How does supporting families support us all? With Anna Whitehouse and Jackie Henry MBE

Our careers don't happen in isolation.
 
What we carry from our lives outside of work shapes how we show up inside of it. At certain points in life, work doesn't just sit alongside family and caring responsibilities – it actively coincides with them. And how organisations respond in those moments underpins the kind of workplaces they really are.
 
As the world of work continues to evolve, businesses are being challenged to do more than offer flexibility as a perk. Today's workforce is navigating parenthood, caregiving, and complex family lives alongside their careers. And the question is firmly shifting from not just whether employees support families, but how they deliberately build systems, policies and cultures that reflect that. 
 
So, is looking after employees just a moral choice – or a strategic one? And when people feel understood and supported, do they stay longer, contribute more, and help build stronger organisations? Is what's good for families, good for business too? And when we design work in a way that allows people to sustain their careers, does this move businesses from just existing to thriving?
 
How can creating these spaces for families and carers build stronger, more successful businesses? Can flexibility and trust translate into higher productivity and better performance, as well as improved retention and talent attraction? And what will it take to design workplaces where supporting people through real life isn't just a compromise, but an advantage for businesses as a whole?
 
That's what we're exploring in this episode of The Green Room with Jackie Henry MBE, Managing Partner for People and Purpose at Deloitte UK, and Anna Whitehouse, journalist, author, broadcaster and founder of Mother Pukka and Flex Appeal, as we ask: How does supporting families support us all?

Tune in to find out:

• How conversations around work and flexibility have changed
• The role of leadership in creating work that's good for business and families
• Why 'trust' is a key ingredient in making flexible working work
• How businesses can adapt to build workplaces of the future

Enjoyed this episode? Check our website for our recommendations to learn more about this topic: deloitte.co.uk/greenroompodcasts

Find out more about The Yard here: theyardscotland.org.uk

Guests: Jackie Henry MBE, Managing Partner for People and Purpose at Deloitte UK, and parenting influencer, Anna Whitehouse, also known as Mother Pukka

Hosts: Annie Wong and Oliver Carpenter

Original music: Ali Barrett

Recording date and location: London, 19.02.26