How to provide self-care for carers

The number of people juggling work and care could be far higher than previously thought – around 4.87 million, according to estimates from Carers UK. This equates to one in seven of all workers.

Carers often find that it can be a struggle to balance their duties in work with their caring responsibilities, and this strain can have an adverse impact on health and wellbeing.

According to Carers UK’s 2019 State of Caring report, 22% of carers said they were in poor physical health and 27% reported they had bad or very poor mental health.

This not only affects the health and wellbeing of the carer but their ability to work. One in six carers (17%) say that they work the same hours but their job is negatively affected by caring, for example, because of tiredness, lateness and stress.

With a significant proportion of the working population now responsible for caring for a loved one, it is in the interests of companies to support carers in the workplace and retain skilled, healthy and productive employees.

There are different measures companies can take to cater to carers’ needs in the workplace, such as defined carers policies, but health and wellbeing should also be a priority.

Companies should not only look at how their health and wellbeing strategy is inclusive of carers, but also that it gives carers the tools to practice self-care.

Making self-care a priority

With dependents’ wellbeing often taking precedence, carers’ own health and wellbeing can fall under the radar or be neglected.

Caring responsibilities can also mean that carers are time-poor. Companies should aim to offer a range of health and wellbeing tools that are easy to access and convenient, to fit around carers’ squeezed schedules.

As previously mentioned, tiredness and stress are key factors affecting carers’ capacity to perform work duties, so this could be a good place to focus attention.

With one in two employees now using technology to manage their health, according to Willis Towers Watson’s Global Benefits Attitudes Survey (GBAS), tech can be leveraged to promote a self-care approach.

Apps are useful tools, as carers can access them at any time, from anywhere, and they can help boost resilience. Companies can offer access to apps which help with everything from improving sleep cycles to relaxation and stress management through meditation.

Offering a range of options when it comes to counselling services can also encourage carers to seek help in a way they are most comfortable with – be it text-based counselling, 24/7 phone support or face-to-face sessions.

Carers can also struggle to fit physical activity into their schedules. According to the State of Caring report, 81% of carers said that they are not able to do as much physical exercise as they’d like to do.

Again, offering easy access options, that don’t put additional strain or demand on their time, is key for helping carers achieve their physical exercise goals. Some of the options companies could explore include onsite group exercise classes, cycle-to-work schemes, walking lunch clubs or access to home-based exercise programmes.

Loneliness can also be a prevalent issue among carers. Carers are seven times more likely to say they are always or often lonely compared with the general population, according to Carers Week.

Working carers are not immune to feelings of loneliness, as their challenging situation can make them feel isolated from their colleagues and can prevent them from building and maintaining friendships. This is particularly true if they frequently work from home as part of their caring arrangements.

Therefore, social wellbeing should also be a consideration. There are simple ways in which companies can encourage social connections, that doesn’t impose on personal time, such as lunch clubs, group exercise classes, breakfast clubs, charity initiatives and team-building exercises.

Be flexible about flexible working

By fostering a culture of support for working carers, companies can help take the pressure off their caring staff and make it a more viable option for them to stay in work.

According to Willis Towers Watson’s Employee Health, Wellbeing and Benefits Barometer 2019, 41% of employees said there was resentment towards people who work flexibly due to family care commitments.

This is despite 42% of workers saying flexible working would have a positive impact on their health and wellbeing.

If attitudes such as these exist within the workplace, carers may be less inclined to ask their employer for flexible working options, as they may fear judgement or criticism from colleagues.

This may lead carers to suffer silently, compromising their own health and wellbeing, and could increase the likelihood of the employee resigning due to the pull between family and work commitments. The Carers UK survey found that 38% of all carers reported that they had given up work to care.

It is helpful if companies can foster understanding among the workforce by encouraging those who are having issues with balancing commitments or struggling with working hours to speak to management and talk through options that are available and viable. This could be anything from job sharing and compressed hours, to flexible working patterns or remote working.

By offering opportunities for anyone who is struggling with workload, carers may feel less singled out and more comfortable discussing their issues with their employer. In addition, providing compassionate solutions will underline the company’s commitment to worker wellbeing, which will filter down through the ranks and challenge feelings of resentment.

This lays the foundation for a more positive and empathetic environment and opens up opportunities for carers to concentrate on their own health and wellbeing needs.

Take a collaborative approach

Companies that take proactive steps to help carers look after their own health and wellbeing will benefit from a healthier, resilient, loyal and more productive workforce.

But companies should remember that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach rarely works. To be successful, companies need to design their health and wellbeing strategy with the input of all demographics, to ensure that their health and wellbeing provisions are fit for purpose and will have a positive impact on the lives of their workers.

The author is Mike Blake, wellbeing lead at Willis Towers Watson.

This article is provided by Willis Towers Watson.