Organisation
Do you
Working Carer
Do you
What is a working carer?
According to NHS England, a carer is someone who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support.
Carers UK states there are “4.87 million people in the UK today who are carers supporting a loved one”, either around the clock or only a few hours a week. One in Seven of these will be juggling caring and work responsibilities, and as an employer they may be working for you.
Caring can be challenging, stressful, often isolating and empolyers are not always aware that their employees are carers.
But you can change this!
What are the benefits of becoming a Working Carers Champions Organisation?
Since the Covid 19 pandemic, there is a greater need for empolyers to support their working carers. The numbers of cares giving up work has increased as juggling work with an even more complicated and stressful persoanl life and looking after their loved ones, has just been too much.
So, what can you do as an employer?
Create a working environment where you demonstrate support for your working carers at all levels of the organisation. In doing so, your employees will see you as a great employer and they are more likely to work harder, remain at work and stay loyal to your organisation. They will share your reputation as being a great and supportive place to work.
Happy staff means happy clients. Happy clients mean returning custom.
What is a Working Carers Champions Organisation?
A working carers friendly workplace is one where working carers in your employ feel visible, valued, and supported.
It is where flexible working regulations and equality legislation are recognised with robust policies and procedures in place. Creating an organisational culture to support and enable carers to remain in the workplace. Research shows working carers who feel valued and supported are unlikely to want to reduce their hours or leave their employment and this can only be good for your organisation.
As a result, you retain your skilled workforce, there is less sickness absence and you have loyal and happy staff which are key to a productive workplace.
A Working Carers Champions organisation is one that also makes a wider contribution to the local community by enabling employees to take pride in their work and feel they have a role in society.
You will also be supporting social care services as without our millions of working carers, Social Services would be unable to cope.
How to create a Working Carers Champions Organisation.
- find out who your working carers are;
- understand each carers circumstances are unique;
- understand the impact being a carer can have on your employee and potentially productivity;
- review and ensure your policies and procedures include carers;
- provide a details range of support for the employee so that they know what is available; and
- provide links to services that carers might find helpful.
Organisation
It is estimated that one in seven employees are also unpaid family carers and this number is set to rise. Caring is one of the most difficult jobs that no one ever wants to have to take on. Despite this many carers want to work and be part of a wider community. Find out how you can support your valued working carers to remain in your employ.
Working Carer
For many carers, work provides a sense of purpose and identity, a feeling of contributing and being valued. It can also be a huge juggling act with conflicting pressures. Find out what support employees can receive via Working Carers Champions.
An Ordinary Day For A Working Carer
