huge opportunity to pool together all of
the voices and frustrations that I’d heard
behind the scenes from those following
the campaign and be able to actually ‘put
it somewhere,’” says Anna. “We were no
longer just talking to an echo chamber, and
the week after that, f lexible working was
pinpointed as the primary way to close the
gender pay gap in Wales, which was a huge
achievement”.
Additionally, after months of relentless
pitching, the Flex Appeal campaign
recently got a financial backer – a multi-
million pound company which is as
passionate about making a change as
Anna. This boost means the campaign
can maintain momentum and move ahead.
What advice does Anna have for those
wanting more f lexibility from their
employer? “I think a lot of people give up
when they’re given an initial ‘no,’” she says.
“Think about what’s best for both you and
the business and present your request in
the most powerful way possible. If that
doesn’t work – wield the gender pay gap
reporting at your employers. There are
very few companies who wouldn’t want
to be seen as trying to help fix this.”“Flexible working means happier
staff, lower costs for businesses
and greater productivity”ANNA WHITEHOUSE
is the founder of Flex
Appeal, the campaign
dedicated to flexible
working for all.
motherpukka.co.ukTO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR ALL, WE NEED TO WORK MORE
FLEXIBLY BELIEVES ‘MOTHER PUKKA’, ANNA WHITEHOUSE
WORDS: CATHERINE HUFTONWant to nominate an excellent woman?
Email [email protected].S
omeone who knows a thing
or two about juggling hats,
is Anna Whitehouse, or
Mother Pukka as she is
known on Instagram. In
between her work as a
journalist, editor, radio host, and mother
of two (not to mention now a bestselling
author, thanks to her book Where’s My
Happy Ending? written with ‘Papa Pukka’,
Matt Farquharson), she’s also the founder
of Flex Appeal, the campaign that’s
fighting for f lexible working for all – from
parents struggling with childcare to those
managing mental health problems.
Anna believes that f lexible working
means happier staff who see their families
more, lower costs for businesses and
greater productivity. Something she
wasn’t getting from her previous role as
a copywriter at a big beauty brand. After
having children, she requested f lexible
working in order to manage family life
better, but her request was denied.
“That was when I quit,” says Anna. “I
posted ‘today I quit’ on Instagram and it
received around 140 comments despite the
fact I only had 63 followers at the time.”
Anna realised that she wasn’t alone in
her frustrations and the idea for Mother
Pukka and Flex Appeal was born. Now five
years in, the campaign is making progress.
One milestone of 2019 saw Anna and her
dedicated team deliver evidence
to the Welsh Assembly, linking f lexible
working to the gender pay gap and
maternity discrimination. “It was ahugeopportunitytopooltogetherallof
thevoicesandfrustrationsthatI’dheard
behindthescenesfromthosefollowing
thecampaignandbeabletoactually‘put
it somewhere,’”saysAnna.“Wewereno
longerjusttalkingtoanechochamber,and
theweekafterthat,f lexibleworkingwas
pinpointedastheprimarywaytoclosethe
genderpaygapinWales,whichwasa huge
achievement”.
Additionally,aftermonthsofrelentless
pitching,theFlexAppealcampaign
recentlygota financialbacker– a multi-
millionpoundcompanywhichisas
passionateaboutmakinga changeas
Anna.Thisboostmeansthecampaign
canmaintainmomentumandmoveahead.
WhatadvicedoesAnnahaveforthose
wantingmoref lexibilityfromtheir
employer?“Ithinka lotofpeoplegiveup
whenthey’regivenaninitial‘no,’”shesays.
“Thinkaboutwhat’sbestforbothyouand
thebusinessandpresentyourrequestin
themostpowerfulwaypossible.Ifthat
doesn’twork– wieldthegenderpaygap
reportingatyouremployers.Thereare
veryfewcompanieswhowouldn’twant
tobeseenastryingtohelpfixthis.”“Flexible working means happier
staff, lower costs for businesses
and greaterproductivity”ANNAWHITEHOUSE
is thefounderof Flex
Appeal,thecampaign
dedicatedtoflexible
workingforall.
motherpukka.co.ukTO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR ALL, WE NEED TO WORK MORE
FLEXIBLY BELIEVES‘MOTHERPUKKA’,ANNAWHITEHOUSE
WORDS: CATHERINE HUFTON
Want to nominate an excellent woman?
Email [email protected].S
omeone who knows a thing
or two about juggling hats,
is Anna Whitehouse, or
Mother Pukka as she is
known on Instagram. In
between her work as a
journalist, editor, radio host, and mother
of two (not to mention now a bestselling
author, thanks to her book Where’s My
Happy Ending? written with ‘Papa Pukka’,
Matt Farquharson), she’s also the founder
of Flex Appeal, the campaign that’s
fighting for f lexible working for all – from
parents struggling with childcare to those
managing mental health problems.
Anna believes that f lexible working
means happier staff who see their families
more, lower costs for businesses and
greater productivity. Something she
wasn’t getting from her previous role as
a copywriter at a big beauty brand. After
having children, she requested f lexible
working in order to manage family life
better, but her request was denied.
“That was when I quit,” says Anna. “I
posted ‘today I quit’ on Instagram and it
received around 140 comments despite the
fact I only had 63 followers at the time.”
Anna realised that she wasn’t alone in
her frustrations and the idea for Mother
Pukka and Flex Appeal was born. Now five
years in, the campaign is making progress.
One milestone of 2019 saw Anna and her
dedicated team deliver evidence
to the Welsh Assembly, linking f lexible
working to the gender pay gap and
maternity discrimination. “It was a