Up the Workers

Homeworker Nick Baker immerses himself in a study of work - from the hard at it, to the work shy. In his archive exploration, Nick enjoys a choice staffroom edition of King Street Junior and sympathises with a fellow who also works at home in Ed Reardon's Week.

Fascinating facts about offices of the future are revealed, along with the truth about working from home. And work as a form of madness is depicted in a series called You Don't Have to Work to be Mad Here. This features whimsical sackings (sometimes by answering machine message) and a careers adviser who hates her job so much she hides in a strange way.

Plus choice episodes from Kate Kellaway's History of Office Life - and Ricky Gervais reveals how his creation David Brent came to be.

Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra by Testbed Productions.