physical and mental health. But are they the only answer?

As the health pandemic rolls on, setting work goals for 2021 might feel like a big ask. The past year has provided a crash course in uncertainty that has made many of us question our priorities. We spoke to Penelope Jones, founder of career support resource My So-Called Career, to find out where to begin.

As a broadcast sports journalist who hosted flagship TV shows on US sports network ESPN, Cari Champion often stood out as the lone woman—and often the only black person—behind the desk. In 2020, after almost eight years at the network, she quit. Now, advocacy for racial and gender equality is at the centre of her work. Here, she talks authenticity, speaking out and knowing her worth.

In 15 years working on construction sites, Michelle has worked with another woman once—otherwise it’s her and anything from five to 2,000 men. She has coped with this by developing a work persona. “I take up as much room as I can. I change my tone. I swear more,” she said. "My husband used to say when I came back from the site, ‘Okay, drop your balls at the door. You’re at home now..."

“Prior to lockdown, I normalised it. I told myself, my using was quite normal. Then the whole world kind of just stopped, and the one thing that continued was the drinking.”
Victoria is a recovering alcohol and cocaine addict. Alongside many others who struggle with addiction, working from home during the pandemic had a profound effect on her habits...

Forget perfectly curated Instagram accounts, keeping it real is having a moment on social media. Over on LinkedIn, users are also slowly beginning to question the ultra-rosy picture of our work lives painted by influencers...

The ‘hidden’ church of St Michael’s in Paris has been welcoming visitors since 1834, among them ambassadors, members of the British Royal Family and John Lennon. Joanna York
takes a pew...

Netflix’s blockbuster Emily in Paris has been accused of not being realistic but much of it is spot on, says the American woman whose experience of moving to Paris and working in a luxury marketing agency inspired the script.

Joanna York met her for coffee...

In 2020, Denise Willis has looked at her own face for hours every day during video calls for her job as a teacher. Before every class, she switches on the camera and is met with her own reflection.

“It’s almost like when you hear your voice recorded,” she said. “You have this image in your head of how everything is supposed to look and sound, and the initial pop-up throws you off.”

So far, there are an estimated 60,000 people who are living with long Covid in the UK. These people—known as “long haulers”—caught Covid-19 and have been left with unusual symptoms that last for three months or more. Kate Hebden-Brittain is one of these people.

The US Ambassador to France is no grey-suited career diplomat. Among her previous jobs, she was CEO and co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball club. She tells Joanna York of her long love of France (and cooking) and her hopes for the upcoming US election.