Yes
13%
No
80%
Don't know
8%
Last month we asked whether you offered employee benefits to help working carers. The vast majority of you said that you did not provide this type of provision.
A growing issue
The number of working carers is currently increasing, largely due to our ageing population. The risk to business is that many members of staff may be forced to leave to look after these relatives. The potential loss of skills and the cost of recruiting and training replacement staff could be significant.
Flexible working
A way in which employers can help staff with their caring responsibilities is to introduce flexible working. Letting them work from home, take emergency leave, flexi-time, annualised hours or even shift swapping can all support workers.
Alternative benefits
Apart from flexible working there are other offerings coming into fruition. Traditional elements such as employee assistance programmes can offer information about the different services available for those with a caring need.
However, newer benefits have also materialised. These include emergency care for adults, when a home visit cannot be facilitated by the employee, and support for the whole family to help make decisions about the best care options available.
Here and now
Not all employers believe that they have a responsibility to help these workers with their caring duties. However, given the historical issues with working parents and the change in attitudes, it does not seem unreasonable that a similar shift will occur in this instance.
For more on this issue please click here.
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