Supporting caregivers for the benefit of everyone
More than two thirds (71%) of workers globally have responsibilities to care for a loved one, according to Mercer Marsh Benefits' Health on Demand 2023 research.
In the UK alone, there are 10.6 million carers, with 7.7 million being working caregivers - meaning 1 in 5 employees juggle both professional responsibilities and caregiving duties.
This year has proven to be a big year for working caregivers since the Carers Leave Act and Flexible Working Act came into effect on April 6th, however, there is still more that can be done to support carers in the workplace.
There are likely more caregivers in your organisation than you realise, with many being unaware they are caregivers at all.
This is why, thinking about the distinct and unique needs of working caregivers is critical if employers want to look after the emotional and mental well-being of their working carers.
Here are 5 ways your organisation support the carers in your network.
1. Offer care-related benefits
Benefits and solutions which help employees navigate the stressful world of caring for a loved one provide great value and comfort to caregiving employees.
Whether offering emergency backup care, providing ad hoc emergency care sessions for employees to use for their dependents, or providing a platform of resources and a ‘speak to a Care Expert’ service, users can get the assistance they need to navigate the complex care industry.
As the UK's only fully practical and comprehensive solution for the entire adult care journey, KareHero aims to transform the complexities of adult caregiving into stress-free experiences for customers, ensuring employees get the specialist care-related assistance they need for their loved ones.
2. Create a carers network
Creating a safe space for the carers in your organisation to come together, share their experiences, connect and feel seen can be greatly beneficial for your team.
Within your carers network, carers will have their voices heard, help each other, get a greater understanding of their personal needs and members can then push for solutions to be introduced for all caregiving employees.
3. Mental health support and stress management
Although rewarding in many ways, caregiving can often be hard and emotionally exhausting work, which can lead to burnout and mental health implications.
Offering mental health support and stress management solutions to your employees will go a long way, by giving staff the tools to ensure they can meet their own needs while supporting loved ones.
As employers, there are many ways we can support caregiving employees, including:
- Employee assistance programs (EAPs)
- Counselling and therapy services
- Stress management workshops
By creating and promoting a workplace culture that not only provides accessible mental health resources, but also encourages employees to seek help when they need it, will significantly improve the well-being of caregiver employees.
4. Recognise the role of working caregivers
By acknowledging the responsibilities working caregivers juggle, both professionally and personally, and building support systems to help employees navigate the challenges they may face, employers are paving the way to create a stronger, inclusive culture.
Building a culture of empathy, support, collaboration and belonging will help promote openness among employees to give them the confidence to share their problems with peers and leaders alike.
This is the first step needed for companies to give effective support. Get to know the caregivers in your business, recognise caregiver strain and burnout and listen to their needs.
5. Flexible benefits allowances
No caregiving journey is the same, which is why offering flexible benefits allowances enables employees the chance to find the support that works best for them.
A flexible benefits allowance lets employees spend on anything they need, whether they would like some much needed R&R, or to spend their allowance on supplies to make at-home care easier, your employees and their loved ones are covered.
For the caregivers in your organisation choosing to use their allowance for caregiving, this allowance could be set up as a recurring allowance (monthly, for example) to help with ongoing care needs, or a larger, one-time budget to help alleviate an employee’s upfront costs of care.
Juggling the demands of work and caregiving is no easy task, but when organisations can demonstrate - and not just vocalise - support for the challenges working caregivers face on a daily basis by offering solutions, employers have a better chance of creating a positive work experience for everyone.
In partnership with KareHero
The UK’s No1 adult caregiving support service' for employees. Helping families understand, find and fund elderly care.
