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Beyond Flexible: Mother Pukka’s call for an ‘Inclusive’ work revolution
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On The Motherload podcast, Anna Whitehouse explains why ‘Inclusive Working’ more accurately describes the fight for ‘Flexible Working’, as the push back to the office continues.
My recent interview with Anna Whitehouse (aka @Mother_Pukka) has stayed with me, but there was one point in particular that I can’t stop thinking about. For a decade, she’s been a tireless champion for Flexible Working in the UK, even standing shoulder-to-shoulder with those who pushed for the landmark bill granting the legal right to request flexible working from day one (a stark contrast to our own six-month wait here in Ireland).
But after all this time, all this campaigning, Anna confessed that ‘Flexible Working’ might be the wrong banner to rally under. ‘Inclusive Working,’ she told me, cuts closer to the bone of what’s desperately needed. ‘Flexible’ suggests a perk, a little wiggle room if you’re lucky. Inclusive? That speaks to fundamental fairness, to building a world of work where everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can contribute and thrive.
Because that is what this is about. Fundamental fairness.
As Anna put it, when Lord Sugar, Sir Dyson, Jacob Rees-Mog and more say “Everyone Back,” what they really mean is “Everyone back, apart from you,” and that ‘you’ is anyone with caring responsibilities, anyone with a disability, anyone for whom sitting at a desk all day is not a possibility.
‘Back to the office’ is the opposite of inclusive
‘Back to the office’ is the opposite of inclusive.
In many cases, the call ‘back to the office’ is about outdated notions of productivity that equate bums on seats with actual output. And who suffers? The very people who bring so much richness and diversity to our workplaces: the carers juggling responsibilities, the parents navigating school runs, those living with disabilities, our neurodivergent colleagues whose brilliance might bloom brightest in a different environment. They’re being forced into a mould that simply doesn’t fit.
Don’t get me wrong, the hum of a busy office, the spontaneous chats over coffee, the energy of a team brainstorming session – I value that deeply. There’s magic in those in-person connections. But to insist that this must be the default, the five-day-a-week pilgrimage? It’s lazy thinking. It’s a failure of imagination.
We have an opportunity here, a real chance to forge something different. To be creative about how we connect with each other, how we collaborate, how we work, how we build a company culture that truly supports everyone. Think about it: intentional team gatherings, focused collaboration days, creative spaces to really think outside the box, and trusting people to manage their time and deliver results. This is not about abandoning the office entirely; it’s about making it a tool, not a cage.
The nuance between ‘flexible’ and ‘inclusive’ highlights that this isn’t just about being “nice.” This is about good business sense. When people feel valued, supported, and empowered, they are more engaged, productive, and more likely to stay.
Why are we hanging on to a 9-5 system that was fit for purpose during the industrial revolution, when we can take the opportunity to build a working world that reflects the complexities and possibilities of the 21st century – one that is truly inclusive, not just conveniently ‘flexible?’
Listen to Anna Whitehouse on The Motherload here and visit our Motherload Hub to follow weekly updates including interviews, events, videos and podcast episodes.
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